BX  7251  .H66  1854  v. 3 
Hopkins,  Samuel,  1721-1803 
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THE 


W  0  U  K  S 


,  OCT  18   198P    ,   ) 


OF 


SAMUEL  HOPKINS,  D.  D. 


FIRST  PASTOR  OF 


THE  CHURCH  IN  GREAT  BARRINGTON,  MASS., 


AFTERWARDS  PASTOR   OF 


THE  FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL.  CHURCH  IN  NEWPORT,  R.  I. 


"WITH 


A  MEMOIR  OF  HIS  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER. 


IN    THREE    VOLUMES, 

VOL.  III. 


BOSTOxN: 

DOCTRINAL  TRACT   AND   BOOK  SOCIETY. 

1854. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1852,  by 

Sewall  Harding, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


STKREOTYPED   AT  THE 
TiJOSTON     STEllEOTYPB     FOUNDRT. 


CONTENTS 


VOLUME  III. 


\V> 


AN  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  HOLINESS. 

Page 
Preface, .  5 

Sect.   I.    Introductory  Observations,           9 

II.    Holiness  consists  in  Love, 13 

m.    What  that  Love  is,  in  which  all  true  Holiness  consists,       .        .  15 
IV.    Self-love  shown  to  be  no  Part  of  that  Love  in  which  Holiness 

consists, 22 

V.    The  foregoing  Account  of  Holiness  and  Sin  shown  to  be  agree- 
able to  Reason 31 

VL    Holiness  consists  in  universal  Benevolence,         ....  34 

Vn.    Objections  answered, 52 

Vni.    Inferences   from    the    foregoing    Account    of    the  Nature  of 

Holiness, 57 

Appendix  L    Answer  to  Mr.  Hart's  Remarks  on   President  Edwards's 

Dissertation  concerning  the  Nature  of  true  Virtue,  .        .      69 

Sect.    I.    Mr.  Hart's  Objections  against  Mr.  Edwards's  making  true  Virtue 
to  consist  primarily  in  Benevolence,  which  has  universal  Be- 
ing for  its  primary  Object,  considered  and  answered,       .  69 
n.    Mr.  Hart's  Objections  against  Mr.  Edwards's  Notion  of  the  sec- 
ondary or  natural  Beauty  in  Virtue,  considered  and  obviated,      74 
HL    Mr.  Hart's  Objections  against  Mr.  Edwards's  Account  of  natu- 
ral Conscience  and  moral  Sense,  considered  and  answered,            83 
IV.    Mr.  Hart's  Account  of  the  essential  Nature  of  true  Virtue,  and 

of  a  defective  Sort  of  Virtue,  considered, 95 


IV  CONTENTS. 

Appendix  II.    Eemarks  on  Mr.  Mather, 100 

Appendix  III.    Answer  to  Mr.  Hemmenway, 109 

Introduction, 109 

Sect.  I.    The  Point  in  Controversy  more  particularly  stated  —  The  Method 
Mr.  Hemmenway  takes  to  support  his  Cause  —  Its  Weakness 

and  Fallacy  shown, .    110 

II.    Eemarks  on  Mr.  Hemmcnway's  particular  Arguments  to  prove 

his  Point, 112 

m.    A  brief  Eeply  to  Mr.  Hemmenway's  Answer  to  my  Arguments, 

proving  the  Unregenerate  do  no  Duty, 129 

IV.    Hemarks  on  what  Mr.  Hemmenway  says  of  the  Inability  of  the 

XJnregenerate, 132 

V.    The  evil  Tendency  of  Mr.  Hemmenway's  Book,         .        .        .138 


A  DIALOGUE  BETWEEN  A  CALVINIST  AND  A  SEMI-CALVINIST,    hs 


AN  ADDRESS  TO  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANS,   .      .      •      .  ^    .   159 


AN  INQUIRY  CONCERNING  THE  PROMISES  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

Preface, 185 

Sect.   I.    The  Text  on  which  Dr.  Mayhew  grounds  his  Discourse,    .        .191 
II.    The  Doctor's  stating  the  Question  examined,       .        .        .        .199 
III.    What  is  meant  by  desiring  Salvation,  and  in  what  Sense  unre- 
generate Persons  may  be  said  to  do  so, 202 

IV.,  v.,  and  VI.    An  Examination  of  the  Doctor's  Arguments,       .    208 

VII.    A  short  and  plain  State  of  the  Case, 233 

VIII.    Arguments  to  prove  that  there  are  no  Promises  of  Eegenera- 
tion,  Grace,  or  Salvation  in  the  Scripture,  to  the  Exercises 

and  Doings  of  the  Unregenerate, 237 

IX.    Two  Objections  answered,    ........    247 

X.  The  End  and  Design  of  Means,  and  the  tme  tjrround  of  Encour- 
agement for  Men  to  be  in  the  diligent  Use  of  them  in  order  to 
their  Salvation, 259 


CONTENTS.  V 

THE  TRUE  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE  UNREGENERATE. 

Preface, 279 

Part  I.  Are  the  Unregenerate,  when  under  genuine  Convictions,  more 
guilty  in  God's  Sight  thag  they  were  in  a  State  of  Igno- 
rance and  Security? 283 

Sect.  I.    The  Question  stated, 283 

II.     The  time  State  and  Character  of  the  Unregenerate  under  Awa- 
kenings and  Convictions, 292 

III.  Arguments  for  the  Affirmative, 304 

IV.  Mr.  Mills's  Evasions, 321 

v.,  VI.,  VII.     Mr.  Mills's  Argument  examined,          ....  341 

Vni.  TheJJoctrine  that  Sinners  arc  more  guilty  in  Attendance  on  the 
Means  of  Grace  when  awakened  and  convicted  than  when  in  a 
State  of  Security  no  Discouragement  to  an  Attendance  on 

Means, 406 

Part  II.     Do  the  Unregenerate  truly  comply  with,  and  may  they  perfectly 

obey,  the  divine  Commands  ■?  .         .         .         .        .        .    418 

Sect.  I.     The  Question  stated,  and  Arguments  for  the  Negative,         .         .418 
II,  III.    Mr.  Mills's  Argument  for  the  Affirmative  examined,"  .         .    431 

IV.    Mr.  Mills's  Inconsistencies, 474 

V.     The  evil  Tendency  of  Mr.  Mills's  Inquiry, 481 

VI.    Mr.  Mills's  speaking  against  metaphysical  Eeasoning  and  Argu- 
ments briefly  considered,   .         .        .         .         .        •.        .         .    490 
Conclusion, 495 


V  THE  IMPORTANCE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  CONSIDERING  THE 

EXALTED   CHARACTER   OF   CHRIST, 499 

\    THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD'S    LAW  NECESSARY  TO    THE 

KNOWLEDGE   OF   SIN,    .        .        .    ' 519 

V  THE   CAUSE,  NATURE,   AND    MEANS   OF  REGENERATION,     543 

HOW   CHRISTIANS   WORK  OUT   THEIR   OWN   SALVATION,     579 
VOL.    III.  1 


VI  CONTENTS. 

THE  LAW   OF   WORKS   AND   THE  LAW   OF  FAITH,      .        .    659 

THE    EEASON    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN'S    HOPE,    WHICH    HE 

OUGHT  ALWAYS   TO   BE   READY   TO   GIVE,      .        .        .    687 

THE  SmS  OF  MEN  SO  ORDERED  AND  CONTROLLED  BY 
GOD  AS  TO  GLORIFY  HIM  AND  SUBSERVE  THE  GOOD 
OF  HIS  KINGDOM  IN  ALL  CASES, 725 


INDEX, .771 


AN  INQUIRY 


THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  HOLINESS. 


AN    APPENDIX, 


CONTAINING 


&N   ANSWER  TO  THE    REV.   MR.   WILLIAM  HART'S   REMARKS    ON  PRESIDENT 
EDWARDS'S   DISSERTATION   ON  "THE  NATURE   OF  TRUE   VIRTUE;" 


BRIEF  REMARKS  ON  SOJVIE  THINGS  THE  REV.  MR.  MATHER  HAS  LATELY 
PUBLISHED. 


AN  ANSWER   TO  THE   REV.  MK.  UEMMENWAY'S   VINDICATION. 


PREFACE. 


Since  holiness  is,  by  the  confession  of  all,  the  sum  of  all 
moral  excellence  and  the  highest  and  most  necessary  attain- 
ment, it  is  of  the  last  importance  that  we  should  well  under- 
stand its  nature,  and  distinguish  it  from  all  counterfeits.  This 
will  help  us  to  understand  the  Bible,  to  form  right  conceptions 
of  the  divine  perfections,  and  distinguish  true  religion  from 
that  which  is  false.  Wrong  conceptions  of  the  distinguishing 
nature  of  holiness  lead  to  all  kinds  of  delusion  in  religion. 
And,  on  the  other  hand,  just  and  clear  apprehensions  of  this 
are  the  best  preservative  from  fatal  mistakes,  and  have  the 
happiest  tendency  to  remove  the  difference  and  opposition  in 
sentiments,  and  the  sad  divisions  so  common  among  profess- 
ing Christians,  and  to  bring  them  to  "  speak  the  same  thing, 
and  be  perfectly  joined  together  in  the  same  mind,  and  in  the 
same  judgment." 

The  more  I  have  attended  to  the  religious  controversies  of 
this  day  among  us,  the  more  have  I  been  convinced  that  our 
different  sentiments  chiefly  originate  either  from  too  great 
inattention  to  the  nature  of  holiness,  or  very  different  appre- 
hensions about  it;  and  that  the  real  question  is.  What  is 
God's  moral  character  ?  What  is  conformity  to  it  ?  What 
opposes  it?  Were  we  agreed  in  this,  most  of  these  disputes 
would  subside.  In  this  view,  they  are  far  from  being  trifling, 
and  deserving  that  neglect  and  contempt  with  which  many 
1* 


6  PREFACE. 

affect  to  treat  them,  but  appear  interesting,  important,  and 
worthy  the  attention  of  all. 

I  humbly  conceive  there  has  been  too  little  attention  to  the 
nature  of  holiness  among  divines  in  general,  and  that  a  proper 
and  intelligible  definition  of  it  is  not  easily  to  be  found  in 
bodies  of  divinity  or  elsewhere.  And  most  of  those  who  think 
it  a  very  easy  matter  to  tell  what  holiness  is,  and  that  we  are 
all  agreed  in  this,  have  been  contented  with  a  set  of  words 
which  express  no  distinct  ideas,  but  leave  the  thing  wholly  in 
the  dark.  They  will  perhaps  say,  God's  holiness  is  his  purity. 
If  it  is  asked.  In  what  does  this  purity  consist?  the  common 
answer  is.  In  that  which  is  opposite  to  all  sin,  the  greatest 
impurity.  'We  have  now  got  what,  I  think,  is  the  most  com- 
mon definition  of  holiness.  But  who  is  the  wiser?  This  does 
not  help  us  to  any  idea  of  this  purity,  unless  we  know  what 
sin  is.  But  this  cannot  be  known  so  long  as  we  know  not 
what  holiness  is ;  for  we  do  not  learn  what  holiness  is  by  first 
obtaining  the  idea  of  sin,  but  we  must  first  know  what  holi- 
ness, or,  which  is  the  same,  what  the  divine  law  is,  in  order  to 
the  knowledge  of  sin. 

Some  have  attempted  to  tell  what  holiness  is,  by  saying. 
It  is  not  properly  a  distinct  attribute  of  God,  but  the  beauty 
and  glory  of  all  God's  moral  perfections.  But  we  get  no  idea 
by  these  words  till  we  are  told  what  is  this  beauty  and  glory. 
To  say  it  is  holiness  is  saying  nothing,  or  that  which  is  no 
better. 

Under  a  conviction  of  this  too  general  inattention  to  the 
nature  of  holiness  —  the  great  defect  in  the  most  common 
descriptions  of  it  —  the  importance  of  distinct  and  clear  ideas 
of  it  —  that  the  controversies  before  us  turn  chiefly  upon  this, 
and  will  be  decided  the  shortest  and  best  Nvay,  by  determining 
what  holiness  is,  I  present  to  the  public  the  following  inquiry, 
hoping  it  may  give  some  light  on  the  subject,  and  assist  such 
as  are  willing  to  inquire  into  the  nature  of  holiness,  as  described 
in  divine  revelation ;  and  in  the  light  of  this,  help  them  to  find 
on  which  side  the  truth  lies  in  the  present  controversies. 

In  this,  however,  I  do  not  pretend  to  be  an  original.  Pres- 
ident Edwards,  in    his   dissertation    on    the    nature    of   true 


PREFACE.  7 

virtue,  has  given  the  same  account  of  holiness  for  substance, 
though  under  a  different  name,  which  the  reader  will  find  in 
the  following  inquiry.  All  I  can  pretend  to,  as  an  improve- 
ment Oil  him,  is  to  have  explained  some  things  more  fully  than 
he  did,  and  more  particularly  stated  the  opposition  of  holi- 
ness to  self-love,  and  shown  that  this  representation  of  holiness 
is  agreeable  to  the  Scripture  ;  and  to  have  answered  some 
objections  he  has  not  mentioned,  and  made  a  number  of  in- 
ferences. 

As  Mr.  Hart  had  published  objections  against  Mr.  Ed- 
wards's account  of  the  nature  of  true  virtue;  it  seemed  neces- 
sary they  should  be  considered  and  obviated.  This  ]  have 
done  in  an  appendix,  that  what  puts  on  the  air  of  controversy 
might  be  by  itself,  and  at  the  same  time  have  the  advantage 
of  the  foregoing  inquiry. 

As  Mr.  Mather  had  published  something  respecting  self- 
love,  which  appeared  very  contrary  to  the  nature  of  holiness, 
and  on  this  ground  objected  to  Mr.  Edwards's  account  of  a 
holy  taste,  and  to  some  things  wrote  by  me,  some  brief  re- 
marks on  him  are  subjoined  to  detect  the  fallacy  of  his  scheme, 
and  show  that  his  objections  are  groundless. 

When  Mr.  Hemmenway's  vindication  made  its  appearance, 
several  reasons,  the  principal  of  which  is  mentioned  in  the 
introduction,  induced  me  to  answer  him  in  an  appendix ; 
whence  the  book  exceeds  the  size  at  first  proposed. 

However  disagreeable  these  disputes  are  in  themselves,  and 
offensive  to  many,  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  think  they  have 
already  been  of  great  advantage  to  truth,  and  the  pleasure  of 
believing  they  will  yet  be  more  so,  if  protracted.  When  in 
this  sense  many  run  to  and  fro,  knowledge  will  be  increased. 

There  are  those^  I  knovv^,  who,  in  their  own  apprehensions, 
dwell  in  superior  light,  looking  down  with  pity,  if  not  resent- 
ment and  contempt,  upon  those  concerned  in  these  disputes, 
as  doing  much  mischief — contending  in  the  dark  about  they 
Know  not  what  —  disputing  about  words,  and  are  too  wise  so 
much  as  to  read  any  of  these  controversial  writings,  being  pos- 
sessed of  the  happy  talent  of  determining  all  these  matters 
without  any  of  this  trouble,  or  much  thought.    We  are  willing 


8 


PREFACE. 


such  should  know  we  do  not  envy  their  superior  knowledge 
md  wisdom,  and  think  they  would  not  give  less  evidence  of 
i^iieni,  were  they  willing  to  be  at  the  pains  of  hearing  the 
matter  before  they  answer. 

The  author  wishes  that  peace,  truth,  and  holiness  may  be 
promoted  by  these  efforts  ;  and  that  they  may  in  some  measure 
conduce  to  bring  on  the  happy  era,  when  "the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  fill  the  earth,  as  the  waters  cover 
the  sea;"  and  "  there  shall  be  upon  the  bells  of  the  horses. 
Holiness  unto  the  Lord." 

May  every  reader  remember,  that  whatever  arc  his  specula- 
tions, and  which  side  soever  of  the  disputed  questions  he  takes, 
yet  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.  And  let  him 
who  reads,  and  is  in  any  measure  enlightened  and  strength- 
ened in  the  way  of  holiness  by  what  is  now  oflfered  to  his 
perusal,  bless  God  and  give  all  the  glory  to  Him. 

Newport,  June  9,  1773. 


AN  INQUIRY 


THE  NATURE  OF  TRUE  HOLINESS 


SECTION   I. 

General  Introductory  Observations. 

I.  Holiness  is,  in  all  respects,  perfectly  consistent  with 
right  reason,  and  agreeable  to  its  dictates  ;  or  reason,  properly 
exercised  and  improved,  will,  in  all  cases,  and  without  fail,  de- 
termine holiness  to  be  what  it  really  is.  However  vitiated  the 
taste  may  be,  and  the  heart  disrelish,  hate,  and  oppose  true 
holiness,  the  same  person's  reason  and  judgment  may  pro- 
nounce it  to  be  holiness.  Though  the  reason  of  man  is  liable 
to  be  blinded  and  prejudiced  by  the  vicious  taste  and  reigning 
lusts  of  his  heart,  and  often  is  so  to  an  amazing  degree,  yet  it 
is  not  always  and  necessarily  so  blinded,  but  may,  and  often 
does,  dictate  the  truth  in  this  matter,  and  always  does  when 
reason  is  properly  exercised.  Hence,  men  of  corrupt  minds, 
enemies  to  holiness  in  heart  and  practice,  may  reason  well 
about  the  nature  of  holiness,  and  be  able  to  prove  what  it  con- 
sists in  by  incontestable  arguments.  Hence  the  propriety  of 
reasoning  on  this  subject.  And  we  may  be  sure  that  so  far 
as  we  reason  right,  and  find  what  reason  dictates,  we  have 
found  the  truth. 

II.  Holiness  is  that  in  which  the  highest  enjoyment  or  hap- 
piness consists,  and  is  really  the  greatest  good  in  the  universe. 
It,  in  a  sense  and  degree,  puts  us  in  possession  of  all  good. 
That,  therefore,  which  gives  true  enjoyment,  and  tends  to  the 
highest,  perfect,  universal  good  of  intelligent  beings,  is  true 
holiness,  and  nothing  else  can  be  worthy  of  that  name. 

It  is  true  that  holiness  may  be  the  occasion  of  misery,  and 
a  perfectly  holy  being  ma;,  not  be  perfectly  happy  in  certain 


10  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

peculiar  circumstances ;  as  the  imperfect  holiness  of  the 
saints  in  this  life  is  the  occasion  of  pain  and  distress  of  mind 
which  no  unholy  person  can  have,  and  Christ  in  the  human 
nature,  though  perfectly  holy,  was  subject  to  great  pain  and 
sufferings.  But  this  is  not  properly  owing  to  any  thing  in  the 
nature  and  tendency  of  holiness,  but  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances which  attend  it.  Therefore,  those  exercises  of  mind 
which  give  a  being  the  highest  enjoyment  his  nature  is  capa- 
ble of,  and  put  him  in  possession  of  all  possible  good,  and  at 
the  same  time  promote  the  greatest  happiness  of  the  whole,  is 
true  holiness.  And  those  exercises  which  have  not  this  na- 
ture, but  the  contrary,  are  opposed  to  holiness. 

III.  Holiness  is  the  highest  possible  excellence  in  the  uni- 
verse. It  is  that  in  which  the  highest  and  most  perfect  beau- 
ty and  all  real  worth  do  summarily  consist.  It  is  in  such  a 
sense  and  degree  the  excellence  and  perfection  of  intelligent 
beings,  that  without  it  they  have  no  real  excellence  nor  any 
true  worth,  but  they  are,  in  themselves,  odious,  despicable,  and 
worse  than  nothing.  The  more  they  have  of  natural  capacity, 
powers,  and  endowments,  if  they  have  no  holiness,  the  farther 
they  are  from  all  real  excellence,  and  the  more  hateful,  because 
they,  not  being  holy,  are  of  course  more  opposed  to  holiness, 
or  have  more  of  that  which  is  moral  evil  than  beings  of  less 
natural  capacities  could  have. 

If  holiness  could  be  banished  from  the  universe,  considered 
as  comprehending  Creator  and  creatures,  and  should  actually 
cease,  there  would  be  no  real  excellence  or  worth  in  universal 
existence  ;  but  it  would  be  in  truth  infinitely  worse  than  uni- 
versal nothing.  Holiness  is  the  beauty,  excellence,  brightness, 
glory,  and  perfection  of  God,  by  whatever  name  it  is  called. 
And  this  is  true  of  all  intelligent  creatures.  Therefore,  if  we 
can  find  what  true  moral  beauty,  worth,  or  excellence  is,  it 
will  determine  what  is  holiness. 

IV.  Holiness  is  that  by  which  intelligent  beings  are  united' 
together  in  the  highest,  most  perfect,  and  beautiful  union.  It 
consists  in  that  harmony  of  affection  and  union  of  heart  by 
which  the  intelligent  system  becomes  one,  so  far  as  holiness 
prevails ;  which  fixes  every  being,  by  his  own  inclination  and 
choice,  in  his  proper  place,  so  as  in  the  best  manner  to  pro- 
mote the  good  of  the  whole.  There  is  no  moral  beauty  or 
happiness  among  intelligent  beings  without  harmony  and 
union  of  heart.  All  sin  is  opposed  to  this  ;  it  sets  intelligences 
in  opposition  to  each  other,  and  spreads  the  most  disagreeable, 
unliuppy  discord.  But  holiness  unites  them  ;  it  consists  in 
the  highest  and  most  excellent  kind  of  union  in  nature.  It  is 
the  most  excellent  and  perfect  bond  by  which  intelligent  beings 


INTRODUCTORY    OBSERVATIONS.  11 

are,  by  their  own  voluntary  exertions,  united  and  cemented 
together  in  the  strongest  and  most  happy  manner.  If  we  can, 
with  any  degree  of  certainty,  then,  determine  what  affection 
of  heart  that  is  which  thus  unites  intelligent  beings,  we  may 
be  equally  certain  that  we  have  found  the  object  of  our  inquir}', 
viz.,  true  holiness. 

V.  Holiness  is  essentially,  in  nature  and  kind,  the  same 
thing  in  all  beings  that  are  capable  of  it.  Holiness  in  God  is 
not  different  in  nature  and  kind  from  the  holiness  of  creatures. 
God's  holiness  ditlers  from  the  holiness  of  creatures  in  degree, 
and  in  circumstances,  or  in  mode  and  form,  agreeably  to  the 
infinite  degree  of  his  excellence,  and  the  different  manner  and 
circaimstances  in  which  he  exists,  but  is  of  the  same  nature, 
and  so  essentially  the  same  thing  in  both.  We  have  the 
greatest  certainty  of  this,  in  that  holiness  in  the  creature  is,  in 
Scripture,  called  the  image  of  God,  and  that  by  which  they 
partake  of  the  divine  nature,  and  is  represented  to  be  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  or  God's  holiness,  dwelling  and  acting  in  them, 
by  which  God  dwells  in  them,  and  they  dwell  in  God. 

Holiness  in  different  creatures  may  also  differ  in  some  cir- 
cumstances, and  in  the  particular  form  and  manner  of  its 
exercises,  owing  to  their  very  different  state,  relations,  and  cir 
cumstances.  Thus,  the  holiness  of  creatures  who  never  have 
sinned  is,  in  some  respects,  as  to  the  form  and  manner  of  its 
exercises,  different  from  the  holiness  of  those  who  have  sinned, 
and  being  redeemed  by  Christ  are  recovered  to  holiness.  And 
in  this  lies  the  difference  between  what  is  called  legal  holiness 
and  evangelical  holiness;  the  former  being  the  holiness  of 
angels  and  of  man  before  he  sinned,  the  latter  is  the  holiness 
of  those  who  are  redeemed  from  among  men.  This  difference 
might  easily  be  pointed  out;  but  this  will  not  be  attempted 
here,  as  we  are  inquiring  into  the  general  nature  of  true  holi- 
ness. This,  I  say,  is  the  same  in  all  creatures,  and  therefore 
has  but  one  and  the  same  rule,  the  law  of  God,  and  consists 
in  conformity  to  that. 

Therefore,  if  we  can  find  what  is  the  nature  of  divine  holi- 
ness, we  may  be  certain  that  we  have  found  what  is  the  holi- 
ness of  creatures,  and  so  vice  versa.  This,  therefore,  must  be 
kept  in  mind,  as  what  may  be  of  use  in  our  inquiry. 

VI.  True  holiness  is,  in  its  own  nature,  one  simple,  un- 
compounded  thing.  It  is  not  made  up  of  different  and  vari- 
ous kinds  of  exercises,  properties,  and  ingredients,  which  may 
exist  distinct  and  separate,  or  in  any  degree  independent  of 
each  other,  and  being  put  together  make  one  compound;  but, 
in  opposition  to  this,  is  perfectly  simple  and  uncompounded. 

This  is  most  certainly  true  of  the  divine  holiness.     And  if 


12  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

holiness  in  creatures  is  of  the  same  nature  and  kind,  being  a 
participation  of  the  divine  nature,  and  consists  in  the  Spirit  of 
God  imparted  to  the  soul,  and  dwelhng  in  it,  which  is  the 
scriptural  representation  of  the  matter,  as  has  been  observed, 
then  this  must  be  true  of  creature  holiness. 

Holiness  is  in  Scripture  called  life ;  it  is  indeed  the  highest 
and  most  perfect  kind  of  life.  Now,  life  is  one  simple  thing. 
It  is  not  compounded  of  different  things,  and  made  up  of  va- 
rious parts,  which  differ  in  nature  and  kind,  and  do  not  imply 
and  involve  the  whole.  This  may  receive  some  illustration, 
perhaps,  from  animal  life.  This,  as  it  appears  in  exercises 
towards  different  objects,  in  various  circumstances,  and  by 
different  senses,  sight,  taste,  hearing,  etc.,  is  called  by  different 
names ;  but  it  is  the  same  simple,  uncompounded  thing  in  its 
nature,  and  in  all  its  exercises.  It  is  the  same  animal  life,  in 
whatever  form  or  name  it  appears.  Every  property  and  mo- 
tion is  the  motion  and  property  of  this  same  life,  and  implies 
the  whole.  So  holiness,  though  it  has  obtained  different 
names,  as  it  is  exercised  in  different  circumstances  and  to- 
wards different  objects,  is  the  same  most  simple,  undivided 
spiritual  life.  This  remark  may  be  of  use  in  the  inquiry  we 
are  entering  upon.* 

VII.  The  nature  and  distinguishing  properties  of  true  holi- 
ness are  so  clearly  described  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  noth- 
ing is  needed  but  to  understand  the  most  important  truths 
revealed  there,  in  order  to  know  what  true  holiness  is,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  all  counterfeits.  It  is  one  chief  end  of  divine 
revelation  to  make  known  and  ascertain  the  distinguishing 
nature  of  true  holiness.  The  great  end  of  divine  revelation  is 
to  make  known  the  true  God  to  man,  and  manifest  his  glory; 
especially  to  reveal  his  moral  perfections,  -which  is  his  glory. 
And  this  is  the  same  with  his  holiness ;  for  this  is  all  the 
moral  perfection  in  the  universe.  And  so  far  as  the  Bible 
reveals  the  duty  and  happiness  of  man,  which  is  doubtless 
done  with  all  possible  clearness,  and  in  the  wisest  and  best 
manner,  just  so  far  is  the  nature  of  true  holiness  revealed;  for 
in  this  both  the  duty  and  happiness  of  man  consist.  There- 
fore, he  only  understands  his  Bible  who  has  learned  what  is 
true  holiness  ;  and  he  who  is  ignorant  of  the  nature  and  prop- 
erties of  this  is  blind  to  the  most  leading,  important'  things 

*  It  has  heon  said  that  "  virtue  is  a  complex  thing.  It  does  not  primarily 
consist  in  one  single  disposition,  tendency,  or  afFection  of  mind,  all  other  affec- 
tions rising  out  of  that  as  their  root,  but  includes  various  affections,  equally 
original  and  essential  to  virtue."  But  not  the  least  probable  evidence  of  this 
assertion  has  been  offered  or  even  attempted,  so  far  as  I  have  observed.  —  See 
M)-.  Uarl's  Remarks  on  rresident  Edwards. 


HOLINESS    CONSISTS    IN    LOVE.  13 

contained  in  divine  revelation.  He  knows  not  God  ;  he  is 
ignorant  of"  tlie  divine  law,  and  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
his  own  true  interest.  The  Bible  is,  indeed,  a  sealed  book  to 
him,  and  he  is  in  darkness  even  until  now.  But  he  who  has 
a  true  idea  of  holiness,  knoweth  him  who  is  holy  in  all  his 
works.  He  understands  the  gospel,  and  walketh  in  the  light. 
This  at  once  shows  how  important  the  inquiry  is  which  we 
are  entering  upon,  and  the  great  help  we  may  expect  from 
the  Bible  in  determining  this  question,  and  consequently  the 
reasonableness  and  importance  of  attending  constantly  to  that 
in  all  our  inquiries  of  this  nature. 

These  observations  being  kept  in  view,  will  greatly  help  us 
in  our  inquiry  into  the  nature  of  true  holiness,  and  serve  as 
landmarks  to  direct  us.  If  reason,  when  properly  improved, 
will  direct  us  to  it;  if  it  is  that  alone  in  which  true  happiness 
consists,  and  which  tends  to  the  greatest  general  good ;  if  it  is 
the  highest,  the  supreme  beauty  and  excellence,  that  in  which 
all  the  real  worth  of  intelligences  consists,  and  without  which 
the  intellectual,  moral  world  would  be  infinitely  worse  than 
nothing ;  if  it  unites  intelligent  beings  together  in  the  most 
amiable,  happy  manner,  and  degree,  and  is  the  only  bond  of 
such  union  ;  if  it  is,  in  its  nature,  one  simple  thing,  so  that  if 
we  can  find  what  is  any  one  thing  which  comes  into  the  nature 
of  holiness,  or  any  thing  which  is  properly  a  branch  of  holiness, 
we  have  found  in  that  every  thing  essential ;  if  holiness  is 
the  same  in  nature  and  kind,  in  whatever  being  it  is  found ; 
if  one  chief  design  of  divine  revelation  is  to  teach  us  what 
holiness  is,  and  it  is,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Bi- 
ble, held  up  to  view  in  the  most  clear  and  intelligible  manner, 
in  the  best  way  to  give  us  a  true  idea  of  it,  as  it  stands  dis- 
tinguished from  every  thing  else,  so  that  he  who  runs  may 
read  it,  (see  Isa.  xxxv.  8,)  —  if  all  this  is  true,  then  surely  noth- 
ing can  be  more  certainly  and  with  greater  ease  determined 
than  the  question  before  us ;  as  we  may  be  sure,  on  the  one 
hand,  that  whatsoever  does  not  agree  to  all  these  is  not  true 
holiness,  however  it  may  seem  to  agree  to  some ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  which  is  found  to  bear  all  these  marks  has 
the  divine  stamp,  and  may  be  safely  fixed  upon  without  any 
further  researches. 

SECTION   11. 

Holiness  consists  in  Love. 

The  law  of  God  is  the  standard  of  all  moral  rectitude  or 
holiness.      Holiness  consists   in  conformity  to  this,  and  in 

VOL.   III.  2 


14 


THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 


nothing  else.  Therefore,  the  knowledge  of  the  precepts  of  the 
moral  law  decides  the  question  before  us  ;  for  whatever  the 
holy  law  of  God  requires  is  holiness,  and  nothing  else  can 
deserve  the  name.  Our  divine  Teacher  has,  in  his  great  wis- 
dom and  goodness,  given  us  a  summary  of  the  divine  law,  in 
the  following  words  :  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
mind.  This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment.  And  the 
second  is  like  unto  it.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self. On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets."     (Matt.  xxii.  37-40.) 

Here  all  obedience  to  the  law  of  God  is  reduced  to  one 
thing  —  love ;  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  including  our- 
selves. This  is  the  whole  that  is  required ;  therefore,  this  is  the 
whole  of  true  holiness  ;  it  consists  in  this  love,  and  in  nothing- 
else.  When  Christ  says,  "  On  these  two  commandments  hang 
all  the  law  and  the  prophets,"  he  must  be  understood  to  assert 
that  the  whole  of  the  law  and  the  prophets,  all  that  is  required 
in  them,  is  love.  All  depends  upon  this  ;  so  that  if  love  is 
removed,  all  that  is  required  is  removed;  the  law  and  the 
prophets  come  to  nothing,  and  fall  to  the  ground.  Take  love 
away,  and  there  is  nothing  left  that  is  required  in  the  whole 
of  divine  revelation.  If  love  was  not  the  whole  that  the  law 
requires,  it  could  not  be  said  to  be  wholly  suspended  on  this, 
so  as  utterly  to  fall  if  love  is  excluded;  for. the  law  would 
still  exist,  as  there  would  be  yet  something  commanded. 

But  if  there  could  be  any  doubt  about  the  meaning  of  these 
words  of  our  Savior,  St.  Paul  has  explained  them  when  he 
says,  "  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law ;  for  all  the  law  is  ful- 
filled in  one  word,  even  in  this  :  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself."  (Rom.  xiii.  10.  Gal.  v.  14.)  If  all  the  law  is'lulfilled 
in  love,  then  this  is  all  that  the  law  requires ;  for  the  law  is 
not  fulfilled  unless  the  whole  is  given  which  it  requires. 
Therefore,  love  is  the  whole  of  that  obedience  which  the  law 
requires  —  perfect,  supreme  love  to  God,  and  that  love  to  our 
neighbor  which  is  implied  in  it,  i.  e.,  loving  him  as  ourselves. 
This  love,  expressed  in  all  proper  ways,  which  is  implied  in 
its  being  perfect,  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law ;  this  is  true  holi- 
ness. Therefore,  the  love  of  God,  and  keeping  his  command- 
ments, is  spoken  of  as  one  thing.  "  For  this  is  the  love  of  God, 
that  we  keep  his  commandments."  (1  John  v.  3.)  This  could 
not  be  if  there  was  any  obedience  or  holiness  which  is  not 
love,  or  there  was  any  command  which  required  any  thing 
less  or  more  than  love. 

Thus  far,  then,  we  go  on  sure  ground,  and  have  the  greatest 
certainty  that  holiness  consists  in  love ;  and  all  the  difificulty 


HOLINESS    CONSISTS    IN    BENEVOLENCE.  15 

in  the  question  before  us  is  in  determining  what  is  meant  by 
love  —  what  is  the  nature  and  kind  of  that  love  which  the  law 
requireth.  This  will  be  particularly  attended  to  in  the  follow- 
ing section. 

SECTION   III. 

W7iat  is  that  Love  in  ivhich  all  true  Holiness  consists  ? 

Though  it  is  certain  from  the  Holy  Scriptures  that  all  true 
holiness  consists  in  love,  yet  all  love  is  not  holiness.  If  it 
were,  then  all  men  would  be  holy,  and  have  a  great  degree  of 
holiness;  for  we  all  exercise  much  love,  even  in  all  our  voli- 
tions and  conduct.  But  it  is  so  far  from  being  true  that  all 
kinds  of  love,  and  love  to  all  objects,  is  holiness,  that  there  is 
a  sinful  love  often  spoken  of  in  Scripture.  Such  is  the  love 
of  them  that  hate  the  Lord,  (2  Chron.  xix.  2,)  the  love  of  the 
world,  (1  John  ii.  15,)  and  love  of  our  own  selves,  (2  Tim. 
iii.  2.)  There  is  a  kind  of  love,  therefore,  which  is,  in  its 
nature,  contrary  to  holiness ;  of  this  the  world  has  been  full  in 
all  ages.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that  we  should  carefully 
inquire  into  the  nature  and  kind  of  holy  love,  in  order  to  find 
the  true  and  proper  distinction  and  difference  between  that 
and  the  love  in  which  there  is  no  holiness. 

Love  has  been  usually  distinguished  into  love  of  benevo- 
lence, or  good  will,  love  of  complacence,  or  delight,  love  of 
esteem,  and  love  of  gratitude.  The  love  of  benevolence  is 
good  will  to  beings  capable  of  good,  or  happiness,  and  consists 
in  desiring  and  pursuing  their  good,  or  rejoicing  in  their  pos- 
sessing it.  By  benevolence  is,  I  suppose,  most  commonly 
meant  that  good  will  which  is  exercised  towards  other  beings, 
in  distinction  from  self-love.  But  good  will  is  as  really  im- 
plied in  self-love  as  in  the  love  of  others ;  for  they  who  love 
themselves  only,  exercise  good  will  towards  themselves. 

Complacence  is  that  affection  of  the  mind  in  which  we  are 
pleased  with  any  object.  There  is  what  may  be  called  com- 
placence in  benevolence  itself,  even  in  all  the  exercises  of  it, 
being  necessarily  implied  in  it.  Good  will  to  any  being  sup- 
poses a  taste  for  good  and  happiness,  and  that  we  have  some 
good  in  view  with  which  we  are  pleased.  If  any  one  wishes 
well  to  himself  only,  this  is  taking  delight  in  some  good  as  Ids 
oi^»;,and  wishing  well  to  others  implies  a  taste  and  relish 
for  the  good  of  others,  as  theirs,  and  a  delight  in  it  when  they 
are  seen  possessed  of  it. 

But  by  the  love  of  complacence,  when  distinguished  from 
benevolence,  is,  I  think,  generally  meant   the    pleasure   and 


16 


THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 


delight  we  take  in  the  person  and  character  of  an  intelligent 
being,  as  beautiful  and  excellent.  In  this  sense  the  word 
will  be  used  in  this  discourse.  And,  complacence  being  un- 
derstood in  this  sense,  it  may  be  observed  that  benevolence 
and  complacence  have  not  always  the  same  object.  We  may 
exercise  good  will  to  a  person  whose  whole  character  is  very 
disagreeable  and  displeasing  to  us,  so  that  he  may,  at  the 
same  time,  be  the  object  of  our  benevolence  and  of  our  dis- 
placence  and  aversion,  because,  though  capable  of  happiness, 
his  present  character  is  disagreeable  and  hateful. 

The  love  of  esteem  is  nothing  distinct  from  benevolence 
and  complacence  exercised  towards  a  worthy,  excellent  object, 
—  at  least  in  our  apprehension.  The  love  of  gratitude  is  that 
affection  which  we  exercise  towards  another,  considered  as  a 
benefactor,  for  his  good  will  exercised  towards  ourselves  or 
others.  This  includes  in  it  both  benevolence  and  complacence, 
and  is  nothing  distinct  from  this,  as  might  be  easily  shown 
were  there  need  of  it,  and  will,  perhaps,  be  more  particularly 
attended  to  in  the  sequel. 

Having  observed  these  things  concerning  love  in  general,  it 
now  remains  to  be  said  what  that  love  is  in  which  holiness 
consists.  This  is  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  including 
ourselves,  and  is  universal  benevolence,  or  friendly  affection  to 
all  intelligent  beings.  This  universal  benevolence,  with  all 
that  affection  or  love  which  is  included  in  it,  and  inseparable 
from  it,  is  the  holy  love  which  God's  law  requires,  and  is  the 
whole  of  true  holiness.  This  love  is  distinguished  from  all 
other  kinds  of  love  both  in  its  nature  and  object.  The  ob- 
ject is, — 

1.  Universal  being,  including  God  and  all  intelligent  crea- 
tures. Benevolence,  or  universal  goodness,  has  for  its  object 
all  beings  which  exist,  capable  of  good,  or  that  can  be,  in  any 
sense  and  degree,  objects  of  good  will.  Any  kind  of  good 
will,  or  any  thing  which  has  the  appearance  of  benevolence, 
which  is  limited  to  particular  objects,  and  will  not  extend  to 
all  towards  which  good  will  can  be  exercised,  is  not  universal 
benevolence,  but  is  essentially  different  from  it,  and  quite  of 
another' nature.  That  good  will  which  will  extend  only  to  a 
limited  number,  or  a  certain  kind  or  circle  of  beings,  by  the 
supposition  is  not  universal  good  will ;  it  falls,  as  it  were,  infi- 
nitely short  of  it  in  this  respect,  and  is  so  far  from  uniting  its 
subject  to  universal  existence,  that  it  is  circumscribed  by  very 
narrow  bounds,  and  is  consistent  with  ill  will  and  opposition 
to  general  existence ;  yea,  it  is,  in  fact,  in  its  own  nature  such, 
for  it  sets  up  an  infinitely  small  part  of  existence,  compared 
with  the  whole,  and  regards  it  above  the  whole,  which  has 


HOLINESS    CONSISTS    IN    BENEVOLENCE.  1/ 

the  nature  of  unfriendly  disregard  and  real  opposition  to  the 
whole.  It  hence  appears  to  be  so  far  from  true,  universal 
benevolence,  that  it  is  of  an  opposite  nature,  as  it  does,  from 
its  nature,  oppose  it.  Besides,  it  is  certain  that  such  limited 
good  will  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  universal  goodness,  but 
it  is  something  in  its  own  nature  which  thus  limits  it  to  a 
small  part  of  being,  in  opposition  to  being  in  general,  as  there 
can  be  no  other  reason  of  this  limitation  but  the  nature  of  the 
affection  itself,  which  could  not  be  if  it  was  not  in  nature  dif- 
ferent from  universal  benevolence,  and  contrary  to  it.* 

But  holy  love  unites  the  heart  to  universal  existence,  so  far 
as  it  comes  into  view,  and  is  the  most  cordial  friendship  to  all 
without  exception,  and  wishes  and  seeks  the  good  of  every 
individual,  so  far  as  this  is  consistent  with  the  greatest  good 
of  being  in  general,  except  those  who  are  known  implacable 
enemies  to  general  existence ;  and  these  are  necessarily  op- 
posed by  this  universal  benevolence. 

2.  Another  object  of  universal  benevolence  is  the  highest 
good  of  the  whole.  As  soon  and  as  far  as  the  eyes  of  the 
benevolent  person  are  opened  to  see  what  is  the  true  good  of 
intelligent  beings,  and  highest  happiness  of  the  universe,  this 
good  becomes  the  object  of  his  wishes.  And  as  holiness  itself 
is  this  true  and  highest  good,  —  even  holy  love  and  benevo- 
lence, by  which  intelligences  are  united  together  in  the  most 
beautiful,  happy  manner,  every  one  to  his  utmost  conspiring 
to  promote  the  greatest  general  good,  and  enjoying  this 
good,  —  I  say,  as  this  is  the  highest  good,  it  becomes  the  ob- 
ject of  his  delight  and  of  his  wishes;  so  that  this  is  the  object 
of  his  benevolence  and  of  his  complacence  at  the  same  time. 
And  in  this,  also,  holy  love  is  distinguished  from  every  other 
kind  of  love,  as  that  has  not  holiness  for  its  object  in  any 
sense  or  degree,  but  is  consistent  with  the  utmost  aversion  to 
it.  And  this  holy  love  differs  from  all  other  kinds  of  love  in 
its  nature  as  well  as  object.  The  nature  of  it  may  be  deter- 
mined by  its  object.  That  affection  whose  object  not  only 
differs  in  nature  and  kind  from  the  object  of  other  love,  but  is 
opposite  to  it,  must  itself  be  of  a  different  and  opposite  nature. 

*  Mr.  Edwards  has  set  this  in  a  clear  light,  in  his  dissertation  concerning  the 
Nature  of  True  Virtue,    pp.  129,  130,  131. 

And  this  view  of  the  matter  shows  us  in  what  sense  universal  existence  is  the 
primary  object  of  holy  benevolence.  This  is  the  first  and  most  essential  thing 
in  it,  in  which  lies  its  distinction  from  all  love  which  is  not  holy.  Tliis  is  the 
leading,  governing  thing  in  it,  as  that  in  which  its  peculiar  distinguishing 
nature  consists.  He  who  exercises  true  benevolence  towards  any  particular 
being  does  it  as  a  friend  to  the  whole,  so  that  his  love  to  him  is  really  love  to 
being  in  general,  as  he  belongs  to  the  whole  and  is  included  in  it. 

2* 


lo  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

But  the  particular  nature  of  this  love  will  be  more  fully 
explained  hereafter. 

This  universal  benevolence  or  love  to  being  in  general  must 
have  God,  who  is  infinitely  the  greatest  and  most  excellent, 
and  the  sum  of  all  being  and  perfection,  for  its  object,  and  is 
exercised  towards  him  in  loving  him  with  all  the  heart,  with 
all  the  soul,  with  all  the  mind,  and  with  all  the  strength.  This 
is,  I  think,  well  expressed  by  Mr.  Edwards  in  the  following 
words :  "  The  mind  being  under  the  sovereign  dominion  of 
love  to  God,  does  above  all  things  seek  the  glory  of  God,  and 
make  this  his  supreme,  governing  and  ultimate  end,  consisting 
in  the  expression  of  God's  perfections  in  their  proper  effects, 
and  in  the  communications  of  the  infinite  fulness  of  God  to 
the  creature,  in  the  creature's  highest  esteem  of  God,  love  to 
God  and  joy  in  God,  and  in  the  proper  exercises  and  expres- 
sions of  these.  And  as  far  as  such  a  mind  exercises  benevo- 
lence to  created  beings,  it  chiefly  seeks  the  good  of  the  crea- 
ture, consisting  in  its  knowledge  or  view  of  God's  glory  and 
beauty,  its  union  with  God,  conformity  and  love  to  him,  and 
joy  in  him.  And  that  temper  or  disposition  of  heart,  that 
consent,  union  or  propensity  of  mind  to  being  in  general,  which 
appears  chiefly  in  such  exercises,  is  real  holiness.  And  no 
other  atfection  but  this  is  of  the  nature  of  true  virtue."  * 

But  it  will  be  proper  here  more  particularly  to  show  that 
all  holy  affection  consists  in  this  benevolence  or  goodness,  and 
that  it  can  consist  in  nothing  but  this,  and  what  is  implied  in 
it.  This  will  be  evident  if  the  two  following  propositions  can 
be  supported :  — 

1.  Universal  benevolence  does  imply  love  of  complacence, 
and  all  holy  love.  He  who  exercises  universal  benevolence 
does  esteem  and  take  complacency  in  all,  according  to  their 
worth  and  excellence ;  for  not  to  do  so  is  unkind  and  injurious, 
and  therefore  contrary  to  the  nature  of  benevolence.  And 
benevolent  affection,  from  the  necessity  of  its  nature,  is  pleased 
w^ith  this  same  affection  in  others.  Every  one  must  be  pleased 
with  friendship  to  those  to  whom  he  himself  is  a  friend ;  for 
not  to  be  so  would  be  a  contradiction. 

Benevolent,  kind  affection  necessarily  implies  also  gratitude 
to  benefactors  for  kindness  exercised,  for  this  is  nothing  else 
but  being  properly  affected  with  the  benevolence  of  others, 
which  has  just  been  shown  to  be  the  nature  of  benevolence. 
Besides,  not  to  exercise  gratitude  towards  the  benevolent  and 
kind,  is  itself  unkind,  and  therefore  contrary  to  the  nature  of 
benevolence.    A  man  must  be  stripped  of  all  true  benevolence, 

»  Nature  of  True  Virtue,  p.  133. 


HOLINESS    CONSISTS    IN    BENEVOLENCE.  19 

in  order  to  exclude  gratitude ;  where  the  former  is,  the  latter  is 
found  to  an  equal  degree.  Thus  evident  is  it,  that  all  holy- 
love  is  implied  in  universal  benevolence,  so  that  he  who  has 
this,  certainly  has  the  whole.  To  suppose  a  person  truly  be- 
nevolent and  not  to  exercise  holy  love  of  esteem,  complacency 
and  gratitude,  in  all  suitable  ways,  and  towards  all  proper 
objects,  is  a  most  glaring  contradiction,  and  to  imagine  a  char- 
acter which  never  did  nor  can  exist. 

2.  On  the  contrary,  where  there  is  no  holy  love  of  benevo- 
lence, there  can  be  no  holy  love  of  any  kind.  Since  benevolence 
necessarily  includes  all  holy  love  in  its  very  nature,  where  this 
is  not,  there  is  not,  there  cannot  be,  any  holy  love. 

The  love  of  gratitude  suj^poses  benevolence,  and  is  really  an 
exercise  of  this.  Gratitude  is  certainly  an  approbation  of 
benevolence  which  never  takes  place  in  a  mind  destitute  of  it. 
And  what  is  gratitude  but  an  exercise  of  friendly  affection 
towards  the  benevolent  ?  So  certain  is  it,  that  where  there  is 
no  good  will,  there  is  no  true  gratitude.  This  is  so  evident  at 
first  thought,  that  it  is  needless  to  enlarge. 

But  I  shall  be  more  particular  in  producing  evidence  that 
there  can  be  no  holy  love  of  complacence  where  there  is  no 
benevolence.  Holy  complacence  is  the  love  of  holiness  for 
holiness'  sake,  or  the  approbation  of  a  holy  character  for  its 
intrinsic  beauty  and  excellence.  That  there  can  be  no  holy 
complacence  independent  of  benevolence,  is  evident  from  the 
following  considerations:  — 

The  mind  cannot  have  any  holy  complacence  in  universal 
goodness,  while  itself  is  wholly  destitute  of  it.  The  mind 
which  is  wholly  devoid  of  kind  atTection  has  no  true,  sensible 
idea  of  benevolence,  and  consequently  can  have  no  delight  in 
it.  Delight  or  complacence  is  a  sensation  of  the  mind,  which 
cannot  be  exercised  towards  that  object  of  which  it  has  no  true 
sense;  but  the  mind  which  has  no  benevolence  has  no  sensa- 
tion of  it,  for  such  a  sensation  implies  benevolence,  and  there- 
fore can  have  no  complacence  in  it.  As  the  love  of  holiness 
is  an  exercise  of  holiness,  so  the  love  of  holy  benevolence  im- 
plies the  exercise  of  benevolence.  Therefore  he  who  hath  no 
benevolence  hath  no  complacence  in  it.  But  that  affection  of 
the  mind  which  is  not  the  love  of  all  holiness,  in  whatever  it 
may  consist,  is  not  a  true,  holy  complacence,  but  something  of 
a  different  nature.  Therefore,  there  can  be  no  holy  compla- 
cence in  holiness  without  the  exercise  of  benevolence ;  conse- 
quently, where  there  is  no  benevolence  there  is  no  holy  exer- 
cise of  mind. 

But  this  will  be  more  evident,  if  possible,  by  considering  the 
love  of  complacence  as  exercised  towards  God.     It  will  appear, 


20  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

on  due  consideration,  that  the  person  who  has  no  universal 
benevolence  does  not  heartily  approve  of  the  benevolence  of 
God,  and  therefore  does  not  delight  in  God's  holiness  or  moral 
character,  so  far  as  it  consists  in  benevolence.  But  he  who  is 
not  a  friend  to  the  holy  benevolence  of  God  is  certainly  not  a 
friend  to  holiness  in  general,  and  so  has  no  complacency  in 
any  true  holiness.  Yea,  he  who  has  no  benevolence  in  his 
heart  is  an  enemy  to  benevolence ;  for  the  heart  of  man  is  in 
no  such  instance  indifferent,  neither  friendly  nor  opposed  to 
any  thing  in  God's  moral  character;  is  never  in  such  a  state 
as  neither  to  approve  nor  disapprove.  Therefore  such  a  one 
is  an  enemy  to  universal  benevolence  in  God ;  whence  it  fol- 
lows that  he  has  no  true  love  to  God's  moral  character.  For 
he  who  is  displeased  with  any  thing  in  the  moral  character  of 
God  is  certainly  displeased  with  the  whole,  as  the  holiness  of 
God  is  not  inconsistent  with  itself,  but  is  one  most  simple 
thing. 

The  holiness  of  God,  which  is  expressed  in  his  law,  and  in 
the  gospel,  (for  the  same  character  and  the  same  holiness  is 
expressed  in  both,)  consists  in  a  great  measure,  at  least,  in  such 
supreme  regard  to  himself  and  the  highest  happiness  and  glory 
of  his  kingdom,  that  he  holds  every  one  who  opposes  him  and 
his  kingdom,  or  has  the  least  disrespect  or  even  indifference 
towards  him  and  his  glory,  justly  exposed  to  eternal  damna- 
tion, and  is  disposed  to  inflict  it  on  all  such  who  cannot  be 
delivered  from  it  consistent  with  his  own  highest  honor  and 
the  greatest  good  of  the  whole. 

Now,  it  is  in  the  nature  of  things  impossible,  that  he  who 
has  no  regard  to  God  and  his  glory,  and  no  universal  good 
will,  should  in  the  least  approve  of  such  a  character.  Yea, 
he  must  be  at  enmity  with  it,  as  there  is  no  medium.  He 
who  is  not  for  it  is  against  it.* 

This  will  appear  still  more  glaring,  by  observing  what  will 
be  more  particularly  considered  hereafter,  that  the  holy  love  of 
God,  which  is  most  celebrated  in  the  divine  oracles  as  worthy 
of  our  love  and  imitation,  is  the  love  of  benevolence,  which 
God  exercises  and  manifests  towards  fallen  man,  who  has 
become  his  enemy.  This  is  certainly  a  love,  not  of  compla- 
cence, but  of  benevolence,  as  all  love  to  enemies  must  be. 
Now  he  who  has  not  that  benevolence  which  disposes  him  to 
love  his  enemies,  will  not  be  pleased  with  this  love  of  God, 
but  displeased.  He  who  has  no  love  to  his  enemies,  but 
cherishes  the  contrary  alfection,  will  not  be  pleased  with  that 

*  The  mind  thus  estranged  from  universal  good  will  is  "  the  carnal  mind, 
•vshich.  is  enmity  against  God."    (Rom.  viii.  7.) 


HOLINESS    CONSISTS    IN    BENEVOLENCE.  21 

good  will  which  is  equally  extended  to  his  enemies  and  to 
himself,  but  such  love  must  be  the  object  of  his  aversion. 

Thus  evident  is  it  that  they  who  have  no  benevolence  do 
not  approve  of  God's  holiness  or  moral  character  revealed  in 
his  word ;  since  universal  benevolence  must  be  the  object,  not 
of  their  delight,  but  of  their  aversion  ;  and,  consequently,  that 
the  holy  love  of  complacence  cannot  exist  independent  of 
benevolence,  which  was  the  point  to  be  proved.* 

But  if  any  reader  should  not  see  the  conclusiveness  of  these 
arguments,  he  is  desired  to  reflect  on  his  own  sense  of  this 
matter,  whether  he  does  not  always  so  include  benevolence  in 
his  idea  of  a  good  character,  that,  to  exclude  it,  will  utterly 
spoil  the  whole.  I  doubt  not  this  is  the  common  sense  of  all 
men ;'  and  nothing  is  looked  upon  as  more  certain  evidence 
that  a  man  has  no  holiness,  than  that  conduct  which  discovers 
he  has  no  kind  affection,  but  is  unmerciful  and  cruel. 

*  Mr.  Hart  says,  men  are  drawn  to  God  "  by  his  giving  them  to  feel  in 
themselves  his  attracting  love  and  virtue,  and  paternal  benevolence  and  pro- 
pensity of  heart  towards  them,  by  a  realizing  belief  of  which,  their  hearts  are 
put  in  motion  towards  him  ;  that  all  true  virtue  and  virtuous  love  begins  thus." 
That  this  being  "  perceived,  realized,  and  felt,  as  extended  to  them,  is  the  true 
cause,  ground,  and  source  of  the  first  existence  of  such  a  thing  in  them  as  a 
truly  virtuous  propensity  of  heart  to  him."'  —  Remarks  on  President  Edwards, 
pp.  23,  24. 

Upon  this  it  may  be  observed  that  the  love  of  God,  which  Mr.  Hart  here 
speaks  of,  is  the  love  of  benevolence,  God's  "  paternal  benevolence."  It  is  the 
love  of  benevolence,  not  only  as  it  is  love  to  enemies,  but  as  it  is  love  and  grace, 
in  and  through  Jesus  Christ,  in  which  God  is  represented,  in  the  most  clear  and 
striking  light,  as  having  such  a  regard  to  himself  and  the  general  good  (which 
is  nothing  but  universal  benevolence)  that  he  wiU  not  show  any  favor  to  sin- 
ners, unless  his  glory  and  the  general  good  be  elfectually  secured  by  Christ  the 
Mediator.  And  he  who  sees  not  God's  grace  and  love  to  men  in  this  light, 
knows  not  what  is  the  grace  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore,  the  sense  of 
this  love  of  God,  in  which  their  hearts  are  drawn  to  him,  is  itself  of  the  nature 
of  benevolence,  and  the  exercise  of  it ;  for,  as  has  been  shown,  it  is  impossible 
that  he  who  has  no  holy  benevolence  should  heartily  approve  of  such  benevo- 
lence, and  take  pleasure  in  it.  Therefore,  according  to  Mr.  Hart,  the  first  exer- 
cise of  holiness  in  men  cannot  be  an  exercise  of  love  in  which  there  is  no 
benevolence,  but  this  must  be  the  very  essence  of  the  first  holy  act,  in  which 
the  soul  is  attracted  to  God,  as  the  fountain  and  sum  of  benevolence,  or  uni- 
versal goodness. 

If  Mr.  Hart  will  show  how  a  sinner,  while  wholly  destitute  of  benevolence, 
and  wholly  inclined  to  contrary-  exercises,  can  feel  the  attracting  influence 
of  God's  benevolence,  and  take  complacence  in  his  universal  goodness,  and, 
under  this  attracting  influence,  return  to  God,  and  become  his  true  friend, 
without  any  good  will  to  God  or  any  other  being,  we  will  then  grant  that  uni- 
versal benevolence  is  not  necessarily  implied  in  the  first,  nor  in  any  subsequent 
motion  of  the  sinner's  heart  towards  God  and  his  neighbor. 

If  it  should  be  said,  that  when  sinners  have  a  realizing  belief  of  God's  "  pa- 
ternal benevolence  and  propensitj'  of  heart  towards  them,"  they  do  not  consider 
it  as  universal  benevolence,  but  only  as  love  to  themselves  in  particular,  and  that 
tills  attracts  their  hearts  to  God,  while  yet  they  have  no  approbation  of  general 
benevolence,  or  the  least  apprehension  of  it,  —  upon  this  I  would  observe,  that 
this  may  be  Mr.  Hart's  meaning,  and  he  may  express  himself  thus,  through 


22  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 


SECTION   IV. 

Self-love  is  no  Part  of  that  Love  in  vjhich  Holiness  consists,  but 
of  a  Nature  quite  different  and  opposite. 

Self-love  has  been  represented  by  many,  not  only  as  a 
branch  of  holiness,  but  that  in  which  it  radically  consists, 
making  it  the  spring  of  all  our  actions.  Some  have  thought 
it  not  only  no  part  of  holiness,  but  opposed  to  it.  Others 
have  taken  a  medium  between  these  two,  and  represented 
self-love  to  be  in  its  nature  innocent  and  good,  but  not  holy 
love,  unless  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  be  joined  with  it, 
to  regulate  and  govern  it.  In  order  to  determine  which  of 
these  opinions  is  right,  we  must  understand  what  is  intended 
by  self-love.  By  this,  very  different  things  are  meant  by  dif- 
ferent, and  often  by  the  same  persons.  There  are  three  things 
especially,  often  called  by  that  name,  and  their  not  being  dis- 
tinguished has  occasioned  great  confusion  and  error  in  treating 
this  subject. 

1.  A  general  appetite  to  good,  and  aversion  to  evil,  consid- 
ered merely  as  such,  or  a  perception  of  pain  or  pleasure,  is 
called  self-love.  This  is  essential  to  all  moral  agents,  being 
implied  in  every  act  of  will.  If  nothing  was  good  or  evil  to 
us,  we  could  have  no  choice  or  power  of  will  more  than  a  tree 
or  rock  ;  for  by  the  supposition  we  should  be  perfectly  indif- 
ferent to  every  thing;  we  could  neither  love  nor  hate,  choose 
nor  refuse.  This  general  appetite  is,  therefore,  common  to  all 
moral  agents,  holy  and  sinful,  and  is  essential  to  every  act, 
both  of  sin  and  holiness.  It  is  properly  a  natural  capacity, 
as  much  so  as  the  faculty  of  understanding,  or  power  of  will ; 
and  is  the  very  same  thing,  indeed,  with  the  latter,  or  at  least 
implied  in  it.     It  is,  therefore,  in  itself,  neither  sinful  nor  holy, 

inattention  to  the  true  notion  of  general  benevolence,  as  many  doubtless  have 
done.  But  if  the  matter  is  viewed  in  this  light,  there  is  nothing  of  the  nature 
of  holiness  in  the  attraction  of  their  hearts  to  God,  merely  because  they  think 
he  loves  them.  As  they  may  exercise  this  love  without  any  benevolence,  so 
they  may,  and  must  do  it,  without  the  least  degree  of  holiness.  It  has  been 
shown  that  this  is  not  a  true  sight  and  belief  of  the  love  of  God  ;  and  it  will  ap- 
pear, I  hope,  in  the  sequel,  that  this  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  holiness  ;  but  is 
consistent  with  the  reigning  power  of  every  lust.  I  shall  here  only  take  notice 
of  the  most  express  decision  of  our  Savior  himself:  "  If  ye  love  them  which  lovo 
you,  what  thank  have  ye  ?  For  sinners  love  those  that  love  them."  (Luke  vi. 
32.)  Men  may  be  easily  converted  upon  this  plan,  without  having  new  hearts 
given  them,  or  any  change  of  heart  for  the  better.  They  want  this  light  only, 
i.  e.,  a  belief  that  God  loves  them,  (which  is  not  light,  indeed,  but  delusion,) 
and  they  will  love  him  in  this  view  and  on  this  ground  only,  without  any  dis- 
position to  lovo  their  enemies,  and  consistent  with  their  continuing  to  hate  the 
holiness  of  God. 


SELF-LOVE    NOT    HOLINESS.  23 

but  a  foundation  or  capacity  for  either.     Should  this  cease  in 
angels  and  devils,  they  would  no  longer  be  holy  or  sinful. 

2.  By  self-love,  is  sometimes  meant  selfishness,  or  those 
exercises  in  which  a  person  loves  himself  only,  which  wholly 
confine  him  to  his  own  personal  interest;  he  taking  no  pleasure 
in  any  thing  else,  but  placing  all  his  good  and  happiness  here. 
This  is  most  properly  called  self-love,  as  it  is  a  man's  love  of 
his  own  self,  as  self,  and  of  nothing  else ;  and  therefore  is 
opposed  to  the  love  of  others,  or  universal  benevolence.  This 
is  wholly  an  interested,  selfish  affection,  by  which  a  person 
sets  up  himself  as  supreme,  and  the  only  object  of  regard,  and 
nothing  is  good  or  lovely  in  his  view,  unless  it  coincide  with 
his  selfishness,  and  be  suited  to  promote  his  own  private 
interest  —  all  other  beings  are  by  him  subordinated  to  himself, 
and  loved  for  his  own  sake  only,  and  so  far  as  they  oppose  or 
do  not  serve  this  contracted,  partial  interest  in  which  he  places 
all  his  good  and  happiness,  are  either  hated  or  totally  disre- 
garded. In  a  word,  the  disposition  and  language  of  his  heart 
is,  "  There  is -nothing  in  the  whole  universe  of  any  worth  to 
me  but  my  own  self;  if  I  may  be  happy,  it  is  enough."  There 
is  no  need  of  any  labored  jiroof  to  show  that  such  exercises  of 
heart  are,  in  their  nature,  opposition  to  universal  good  will ; 
this  appears  at  first  view.  Therefore,  if  the  latter  has  any 
thing  of  the  nature  of  holiness,  the  former  must  stand  directly 
opposed  to  it. 

3.  By  self-love,  may  be  understood  the  love  a  person  has 
for  himself  as  part  of  the  whole,  which  is  implied  in  universal 
benevolence.  He  who  loves  the  whole,  loves  every  part  of  the 
whole ;  therefore  must  love  himself,  and  seek  his  own  happi- 
ness, as  he  is  included  in  general  being.  It  is  a  contradiction 
to  suppose  that  a  person  has  universal  good  will,  and  yet  has 
no  regard  to  himself.  This  love  of  ourselves  is  therefore 
necessarily  implied  in  that  universal  benevolence  which  is 
opposed  to  the  selfishness  described  above.  That  is  altogether 
selfish,  consisting  in  a  man's  loving  himself,  as  self,  or  merely 
because  he  is  himself,  but  this  love  of  himself  of  which  I  am 
now  speaking  is  not  love  of  self,  as  self,  but  as  implied  in  the 
general  object  of  love ;  and  therefore  is  no  other  than  love,  love 
to  being  in  general,  or  universal  benevolence.  ■  It  is  the  same 
kind  of  affection  with  which  he  loves  his  neighbor;  in  loving 
his  neighbor,  he  loves  himself  also,  because  he  cannot  love  his 
neighbor  as  part  of  the  whole,  and  not  love  himself  also  as 
such  ;  his  own  happiness  as  an  individual  being  worth  as  much 
in  itself,  and  to  the  whole,  as  that  of  his  neighbor,  and  as  much 
included  in  the  general  good,  since  it  equally  conduces  to  the 
happiness  of  the  whole. 


«%  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

And  it  may  be  furilier  observed,  that  this  love,  in  which  a 
man  regards  himself"  as  part  of  the  whole,  and  his  interest 
and  happiness  for  the  same  reason  he  regards  that  of  his 
neighbor,  may  be  exercised  with  greater  strength  and  more 
sensibly  with  respect  to  his  own  interest  and  welfare  than 
towards  that  of  his  neighbor,  who  is  as  worthy  of  regard  as 
himself,  and  yet  there  be  nothing  selfish  in  his  affection,  but  it 
may  be  wholly  of  the  nature  of  general  benevolence ;  and  that 
for  two  reasons  :  — 

1.  He  has  a  more  clear,  full,  and  constant  view  of  himself 
and  his  interest  than  he  can  have  of  his  neighbors;  therefore 
he  must  be  more  ali'ected  with  the  former,  and  it  will  be  more 
the  object  of  his  concern  than  the  latter.  As  man  is  not  om- 
niscient, and  his  mind  cannot  comprehend  universal  being, 
but  is  limited  in  his  views  and  exercises,  he  must  be  most 
affected  with  those  objects  which  are  most  in  his  view.  This 
is  right,  and  his  duty ;  and  not  to  be  thus  affected  is  incon- 
sistent with  general  benevolence. 

2.  Every  person  has  a  more  particular  and  immediate  care 
of  himself  committed  to  him  by  God  than  of  his  neighbor. 
As  he  is  under  greater  advantages  to  know  his  own  state  and 
circumstances,  wants  and  enjoyments,  and  promote  his  own 
interest  in  general,  than  another  can  be,  so  this  concern  is 
more  especially  committed  to  him,  which  is  a  further  reason 
why  he  should  pay  a  greater  regard  to  it  than  to  that  of  his 
neighbor,  though  in  itself  as  great  and  important  as  his  own. 
This  is  not  selfishness,  but  the  genuine  exercise  of  disinterested 
benevolence. 

Thus,  a  man  who  has  a  benevolent  regard  for  a  whole  com-, 
munity  or  kingdom,  and  is  equally  a  friend  to  every  part  and 
each  person  of  that  community,  and  equally  exerts  himself  for 
the  welfare  of  each,  so  far  as  they  come  under  his  notice,  when 
he  is  fixed  in  a  particular  town,  and  thereby  obtains  a  clearer 
knowledge  of  their  circumstances,  both  good  and  evil,  and  of 
the  best  means  to  promote  their  greatest  happiness,  he  will 
necessarily  turn  his  attention  to  them  more  constantly  and  in 
a  greater  degree,  and  be  more  sensibly  affected  with  their  mis- 
eries and  enjoyments  than  with  those  of  the  neighboring 
towns.  And  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  they  whose  cir- 
cumstances and  interest  are  most  in  his  view,  and  who  by 
their  particular  situation  and  connection  are  most  under  his 
care,  will  have  the  first  and  greatest  share  of  his  attention  and 
benevolent  regards.  This  is  no  evidence  that  he  is  selfish ;  it 
is  the  natural,  genuine  exercise  of  general  benevolence. 

This  view  may  serve  to  show  us  one  reason  why,  in  many 
cases,  it  is   so   difficult  to   distinguish   that  self-love  which 


SELF-LOVE    NOT    HOLINESS.  25 

consists  in  selfishness,  from  the  benevolence  which  is  its  con- 
trary, and  why  these  are  often  confounded  and  taken  for  the 
same  thing.  That  self-love  which  consists  in  selfishness  has 
self  for  its  first  and  supreme  object,  and  is  extended  to  others 
only  as  they  are  view^ed  as  more  or  less  favorable  to  the  interest 
of  self,  as  such. 

Thus  selfishness  may  extend  to  a  whole  community,  and 
each  individual  member  of  it,  because  the  selfish  man  consid- 
ers their  welfare  as  connected  with  his  own.  And  as  his  wel- 
fare is  commonly  in  a  higher  degree  and  more  sensibly  con- 
nected with  the  welfare  of  those  who  are  nearest  to  him, 
especially  those  who  love  him,  he  will  have  a  greater  regard 
still  for  them  and  their  welfare,  purely  from  selfishness  or  for 
his  own  sake.  And  since  his  near  relations,  his  own  family 
and  children,  are  in  a  sense  a  part  of  himself,  and  his  interest 
and  happiness  are  in  a  peculiar  manner  dependent  on  theirs, 
his  selfish  regards  will  be  more  particularly  extended  to  them. 
In  this  respect  there  is  in  selfishness  a  resemblance  to  what  is 
found  in  benevolence,  which,  though  it  consists  in  disinterest- 
ed good  will  to  the  whole,  is,  as  observed  above,  nevertheless 
exercised  by  the  benevolent  person  to  individuals,  and  more 
strongly  to  those  who  are  more  nearly  connected  with  him, 
and  more  particularly  to  himself. 

There  is,  however,  a  great  difference  and  opposition  in  these 
two  kinds  of  aflection,  which  appears  from  what  has  been 
already  said.  This  selfish  affection,  though  extended  to  the 
whole  community  with  which  the  selfish  man  is  connected,  is 
at  bottom  nothing  but  love  to  himself.  This  is  the  foundation 
and  centre  of  his  love.  He  in  reality  loves  nothing  but  him- 
self, and  regards  others  wholly  for  his  own  sake.  Therefore, 
when  he  considers  their  welfare  as  inconsistent  with  his  own, 
or  ainy  way  opposing  or  impeding  his  interest,  his  heart  will 
turn  against  them  and  hate  them,  whatever  be  their  connection 
or  relation.  On  the  other  hand,  the  regard  to  a  man's  own 
interest,  which  is  included  in  general  good  will,  is  not  love  of 
himself,  as  such.  There  is  nothing  contracted  and  selfish  in 
this  aftection,  which  is  founded  on  his  good  will  to  the  wholes 

This  brings  into  view  another  thing,  in  which  these  two 
sorts  of  love  of  self  differ  and  oppose  each  other.  He  whose 
regard  to  himself  and  his  own  interest  does  not  arise  from 
selfishness,  but  general  benevolence,  is  ready  to  give  up  his 
own  personal  good  for  the  sake  of  the  whole ;  he  desires  no 
good  for  himself  unless  consistent  with  the  common  good. 
Whatever  supposed  good  of  his  own  or  of  another  interferes 
with  the  greatest  general  good,  is  no  good  to  him,  but  the 
object  of  his  aversion  in  this  view  of  it;  so  that  all  his  own 

VOL.  III.  3 


26  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

particular  interest  is  subordinate  to  that  of  the  whole.  This 
is  necessary  when  regard  to  ourselves  is  but  a  branch  of  gen- 
eral good  will.  Thus  the  interest  of  the  benevolent  man  is 
the  common  interest,  and  he  has  no  other.  In  a  word,  ho 
subjects  and  devotes  himself  and  all  things  to  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  happiness  and  glory  of  his  church  and  kingdom, 
—  which  is  the  greatest  universal  good,  and  includes  the 
highest  good  of  the  creature,  —  he  having  no  other  interest 
but  this. 

But  that  self-love  which  consists  in  selfishness  is,  in  this 
respect,  most  opposite  to  this.  So  far  as  the  heart  is  governed 
by  this  it  does  not,  it  cannot,  give  up  its  own  private  good  for 
the  sake  of  the  greatest  public  good,  since,  by  the  supposition, 
he  knows  no  good  but  the  former,  and  every  thing  is  by  him 
subordinated  to  that.  But  enough  has  been  said  to  show  the 
difi'erence  and  opposition  there  is  between  selfishness  and 
that  regard  and  concern  a  benevolent  person  has  for  his  own 
interest,  as  a  part  of  the  whole,  which  is  necessarily  implied 
in  general  benevolence. 

It  has  been  said,  though  inordinate  self-love  is  sinful,  it  is 
not  so  in  itself,  but  when  joined  with  love  to  God  and  our 
neighbor,  and  subordinate  to  the  general  good,  it  is  a  virtuous, 
holy  affection ;  and  to  confirm  this,  the  divine  command  has 
been  alleged  —  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. ^^ 
"Here,"  it  is  said,  "we  are  commanded  to  love  ourselves  as 
much  as  our  neighbor.  Self-love  is,  therefore,  not  a  sin,  but  a 
duty,  so  long  as  it  does  not  exceed  due  bounds." 

Upon  this  the  following  things  may  be  observed :  — 

1.  It  is  utterly  unaccountable,  and  carries  in  it  a  direct  con- 
tradiction, that  the  same  affection,  when  exercised  in  a  certain 
limited  degree,  should  be  holiness,  but  when  exercised  in  a 
higher  and  stronger  degree  should  not  only  have  less  holiness, 
but  change  its  nature  and  become  sin.  This  none  will  assert 
after  due  attention,  yet  this  is  asserted  in  the  proposition 
under  consideration.  However  self-love  may  be  restrained,  it 
is  still  self-love,  and  of  the  same  nature  with  that  which  is 
under  no  restraint,  and  therefore  as  opposite  to  holiness, 
though  not  to  so  great  a  degree,  and  the  bad  effects  of  it  may 
not  be  so  great  or  so  manifest.  A  devouring  beast  of  prey, 
when  confined  in  a  cage,  may  not  be  so  mischievous,  or  ap- 
pear so  dreadful,  as  when  let  loose  and  destroying  all  before 
him ;  but  his  nature  is  not  changed  by  his  confinement ;  he  is 
still  in  his  nature  not  a  harmless  creature,  but  a  beast  of  prey. 

2.  This  self-love  cannot  be  subordinate  to  the  good  of  the 
whole;  it  is  contrary  to  the  very  nature  of  it,  and  implies  a 
contradiction.     It  seeks  to  advance  self  only,  and  subordinates 


SELF-LOVE    NOT    HOLINESS.  27 

every  thing  to  this,  and  therefore  will  not  consent  that  self 
should  be  subordinated  to  any  thing  else,  or  have  any  rival. 
Whenever  it  consents  to  this  it  is  no  longer  self-love,  but  gen- 
erous, disinterested  affection  —  as  contrary  to  selfishness  as 
mercy  is  to  injustice  and  cruelty.  Such  a  consent  and  change 
is,  however,  impossible,  being  a  contradiction.  This  affection 
must  be  rooted  out,  or  counteracted,  and  a  directly  opposite 
atfection  must  take  place  in  order  to  a  person's  subordinating 
his  own  personal  interest  to  any  other  interest  whatsoever. 

Therefore,  if  they  who  speak  of  self-love  so  regulated  as  to 
be  subordinate  to  a  proper  regard  to  others,  and  to  the  general 
good,  mean  any  thing  which  is  consistent  and  agreeable  to 
the  truth,  they  must  intend  that  regard  to  ourselves  which  is 
not  self-love,  but  real  benevolence  to  the  whole,  and  respects 
ourselves  as  part  of  the  whole  only.  This  regard  to  ourselves, 
as  has  been  shown,  is  always,  of  necessity,  subordinate  to  the 
good  of  the  whole. 

3.  Self-love  is  so  far  from  being  enjoined  or  approved  in  the 
command,  "  Thou  shaft  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,"  that  it 
is  utterly  forbidden.  Self-love  is  wholly  a  partial  affection, 
giving  all  to  ourselves  and  nothing  to  our  neighbor,  and  is, 
therefore,  opposed  to  love  to  him,  especially  to  loving  him  as 
ourselves. 

Nothing  but  universal  benevolence  can  be  obedience  to  this 
command;  and  so  far  as  this  takes  place  it  is  obeyed,  and 
self-love  is  opposed  and  mortified.  This  benevolence,  as  has 
been  shown,  implies  a  proper  regard  to  ourselves,  and  an  equal 
regard  to  our  neighbor  —  having  all  that  impartiality,  and  love 
to  our  neighbor  and  ourselves,  which  this  law  recpiires.  And, 
by  the  way,  this  is  a  clear  evidence  that  universal  benevolence, 
with  the  affection  implied  in  it,  is  that  in  which  all  holiness 
consists,  since  no  other  kind  of  love  is  obedience  to  this  com- 
mand ;  but  he  who  has  this  does  of  necessity  love  his  neigh- 
bor as  himself. 

On  the  whole,  it  appears  that  three  different  kinds  of  affec- 
tion have  been  called  self-love.  The  first  is  neither  sin  nor 
holiness,  but  is  equally  implied  in  both.  The  two  last  are 
directly  opposed  to  each  other,  the  latter  being  general,  disin- 
terested benevolence,  extended  to  ourselves  as  included  in  the 
whole,  and  is  the  same  holy  love  which  has  God  and  our 
neighbor  for  its  object.  The  other  is  contracted  selfishness, 
by  which  self  only  is  regarded,  and  exalted  above  God  and 
our  neighbor  and  in  opposition  to  the  general  good,  and  is,  in 
every  degree  of  it,  sinful.  This  selfishness  is  properly  called 
self-love^  and  in  this  sense  the  word  will  be  used  in  the  follow- 
ing inquiry  :  — 


28  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

That  universal  benevolence  is  the  whole  of  holiness,  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  all  sin  consists  in  self-love,  will  more  fully 
appear  by  the  following  consideration  of  each  in  its  exercises 
and  fruits. 

Universal  good  will  comprehends  all  the  love  to  God,  our 
neighbor,  and  ourselves,  required  in  the  law  of  God,  and 
therefore  must  be  the  whole  of  holy  obedience.  Every  pious 
sentiment  and  affection  is  comprised  in  this,  and  all  piety  in 
words  and  practice  is  but  an  expression  of  this  love.  Where 
this  love  is  not,  all  outward  expressions  of  piety  in  words  and 
actions  are  emptiness  and  hypocrisy.  Let  any  serious  person 
think  what  are  the  particular  branches  of  true  piety ;  let  him 
view  each  one  by  itself;  and,  when  he  has  discovered  the 
nature  and  essence  of  it,  he  will  find  that  disinterested  friendly 
affection  is  its  distinguishing  characteristic.  For  instance,  let 
fear  and  reverence  of  the  divine  Majesty  be  considered  in  this 
view.  What  but  love  and  friendly  affection  distinguishes  this 
from  the  fear  and  dread  of  devils  ?  All  the  holiness  in  pious 
fear,  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from  the  fear  of  the  wicked, 
consists  in  love.  Leave  all  disinterested  friendly  affection  to 
the  divine  Being  out  of  fear,  and  all  holiness  is  excluded. 

Again :  if  we  consider  what  is  contained  in  true  gratitude 
to  God,  we  shall  find  disinterested  kind  affection  the  only 
thing  wherein  it  differs  from  the  affection  of  the  most  wicked 
creature.  Where  there  is  no  good  will  there  is  nothing  in 
what  is  called  gratitude  better  than  that  which  the  legion  of 
devils  exercised  when  they  were  so  far  gratified  by  Christ  as 
to  be  suffered  to  destroy  the  herd  of  swine.  But  so  far  as 
good  will  is  exercised,  the  goodness  of  God  to  us  and  others 
will  excite  holy  gratitude,  which  is  nothing  else  but  good  will 
to  God  and  our  neighbor,  in  which  we  ourselves  are  included, 
and  correspondent  affection  excited  and  acted  out  in  the  view 
of  the  good  will  and  kindness  of  God. 

And  universal  good  will  implies  the  whole  of  that  affection 
and  duty  we  owe  to  our  neighbor.  It  all  consists  in  the  ex- 
ercise and  expression  of  this,  and  those  affections  that  are 
implied  in  it.  The  exercise  and  practice  of  lighteousness  or 
justice  towards  our  neighbor  implies  a  benevolent  regard  to 
him  and  his  interest.  Where  this  is  not  there  is  no  exercise 
and  practice  of  justice  in  the  heart,  whatever  is  the  external 
conduct;  for  justice  consists  in  doing  to  our  neighbor  as  we 
would  he  should  do  to  us,  or,  in  other  words,  loving  our  neigh- 
bor as  ourselves.  And  where  this  benevolent  regard  to  our 
neighbor  is  there  is  justice,  for  this  love  worketh  no  ill  to  our 
neighbor.  And  as  righteousness,  truth,  and  faithfulness  are 
implied  in  universal  benevolence,  so  are  temperance  and  chas- 


SELF-LOVE    NOT    HOLINESS.  29 

tity,  or  sobriety,  in  the  proper  restraint  and  government  of  our 
own  appetites  and  passions ;  for  it  is  easy  to  see  tiiat  the 
undue  indulgence  of  these  is  contrary  to  benevolence,  as  tend- 
ing to  hurt  others,  or  ourselves,  or  both,  and  so  is  opposite  to 
the  general  good  and  the  divine  command,  in  which  all  the 
crime  of  such  indulgence  consists.  In  short,  there  is  not  any 
one  virtue,  or  branch  of  godliness,  humanity,  or  sobriety,  not 
any  duty  we  owe  to  God,  our  neighbor,  or  ourselves,  that  is  not 
comprehended  in  universal  benevolence,  and  is  not  necessarily 
exercised  and  practised  so  far  as  this  affection  takes  place  in 
the  heart.  And  where  there  is  no  defect  in  the  latter,  the  for- 
mer are  found  in  their  fulness  and  perfection ;  for  the  whole 
is  nothing  but  benevolence  acted  out  in  its  proper  nature  and 
perfection,  or,  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  made  perfect  in 
all  its  genuine  exercises  and  expressions. 

On  the  contrary,  all  sin  consists  in  self-love  and  what  is 
implied  in  this. 

Self-love  is,  in  its  whole  nature  and  in  every  degree  of  it, 
enmity  against  God.  It  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  nor 
indeed  can  be,  and  is  the  only  affection  that  can  oppose  it.  It 
cannot  be  reconciled  to  any  of  God's  conduct,  rightly  under- 
stood, but  is,  in  its  very  nature,  rebellion  against  it;  which  is 
all  an  expression  of  that  love  which  is  most  contrary  to  self- 
love.  This  is,  therefore,  the  fruitful  source  of  every  exercise 
and  act  of  impiety  and  rebellion  against  God,  and  contempt 
of  him,  that  ever  was  or  can  be. 

Self-love,  exercised  and  indulged,  blinds  the  heart  to  every 
true  moral  excellence  and  beauty :  this  does  not  suit  the  taste 
of  the  selfish  heart,  but  gives  it  disgust.  Self-love  is  the  foun- 
dation and  reason  of  all  that  blindness  to  spiritual  things  —  to 
God,  his  glorious  character,  works,  and  kingdom  —  which  the 
Scripture  represents  wicked  men  to  have,  and  is,  therefore,  the 
source  of  all  the  errors  which  men  imbibe,  as  well  as  all  the 
open  idolatry  in  the  heathen  world,  and  false  religion  under  the 
light  of  the  gospel.  All  this  is  agreeable  to  that  self-love  which 
opposes  God's  true  character;  and  under  the  influence  of  this 
men  go  off  from  the  truth,  and  believe,  love,  and  practise  a 
lie,  —  it  being  itself  the  greatest  practical  lie  in  nature,  as  it 
s^s  up  that  which  is  comparatively  nothing  above  universal 
existence.  Self-love  is  the  source  of  all  the  profaneness  and 
impiety  in  the  world,  and  of  all  pride  and  ambition  among 
men,  which  is  nothing  but  selfishness  acted  out  in  this  partic- 
ular way.  This  is  at  the  bottom  of  all  the  worldliness  and 
sensuality  that  men  run  into,  as  it  blinds  their  eyes  to  all  true 
good,  contracts  their  hearts,  and  sinks  them  down,  so  that 
they  look  upon  worldly  enjoyments  to  be  the  greatest  good, 
3* 


30  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

and  that  in  which  their  true  interest  lies.  This  is  the  spring 
of  all  the  hatred  and  ill  will,  strife  and  contention  among 
men ;  for  this  leads  men  to  hate  and  oppose  all  those  whom 
they  view  in  the  way  of  their  own  selfish  interest.  This  is  the 
source  of  all  falsehood,  injustice,  and  oppression  under  the  sun, 
in  which  men  are,  through  their  selfishness,  seeking,  by  undue 
methods,  to  invade  the  right  and  property  of  others.  Self-love 
produces  all  the  violent  passions,  envy,  wrath,  clamor,  and  evil 
speaking,  of  which  men  are  guilty.  Take  away  selfishness,  and 
all  these  would  cease  immediately.  And  if  there  be  any  other 
sin,  any  thing  which  is  contrary  to  the  divine  law,  it  is  briefly 
comprehended  in  this  fruitful  source  of  all  iniquity,  self-love. 

And  hence  we  may  see  that  holy  love  is  wholly  a  disinter- 
ested affection,  and  in  what  sense  it  is  so.  Self-love  is  wholly 
an  interested  affection,  as  self  is  the  only  object  of  it.  Holy 
love  has  no  regard  to  self,  as  self,  but  is  a  regard  to  the 
greatest  general  good  and  interest,  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
highest  glory  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  greatest  good  of  the 
creatioq.  So  far  as  a  man  exercises  holy  love,  he  has  no 
other  interest  but  this,  as  all  is  devoted  to  this,  and  given  up 
for  the  sake  of  it.  And,  in  this  sense,  all  his  love  is  disinter- 
ested, as  it  seeks  not  any  self-interest,  but  the  contrary.  He 
who  exercises  this  disinterested  love  has  pleasure  indeed,  and 
is  pursuing  an  interest  and  happiness,  though  it  is  not  a  selfish 
interest,  but  that  in  the  pursuit  of  which  he  renounces  what 
self-love  seeks. 

A  judge  is  said  to  be  interested  in  a  cause  he  is  to  decide 
so  far  as  his  own  personal  interest  is  concerned  in  it,  and  his 
self-love  will  influence  him  to  take  one  side  rather  than  the 
other,  which  renders  him  unfit  to  judge  the  cause.  But  if  his 
own  personal  interest  is  not  concerned  in  the  case,  and  there 
be  nothing  to  bias  him  to  one  side  rather  than  the  other,  he  is 
said  to  be  disinterested.  And  though  he  may  be  bribed,  or 
some  way  interested  in  the  matter,  yet  if  he  is  not  at  all  influ- 
enced by  this,  and  decides  the  cause  contrary  to  the  dictates 
of  self-love,  he  is  said  to  act  disinterestedly.  In  such  a  sense 
as  this,  all  holy  affection  is  disinterested. 

Such  a  judge,  when  he  renounces  all  selfish  considerations, 
and  espouses  the  cause  of  the  widow  and  fatherless,  and 
delivers  them  from  the  hand  of  oppressors,  has  an  interest 
which  he  seeks,  but  not  an  interest  which  selfishness  prompts 
him  to  pursue;  and  the  more  he  interests  himself  in  the  cause 
of  the  poor,  helpless  widow,  and  the  greater  pleasure  he  takes 
in  helping  her,  the  more  disinterested  are  his  exertions  and 
conduct,  and  the  more  is  self-love  counteracted  and  mortified. 

So  he,  who,  in  the  exercise  of  holy  love,  pursues  the  glory 


WHAT    IS    HOLINESS    ACCORDING    TO    REASON.  31 

of  God  and  the  highest  interest  and  happiness  of  his  kingdom, 
which  includes  the  greatest  good  of  his  fellow-creatnres,  pur- 
sues the  best,  the  most  important  interest,  and  has  the  most 
noble,  refined  pleasure  in  the  exercise  of  this  affection ;  yet  in 
all  this  he  is  wholly  disinterested,  as  he  opposes  selfishness 
and  all  regard  to  self,  which  is  not  implied  in  being  thus  de- 
voted to  the  greatest  general  good,  and  forsakes  the  whole 
interest  which  self-love  seeks,  for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake. 


SECTION   V. 

Tho.  foregoing  Account  of  Sin  and  Holiness  shoivn  to  be  agree- 
able to  Reason. 

I.  It  is  most  reasonable  that  the  common  and  greatest  good 
of  the  whole  should  be  sought  by  every  particular  member  of 
it ;  that  every  one  should  be  so  devoted  to  the  good  of  the 
whole  as  to  give  up  the  less  good  of  individuals,  and  conse- 
quently his  own  personal  interest,  whenever  inconsistent  here- 
with. Thus,  it  is  highly  reasonable  that  a  particular  member 
of  a  community  should  cheerfully  give  up  all  his  personal  in- 
terest, his  whole  estate,  and  even  his  life,  when  this  is  evidently 
necessary  to  save  the  whole  nation  from  ruin.  If  a  city  is  on 
fire,  and  in  order  to  stop  its  progress  and  save  the  city  it  is 
necessary  that  the  house  of  a  particular  person  should  be  totally 
demolished,  he  should  with  pleasure  give  up  his  house  to  be 
destroyed,  however  magnificent  and  costly,  and  though  it  con- 
tains all  he  has  in  the  world.  If  in  this  case  a  man  should 
hesitate  a  moment,  and  be  inclined  to  save  his  own  house  to 
the  utter  destruction  of  the  whole  city,  every  one  would  con- 
demn him  as  acting  a  most  unreasonable,  sordid  part.  But 
if  he  is  such  a  friend  to  the  city,  and  interests  himself  so  much 
in  its  welfare  as  to  take  more  pleasure  in  saving  it,  even  at  the 
expense  of  all  he  has  in  the  world,  than  a  selfish  man  can 
have  in  whatever  he  possesses,  he  will  be  applauded  as  one  of 
an  excellent  spirit.  And  every  one  must  grant  he  ought  i6  be 
imitated  by  all.  And  it  is  reasonable  that  every  one  of  the 
society  should  be  regarded  by  the  rest,  according  to  his  impor- 
tance and  worth,  his  disposition  and  ability  to  promote  the 
greatest  good  of  the  whole  community. 

But  this  is  universal,  disinterested  benevolence.  Nothing 
but  this  will  form  men  to  such  exercises  and  conduct.  But 
where  this  benevolence  reigns  in  every  heart,  each  one  will  be 
thus  a  friend  to  all.  He  who  has  this  benevolence,  v/ill,  by  it, 
be  united  to  the  grand  community  of  the  universe,  including 


32  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

all  existence,  and  be  devoted  to  the  good  of  the  whole.  And 
IS  this  is  comprised  in  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  perfection 
i'.nd  happiness  of  his  kingdom,  this  will  be  the  object  of  his 
affection,  and  he  will  subordinate  all  to  this,  and  in  so  doing 
will  act  a  most  reasonable  part. 

On  the  other  hand,  nothing  can  be  more  unreasonable  than 
that  every  individual  should  be  altogether  selfish,  and  seek  his 
own  personal  interest  only,  not  caring  what  becomes  of  the 
community,  or  any  belonging  to  it,  further  than  his  selfishness 
prompts  him  to  it,  being  ready  at  any  time  to  sacrifice  the 
public,  and  the  greatest  good  of  every  individual  to  his  own 
private  advantage,  however  important  and  worthy  he  is,  and 
whatever  obligation  he  is  under  to  him. 

This  carries  in  it  every  thing  mean,  mischievous,  and  per- 
verse. But  this  is  self-love.  This  is  the  nature  and  tendency 
of  every  degree  of  it,  though  it  may  be  many  ways  under  re- 
straints, and  often  put  on  the  appearance  of  benevolence  and 
friendship. 

II.  This  universal  benevolence  alone  can  produce  the  strong, 
happy  union  of  intelligences  which  reason  teaches  must  be 
the  attendant  of  holiness.  It  fixes  each  in  his  proper  place, 
and  eft'ects  the  highest  and  most  beautiful  harmony  con- 
ceivable. 

III.  Reason  teaches  that  universal  benevolence  is  the  high- 
est good  of  intelligences.  This  makes  every  one  a  wise, 
hearty  friend  to  all  the  rest,  and  devotes  him  to  the  public 
good  ;  by  which  the  highest  common  good  has  the  greatest 
possible  security,  and  is  advanced  to  the  utmost.  Should 
a  king  and  his  subjects  be  thus  united  in  the  most  perfect 
friendship  to  each  other,  and  entirely  devoted  to  the  highest 
general  good,  each  one  knowing  wherein  it  consists,  and  the 
community  having  wisdom  to  contrive  and  power  to  execute 
the  best  means  to  effect  it,  there  would  be  no  evil  in  this  king- 
dom but  what  is  necessary  to  promote  the  general  good,  which 
would  be  advanced  to  the  highest  degree ;  and  it  must  be,  in 
this  respect,  the  most  happy  community  imaginable. 

And  this  raises  the  happiness  of  each  individual  to  the 
highest  pitch'  his  capacity  will  admit.  For  his  universal 
benevolence  will  necessarily  put  him  in  possession  of  the 
good  of  the  whole,  and  of  every  particular,  so  far  as  he  per- 
ceives it,  and  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  his  benevolence. 
By  his  (lisinterested  good  will  this  is  become  his  good,  or  he 
enjoys  it  as  much  as  if  it  were  his  own  personal  good,  whereby 
he  has  immensely  more  happiness  than  in  any  other  possible 
way.  And,  in  proportion  to  his  good  will  to  the  whole,  he 
takes  pleasure  in  others  who  are  friends  to  the  same ;   and 


WHAT    IS    HOLINESS    ACCORDING    TO    REASON.  33 

must  be  filled  with  a  ])eculiar  satisfaction  and  delight  while 
he  sees  all  around  him  not  only  delighting  in  himself",  as  a 
friend  to  the  whole,  but  devoted  to  the  general  good. 

This  may  be  applied  to  the  grand  community  — the  kingdom 
of  God  —  which  comprehends  God,  the  supreme  King,  and  all 
who  are  voluntarily  united  in  subjection  to  him.  The  reason 
of  man  cannot  invent  any  way  to  secure  and  promote  the 
happiness  of  this  community,  unless  universal  benevolence  be 
introduced.  And  no  other  kind  of  virtue  is  necessary  to  the 
highest  conceivable  good  of  the  whole  and  every  individual.* 

But  self-love,  when  it  has  its  genuine,  unrestrained  influ- 
ence, destroys  all  public  good.  This  is  the  mother  of  all  the 
lusts  which  bring  evil  into  the  universe.  It  prevents  indi- 
viduals enjoying  the  good  of  others,  and  indeed  blinds  them 
to  all  true  happiness.  It  contracts  the  mind  and  degrades  it 
below  the  proper  pursuits  of  a  rational  creature,  and  entails 
misery  on  its  unhappy  subject. 

IV.  The  natural  world,  we  know,  was  created  for  the  moral, 
and  it  is  generally  granted  that  the  former  is  an  emblem  of  the 
latter.  We  may  hence  expect  to  find  that  in  the  former, 
which  bears  a  conspicuous  analogy  to  holiness,  the  perfection 
and  glory  of  the  intellectual  system.  And  this  must  be  the 
general  law  of  attraction,  the  common  bond  of  union  in  our 
material  system,  by  which  all  bodies  are  mutually  attracted, 
and  tend  to  one  centre  ;  every  part,  while  it  attracts,  being 
also  attracted  by  the  whole,  is  fixed  in  its  station  and  extends 
its  influence  to  all ;  so  that  each  particle  has,  in  a  sense,  a 
regard  to  the  whole,  and  contributes  to  the  general  good. 
This  is  the  source  of  the  order  and  beauty  so  obvious  in  our 
world.  The  sun,  the  centre  of  all,  spreads  his  kind  influence 
over  the  whole ;  and  each  inferior  body,  at  the  same  time  it 
pays  a  due  regard  to  all  other*  bodies,  pays  him  a  supreme 
regard.  This  is  one  most  simple  affection,  universal  attrac- 
tion—  a  most  clear,  striking  resemblance  of  universal  benev- 
olence in  the  moral  world,  in  which  all  its  union  and  glory 
consist. 

Further,  the  repulsive  quality  found  in  some  bodies,  by 
which  they  resist  others,  and  which,  should  it  universally 
obtain  without  control,  would  issue  in  the  destruction  of  the 
material  world,  is  an  apt  representation  of  self-love. 

Thus  reason,  nature,  and,  I  may  add,  general  experience, 
join  to  |)oint  out  universal  benevolence  as  the  sum  of  all  holi- 
ness.    Hence  almost  all  writers  on  morality  have  made  virtue 

*  This  might  be  more  particiilarlj^  illustrated,  but  is  left  to  the  pleasing  con- 
templation of  the  benevolent  friends  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom. 


34 


THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 


to  consist  chiefly,  if  not  altogether,  in  what  they  call  universal 
benevolence;  though  many  of  them  have  left  God. and  his 
kingdom,  the  great  object  of  true  benevolence,  out  of  their 
system ;  nor  have  they  distinguished  properly  between  be- 
nevolence and  self-love. 


SECTION  VI. 

Holiness,  as  taught  in  divine  Revelation,  consists  in  universal 

Benevolence. 

The  Holy  Scripture  is  the  best  and  only  sure  guide  in 
Jetermining  the  question  before  us,  which  has  therefore  been 
kept  in  view  in  what  has  been  already  said ;  but  we  shall  now 
consult  it  more  particularly. 

I.  The  revealed  law  of  God  teaches  what  true  holiness 
is.  This  is  the  only  standard  of  all  moral  excellence  and  per- 
fection. It  is  not  only  the  standard  of  all  holiness  in  the 
creature,  but  is  a  transcript  of  God's  moral  perfection.  Nothing 
more  is  necessary,  then,  in  order  to  know  what  holiness  is,  in 
God  and  the  creature,  but  to  understand  this  law. 

Our  Savior  has  taught  us,  as  has  been  before  observed,  that 
all  the  law  requires  is  love ;  consequently  holiness  must  con- 
sist wholly  in  love.  We  have  considered  what  kind  of  love 
this  must  be,  and  arguments  have  been  oflered  to  prove  it 
consists  in  universal,  disinterested  benevolence ;  at  the  same 
time,  what  is  meant  by  this  has  been  explained.  Our  present 
inquiry  is,  whether  this  is  the  love  required  in  the  divine  law. 
The  answer  is  not  ditficult  to  him  who  will  attend. 

The  law  does  not  require  self-love,  but  love  to  God  and  our 
neighbor ;  not  from  selfish  moHves,  which  is  nothing  but  self- 
love  extended  to  them,  merely  because  of  our  connection  with 
them,  or  the  benefit  we  have  received  or  hope  to  receive  from 
them,  or  because  they  love  us.  Our  Savior  tells  us  this  is  not 
holiness,  but  consistent  with  being  wholly  sinful.  "  For  if 
ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have  you  ?  Do 
not  even  the  publicans  the  same?"     (Matt.  v.  46.) 

Let  any  one  consult  his  own  sense,  whether  he  accepts  that 
as  true  respect  and  love  from  any  one  which  appears  to  be 
wholly  selfish,  being  nothing  but  a  regard  to  the  benefit  to 
himself  which  he  hopes  to  receive  from  him.  He  will  at  once 
feel  that  this  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true  love,  but  is  a 
mean,  sordid  affection,  which  he  cannot  but  despise.  And 
this  is  the  sense  of  all  mankind  in  their  own  case,  however 
they  may  put  oif  their  Maker  with  such  selfish  affection,  and 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  35 

think  he  will  accept  it  at  their  hands  as  true  love  and  holiness. 
Thus  tire  degenerate  priests  in  Israel  offered  that  to  God 
which  would  affront  their  governor  had  they  offered  it  to  him, 
nor  would  they  accept  it  from  their  neighbor.     (Mai.  i.  8.) 

The  love  to  our  neighbor,  which  God's  law  requires,  is  cer- 
tainly universal,  disinterested  good  will,  since  it  is  a  love 
which  will  dispose  us  to  do  good  unto  all  men,  and  must 
extend  to  our  greatest  enemies ;  for  no  love  but  this  will  do 
so.  Therefore,  when  Christ  himself  gave  an  instance  of  this 
love,  he  produced  one  in  which  there  is  nothing  but  the  most 
disinterested  goodness  —  benevolence  towards  an  enemy  in 
distress.  (Luke  x.  25-37.)  This  we  are  sure  he  would  not 
have  done,  if  this  were  not  the  very  love  required  in  the  com- 
mand. And  he  expressly  declares  that  the  command  does 
not  mean  a  love  to  our  neighbor,  as  distinguished  from  our 
enemy,  as  it  was  then  understood  by  the  Jews,  but  love  to 
enemies,  which  wishes  them  well  and  will  lead  us  to  do  them 
good,  however  injuriously  they  treat  us.     (Matt.  v.  43,  44.) 

And  is  it  not  very  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  second 
command,  which  our  Lord  says  is  like  unto  the  first,  requires 
something  of  a  different  kind,  though  it  is  called  by  the  same 
name  —  love?  There  can  be  no  difference  but  what  arises 
from  the  very  different  objects  of  this  same  love. 

St.  John  teaches  us  that  love  to  God  and  to  our  brother  or 
neighbor  is  inseparable;  that  he  who' loves  one  of  these,  cer- 
tainly and  necessarily  loves  the  other ;  which  could  not  be,  if 
love  to  God  was  different  in  kind  from  love  to  our  neighbor. 
"  If  any  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a 
liar.  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother 
have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from 
him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him?"  (1  John  iii.  17; 
iv.  20.)  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  love  to  our  brother  here 
spoken  of  is  the  love  of  good  will,  expressed  in  showing  kind- 
ness to  him;  and,  indeed,  the  apostle  speaks  of  no  other  kind 
of  love  in  this  epistle,  as  every  instance  of  love  which  he  men- 
tions is  love  of  benevolence.  Now,  if  love  to  God  is  not  dis- 
interested good  will,  how  can  this  imply  good  will  to  our 
brother,  or  lead  to  it,  so  as  to  form  an  infallible  connection  ? 

It  has  been  said,  that  he  who  loves  God  is  hence  led  to 
love  his  neighbor,  in  obedience  to  God's  command  and  from 
his  example,  who  is  good  to  all ;  and  not  because  love  to  God 
and  kind  affection  to  our  neighbor  is  the  same  kind  of  love. 
To  this  it  may  be  answered, — 

1.  That  love  to  God,  which  is  not  disinterested  good  will, 
nor  implies  it,  is  no  principle  of  obedience  to  the  divine  com- 
mand, and  can  have  no  tendency  to  it.     No  love  will  dispose 


36 


THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 


men  to  obey  God  but  the  love  of  "  good  will,"  (Eph.  vi.  7,)  or 
the  love  by  which  they  are  true  friends  of  God.  He  who  does 
not  obey  God  from  this  motive,  does  not  obey  him  at  all.  He 
is  influenced  only  by  fear,  which  none  will  say  is  true  obedi- 
ence. Therefore,  they  who  assert  we  are  led  to  love  our 
neighbor  purely  because  God  commands  it,  and  from  love  to 
him,  if  they  attend  to  their  own  ideas,  will  find  they  suppose 
this  to  be  love  of  good  will,  which  is  the  very  thing  they  are 
attempting  to  oppose,  and  so  contradict  themselves  in  the 
supposition  they  make,  and  really  grant  all  we  assert. 

2.  If  love  to  God  which  implies  no  good  will  to  him  could 
induce  to  obedience  in  any  instance,  it  would  not  dispose  him 
to  obey  this  command,  and  exercise  good  will  to  his  neighbor, 
and  such  command  will  not  in  the  least  influence  him  to  it. 
If  his  inducement  to  love  his  neighbor  is  wholly  from  selfish 
principles,  which  is  always  the  case  where  there  is  no  disinter- 
ested good  will,  it  is,  by  the  supposition,  not  love  of  his  neigh- 
bor, but  of  himself  only,  and  is  so  far  from  obedience  to  the 
divine  command  that  it  is  rebellion  against  it. 

3.  God's  universal,  disinterested  good  will  cannot  be  a  mo- 
tive to  love  our  neighbor  with  the  same  good  will,  any  further 
than  we  are  pleased  with  it;  for  we  are  never  disposed  to 
imitate  what  we  dislike.  But  to  be  pleased  with  this  good- 
ness of  God,  supposes  our  hearts  to  be  in  the  exercise  of  the 
same ;  for  benevolence  is  implied  in  taking  pleasure  in  benevo- 
lence, as  has  been  shown.  This,  therefore,  supposes  that  good 
will  is  implied  in  that  love  to  God  which  leads  us  to  the  love 
of  good  will  to  our  neighbor  ;  so  supposes  the  very  thing  it  is 
adduced  to  oppose. 

Thus  impossible  is  it  to  account  for  that  inseparable  con- 
nection of  love  to  God  with  good  will  to  our  neighbor,  which 
the  Scripture  asserts,  unless  this  love,  in  these  two  branches 
of  it,  is  the  same  in  kind.  But  if  love  to  God  is,  in  its  nature, 
universal,  disinterested  good  will,  the  Scripture  representation 
appears  consistent  and  intelligible. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  love  required  in  the  law  of  God  is 
universal,  disinterested  goodness  in  all  its  branches,  attendants, 
and  fruits  ;  therefore,  this  is  holiness.  But  it  must  he  further 
observed, — 

God,  in  giving  such  a  law,  requiring  such  love,  has  expressed 
his  universal,  disinterested  goodness,  and  showed  that  his 
moral  character  consists  in  love.  We  have  good  authority, 
therefore,  even  from  the  divine  law,  to  say  that  God  is  hue. 
His  love  is  as  really  expressed  in  the  law  as  in  the  gospel.  In 
the  latter,  this  disinterested  love  and  goodness  which  appears 
in  the   law  is  expressed  and  acted  out  in  a  more  full  and 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  ii7 

glorious  manner  and  degree,  and  set  in  a  more  affecting  and 
striking  light.  In  this  sense,  the  law  is  good;  it  is  love,  and 
goodness,  as  really  as  the  gospel.  And  a6  the  divine  hoLness 
is  expressed  in  the  law,  in  requiring  love,  so  the  creature,  by 
exercising  this  same  love,  is  a  partaker  of  God's  holiness,  or 
of  the  divine  nature,  as  the  Scripture  represents  the  matter ; 
he  is  transformed  into  the  image  of  God;  or,  as  St.  John  ex- 
presses it,  ''  God  is  love,  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth 
in  God,  and  God  in  him."  *     (1  John  iv.  16.) 

Objection.  The  law  is  not  all  love  and  goodness.  It  re- 
quires love,  indeed,  but  it  is  guarded  with  the  most  awful 
sanction,  and  curses  him  who  does  not  obey  it  perfectly. 
This  is  not  an  expression  of  love,  but  strict  and  awful  justice. 
What  love  can  there  be  in  cursing  a  sinner  and  punishing 
him  forever?  Love  is  exercised  in  saving  sinners,  but  not  in 
damning  them. 

Answer.  He  who  is  infinitely  good,  is  in  the  same  degree 
an  enemy  to  all  opposition  to  the  highest  good.  This  will  be 
the  greatest,  the  only  crime  in  his  view ;  and  from  this  love, 
he  will  be  disposed  to  maintain  his  law,  which  requires  love, 
in  the  punishment  of  all  such  who  turn  enemies  to  the  great- 
est good  of  being,  according  to  their  desert.  This  is  the  only 
way  in  which  this  love  can  properly  express  itself  in  the  divine 
law.  Had  God  commanded  love,  and  not  threatened  the  con- 
trary with  the  most  dreadful  punishment,  he  would  not  have 
expressed  his  love  and  goodness,  as  he  has  done  by  this  threat- 
ening. In  this  view,  divine  justice  is  nothing  but  the  most 
perfect  love  and  goodness,  exercised  in  a  proper  way  against 
the  enemies  of  this  goodness,  and  manifested  in  hating  and 
punishing  such.  And  the  sufferings  inflicted  on  the  Son  of 
God,  when  he  stood  in  the  place  of  sinners,  and  the  eternal 
punishment  of  the  wicked  in  hell,  are  the  necessary  effect  and 
proper  expression  of  divine  love,  even  that  same  love  which  is 
expressed  in  the  precepts  of  God's  law,  or  by  any  other  me- 
dium. This  is  nothing  but  universal  benevolence,  which  seeks 
the  greatest  good  of  the  whole,  properly  expressed  in  this  way. 

Divine  love  comprehends  wisdom,  justice,  truth,  and  faith- 
fulness, and  every  moral  perfection  and  excellence  whatsoever.-}' 

*  It  is  observable,  that  as  the  apostle  says  here,  "He  that  dwelleth  in  love, 
dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him,"  he  also  says,  "  He  that  keepeth  his  com- 
mandments, dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  him."  (1  John  iii.  24.)  Whence  it  ap- 
pears that  dwelling  in  love  and  keeping  God's  commandments  is  the  same  thing  ; 
consequently,  love  comprises  all  the  obedience  required,  or,  as  St.  Paul  says, 
'<  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 

t  Wisdom  consists  in  proposing  the  wisest  and  best  end,  and  pursuing  it  by 
the  most  proper  means.  This  is  comprised  in  universal  benevolence,  which 
fixes  on  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole,  and  seeks  it  as  the  supreme,  ultimate 
VOL.  III.  4 


38  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

What  is  called  by  these  different  names  is  but  one  most 
simple  thing,  even  divine  love;  for  God,  in  his  wliole  moral 
character,  is  love.  Take  away  love  and  goodness,  and  there 
will  be  neither  wisdom,  truth,  faithfulness,  nor  justice,  for  they 
have  no  existence  but  in  the  exercise  of  love ;  and  love  implies 
all  these,  and  necessarily  acts  out  so  as  to  form  a  character 
properly  denoted  by  these  names,  as  it  appears  to  creatures  in 
different  relations,  and  respects  different  objects. 

The  law  of  God,  then,  leads  us  to  consider  holiness  as  con- 
sisting in  universal  disinterested  good  will,  considered  in  all 
its  genuine  exercises  and  fruits,  and  acted  out  in  all  its 
branches  towards  God  and  our  neighbor.  This  holiness  is 
exercised  towards  God  in  such  a  regard  and  kind  affection  for 
him  as  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  his  honor  and  interest,  and 
the  honor  and  glory  of  his  kingdom,  and  seek  it  as  the  high- 
est and  ultimate  end.  This  good  will,  exercised  towards 
God,  his  kingdom  and  interest,  with  all  those  affections  it 
comprises,  is  to  love  God  with  all  the  heart.  This  same  holi- 
ness, or  love,  is  exercised  towards  our  neighbor  in  wishing 
and  pursuing  the  greatest  good  of  all,  and  of  ourselves  as  in- 
cluded in  the  whole,  and  in  all  that  disinterested  affection 
which  is  necessarily  implied  in  this. 

And  let  it  be  observed  here  that  this  love  to  our  neighbor, 
as  it  regards  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole  as  its  chief  object, 
and  respects  the  good  of  individuals  as  included  in  this,  —  and 
as  the  greatest  good  of  mankind  consists  in  being  the  volun- 
tary subjects  and  servants  of  Christ,  in  belonging  to  his  king- 
dom, and  promoting  the  highest  interest  of  that,  —  this  love,  I 
say,  is  not  really  a  distinct  thing  from  seeking  the  glory  and 
kingdom  of  God,  as  these  perfectly  coincide.  In  seeking  the 
glory  of  God,  and  interest  of  his  kingdom,  we  necessarily  seek 
the  greatest  good  of  mankind ;  and,  so  far  as  we  are  devoted 

end.  He  who  has  not  universal  benevolence  does  not  propose  and  pursue  the 
wisest  and  best  end,  but  is  wholly  blind  to  it:  thus  universal,  disinterested 
goodness  appears  to  be  that  in  which  all  true  wisdom  consists.  This,  there- 
fore, must  be  the  holiness  which  is  called  wisdom  in  Scripture  ;  and  its  oppo- 
site, selfishness,  is  the  foolishness  which  is  there  opposed  to  wisdom. 

It  may  be  also  observed  here  that  righteous  and  holy  often  mean  the  same 
thing  in  Scripture  ;  and  righteousness  frequently  intends  holiness,  and  is  often 
used  to  express  the  whole  of  God's  moral  character,  though  it  is  many  times 
used  in  a  more  limited  sense,  and  intends  holiness,  as  exercised  with  regard  to 
some  particvilar  object ;  but  it  never  signifies  any  thing  which  is  not  holiness 
and  does  not  comprise  love  ;  and  the  whole  is  comprehended  in  universal, 
disinterested  benevolence.  He  who  has  this  is  righteous;  his  heart  is  right 
towards  all  beings,  and  disposed  to  give  every  one  his  due.  This  is  righteous- 
ness in  the  most  proper  and  comprehensive  sense  of  the  word,  and  withoiit  this 
love  there  is  no  righteousness.  Hence  righteousness  seems  to  be  put  some- 
times for  goodness  and  mercy.  (Ps.  xxxvi.  10;  Ixxxix.  16;  ciii.  17;  cxliii. 
11,  12;  cxlv.  7.)  So  holiness  evidently  means  the  divine  goodness.  (^Ps.  xxx. 
4  J  xcvii.  12.) 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  39 

to  their  best  interest,  we  act  as  friends  to  God,  and  seek  his 
honor  and  the  interest  of  his  kingdom.  The  whole,  therefore, 
is  summed  up  in  seeking  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  making 
this  our  supreme  and  ultimate  end,  so  as  to  be  willing  to  do 
or  suffer  any  thing  that  shall  be  necessary  or  proper  to  pro- 
mote this.  In  this  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor  centre 
in  one  point,  so  that  they  cannot  be  divided ;  and  this  affec- 
tion, in  which  all  holiness  consists,  really  has  but  one  object, 
viz.,  the  kingdom  of  God.  Our  divine  Teacher  sets  the  matter 
in  this  light,  and  speaks  as  no  man  would  have  spoke,  when 
he  directs  men  to  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  as  the  only  object 
of  their  pursuit,  for  the  sake  of  which  he  commands  them  to 
forsake  every  other  interest.  (Matt.  vi.  33.  Luke  xii.  31; 
xviii.  29.*) 

That  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  which  seeks  the  great- 
est good  of  the  whole,  the  greatest  display  of  the  divine  per- 
fections, and  the  highest  happiness  of  the  creation,  will  fix 
and  centre  in  this  as  the  grand  object,  for  this  comprises  all 
the  good  in  the  universe  —  all  things  being  made,  and  every 
thing  ordered  and  done  by  God  for  the  sake  of  this,  and  in 
order  to  bring  it  to  the  highest  perfection  and  glory,  and  that 
it  may  comprise  the  greatest  possible  good.  Nothing  is  of 
any  worth  in  God's  view  any  further  than  it  may  serve  to 
promote  the  glory  and  happiness  of  this  kingdom ;  and  all  the 
holiness  of  creatures  consists  in  that  love  which  has  this  for 
its  great  object,  and  desires  and  pursues  this  as  the  great  and 
only  interest,  to  which  every  thing  else  is  subordinated. 

*  In  Matthew  the  words  are,  "  Seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  liis  right- 
eousness." The  kingdom  of  God  is  the  kingdom  which  Christ  is  erectiicg  and 
bringing  to  its  highest  perfection  and  glory,  and  comprehends  God's  moral 
kingdom  in  its  whole  extent,  in  which  is  the  full  and  most  complete  display  of 
the  divine  perfections,  or  glory,  and  all  the  good  and  happiness  of  the  creation. 
This  is  "that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,"  which  St.  John  saw  "descending 
out  of  heaven  from  God,  having  the  glory  of  God."  (Rev.  xxi.  10,  11.)  To  seek 
this  kingdom  first  is  to  make  the  interest,  happiness,  and  glory  of  it  our  ulti- 
mate end,'  so  as  to  do  all  for  its  sake,  and  subordinate  every  thing  to  this. 
This  kingdom,  considered  in  its  full  extent  and  all  its  appendages,  is  the  firsi:, 
the  only  object  of  the  desires  and  pursuit  of  Christ  himself;  so  that,  in  these 
Avords,  he  directs  his  disciples  to  imitate  him,  and  be  holy  as  he  is  holy. 

By  "  his  righteousness  "  is  not  meant  any  thing  distinct  from  "  the  kingdom 
of  God."  It  intends  the  divine  perfections  displayed  in  this  kingdom  in  the 
glorious  work  of  redemption,  including  the  salvation  of  the  redeemed  and  the 
complete  overthrow  of  all  his  enemies.  In  tliis  sense  the  word  is  used  in  the 
following  passages :  "  The  Lord  God  will  cause  righteousness  and  praise  to 
spring  forth  before  all  nations."  "And  the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteous- 
ness, and  all  kings  thy  glory."  (Isa.  Ixi.  11;  Ixii.  2.)  "Hearken  to  me,  ye 
that  follow  after  righteousness,  ye  that  seek  the  Lord :  for  the  Lord  shall  com- 
fort Zion.  My  salvation  shall  be  forever,  and  my  righteousness  shall  not  be 
abolished.  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  that  know  righteousness,  the  people  in  whose 
heart  is  my  law  ;  fear  ye  not  the  reproach  of  men  :  for  the  moti.  i^hall  eat  them 


40  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

II.  It  will  serve  to  confirm  what  has  been  observed  con- 
cerning the  law  of  God,  and  further  show  what  true  holiness 
is  according  to  Scripture,  if  we  consider  what  is  that  divine 
love  which  is  there  represented  as  the  holiness  of  God,  or  that 
in  which  his  moral  character  and  glory  is  revealed,  in  con- 
formity to  which  the  holiness  of  man  consists. 

St.  John  says,  "  God  is  love : "  by  which  it  is  evident  he 
means  to  express  the  whole  of  God's  moral  character;  and 
we  have  a  good  warrant  to  take  his  words  in  this  sense  from 
the  divine  law,  which  is  a  transcript  of  God's  moral  character, 
and  requires  nothing  but  love.  The  apostle  tells  us  how  this 
love  appears,  and  wherein  is  the  greatest  manifestation  of  it 
to  man,  viz.,  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  the  redemption  of 
man,  and  acccomplishing  all  that  good  which  is  comprised  in 
it.  "  In  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  towards  us, 
because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world, 
that  we  might  live  through  him."  (1  John  iv.  8,  9.)  This  is 
wholly  love  of  good  will,  as  expressed  in  the  highest  act  of 
kindness,  and  is  the  most  perfectly  disinterested  love,  as  it  is 
exercised  towards  enemies.  This  is  elsewhere  spoken  of  as 
that  in  which  the  love  of  God  appears  in  its  greatness,  excel- 
lence, and  glory.  "  But  God  commendeth  his  love  towards  us, 
in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  (Rom. 
V.  8.)  This  highest  instance  of  the  most  disinterested  benev- 
olence is  thus  spoken  of,  as  that  in  which  the  divine  character, 
or  God's  holy  love,  is  acted  out  and  set  forth  to  our  view.  It 
hence  appears  that  disinterested   benevolence  is  the  love  in 

up  like  a  garment,  and  the  worm  shall  eat  them  like  wool ;  but  my  righteous- 
ness shall  be  forever,  and  my  salvation  from  generation  to  generation."  (Isa.  li. 
1-8.)  Here,  to  "follow  after  righteousness"  and  "seek  the  Lord"  is  to  seek 
first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness.  And  God's  righteousness  and 
his  salrafioii  mean  the  same  thing.  This  being  so,  when  St.  Luke  mentions 
this  injunction  of  oiu'  Lord,  he  puts  it  in  the  following  words  :  "  But  rather 
seek  ye  the  kingdom  of  God"  —  tliis  including  the  whole;  for  if  "his  right- 
eousness" was  not  included  in  this,  it  would  not  be  omitted. 

The  same  thing  is  inculcated  by  Christ  when  he  directs  and  encourages  all 
to  subordinate  every  thing,  however  dear  to  them,  to  this  grand  interest,  and 
forsake  all  "for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake."  (Luke  xviii.  29.)  It  is  observa- 
ble that  in  a  parallel  text,  (Mark  x.  29,)  instead  of  "the  kingdom  of  God's 
sake,"  the  words  are  "for  my  sake  and  the  gospel's,"  because  those  words  ex- 
press the  very  same  thing.  The  kingdom  of  God  and  the  gospel  are  the  same ; 
therefore,  to  preach  the  gospel  is  to  preach  the  kingdom  of  God.  (Luke  iv.  43  ; 
ix.  2,  60.  Acts  XX.  25.)  And  it  is  called  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
(Mark  i.  14.)  And  as  this  is  Christ's  kingdom  and  interest,  comjirising  himself 
and  the  whole  which  he  seeks,  whatever  is  done  for  the  sake  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  done  for  his  sake. 

The  holiness  of  the  Mediator  is  wholly  exercised  in  seeking  this  kingdom  ; 
his  righteousness,  by  which  sinners  are  justified,  consists  in  what  he  did  and 
suffered  for  its  sake.  And  the  holiness  of  men  consists  wholly  in  seeking  this 
kingdom,  which  is  love  to  God  and  their  neighbor,  or  universal  disinterested 
benevolence. 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  41 

which  God's  holiness  consists.  Therefore  we  are  called  upon 
to  imitate  this  love  of  God,  as  that  by  which  we  may  be  like 
him,  partakers  of  his  holiness.  St.  John  says,  when  speaking 
of  this  love  of  God,  "  Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us,  we  ought 
also  to  love  one  another.  If  we  love  one  another,  God  dwell- 
eth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us."  If  we  love  one 
another  with  that  love  which  God  exercised  and  manifested  in 
giving  his  Son  to  die  for  us,  we  by  this  are  conformed  to  God, 
his  image  is  in  us,  and  his  love,  which  is  his  holiness,  is  com- 
plete and  perfect  in  us.  What  words  could  more  expressly 
declare  that  the  divine  holiness  consists  most  essentially  in 
disinterested  goodness,  and  that,  in  the  exercise  of  this,  we  are, 
holy  as  God  is  holy  ?  To  the  like  purpose  is  what  Christ 
says  to  his  disciples.  When  he  is  recommending  to  them  the 
highest  exercise  of  disinterested  benevolence,  in  love  to  their 
enemies,  he  tells  them  that  they  would  hereby  imitate  God, 
who  is  good  to  his  enemies ;  and  then  says,  "  Be  ye  therefore 
perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect." 
(Matt.  V.  44,  48.)  According  to  this,  the  holiness  and  perfec- 
tion of  God  and  his  people  consist,  so  much  at  least,  in  dis- 
interested benevolence,  that  there  is  no  moral  perfection  with- 
out it  in  God  or  the  creature.  The  reader  will  observe  how 
exactly  parallel  these  words  of  Christ  are  to  those  of  St.  John 
we  have  been  considering.  He  says,  if  we  love  one  another 
with  a  love  of  pure  benevolence,  like  that  which  God  exercised 
in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  sinners,  "  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and 
his  love  is  perfected  in  us."  Christ  says,  that  in  the  exercise 
of  this  love,  his  disciples  shall  be  perfect,  as  their  heavenly 
Father  is  perfect. 

The  same  thing  is  declared  by  St.  Paul.  When  speaking  of 
God's  love  and  mercy  to  sinners  in  forgiving  sin,  and  of  the 
love  of  Christ  in  dying  for  sinners,  which  are  instances  of  dis- 
interested goodness,  he  says  to  the  Ephesian  Christians,  "  Be 
ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children,  and  walk  in 
love."  (Eph.  iv.  32;  v.  1,  2.)  Here  he  directs  Christians  to 
disinterested  benevolence,  by  which  they  would  imitate  God's 
holiness,  exercised  in  love  to  sinners. 

Thus  we  see  the  holy  love  of  God  is  represented  as  consist- 
ing in  disinterested  benevolence  and  goodness,  the  highest  and* 
most  remarkable  exercise  of  which  appears  in  redemption,  in 
giving  his  Son  to  die  for  sinners,  that  they  might  live  through 
him ;  and  that  the  holiness  of  men  consists  in  imitating  this 
benevolent  love.  Hence  it  appears,  that,  according  to  Scrip- 
ture, holiness  consists  in  benevolence  and  what  is  implied  in 
it,  and  in  nothing  else.  < 

Objection.     It  is  granted  that  holiness  consists  in  part  in 
4* 


42  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS.  ' 

love  of  benevolence,  especially  as  it  respects  indigent  crea- 
tures; but  God's  holiness  does  not  consist  wholly  or  chiefly  in 
good  will  to  men,  but  in  love  to  himself;  and  the  holiness  of 
men  consists  principally  in  love  to  God.  And  it  does  not 
appear  from  these  Scriptures  that  this  love  to  God,  either  in 
God  or  the  creature,  is  of  the  nature  of  benevolence,  but  may 
be  something  else,  and  so  holiness  may  not  consist  principally 
in  benevolent,  disinterested  affection. 

Ans.  1.  According  to  these  Scriptures,  God's  love  of  benev- 
olence is  spoken  of  as  the  most  bright  and  striking  expression 
of  the  excellence  of  his  nature  and  character,  or  his  holiness; 
and  that  love  in  us  which  is  an  imitation  of  this  love  of  God, 
is  represented  as  that  in  which  our  conformity  to  God  consists, 
which  could  not  be  true,  or  a  proper  representation,  if  holiness 
consisted  chiefly  in  something  of  another  kind  not  included  in 
this.  We  have  therefore  good  ground  to  conclude  from  these 
passages,  that  this  is  the  leading  excellence,  and  the  sum  of 
all  holiness  in  God  and  the  creature,  especially  as  holiness 
exercised  toward  the  creature  must  be  of  the  same  nature  with 
that  of  which  God  is  the  object.  But  more  especially,  as  the 
object  of  holy  love,  God  and  the  creation  is,  in  a  sense,  one 
and  the  same,  or  are  united  in  one  object,  the  kingdom  of 
God,  as  has  been  shown.  According  to  this,  loving  our  neigh- 
bor is  really  loving  God,  as  love  to  God  is  implied  in  it.  This 
seems  to  be  expressed  by  St.  John  in  the  passage  we  have 
been  considering.  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  if 
we  love  one  another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  per- 
fected in  us  ;  "  i.  e.,  by  loving  one  another,  while  we  see  and 
converse  with  each  other,  with  the  love  of  benevolence  and 
kindness  in  doing  good  to  others,  our  love  to  God  is  expressed 
in  the  best  and  most  perfect  manner;  especially  as  we  herein 
imitate  God,  and  follow  him  as  his  dear  children.* 

Ans  2.  If  this  love  of  benevolence,  this  amazing  goodness 
of  God's  nature,  expressed  in  redeeming  sinners,  and  giving 
them  eternal  life  through  Christ,  is  so  much  the  glory  of  the 
diviiie  character,  and  such  a  clear  and  bright  expression  of  his 
perfection  and  holiness,  as  is  represented  in  Scripture,  this 
^  gives  us  reason  to  conclude  that  the  love  of  which  he  himself 
is  the  object  is  of  the  same  nature  and  kind  with  this,  viz.,  an 
infinite  benevolent  regard  to  himself;  and  that  his  love  to 
man,  expressed  in  giving  his  Son  for  his  salvation,  is  a  stream, 

*  Dr.  Doddridge  lias,  I  think,  given  the  true  sense  of  this  text,  in  his  para- 
phrase, in  the  following  words :  "  But  as  he  [God]  is  the  great  fountain  of 
benevolence,  if  we  love  one  another,  it  appears  that  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and 
that  his  love  is  perfected  in  us ;  for  this  is  the  best  proof  we  can  give  of  our 
love  to  him,  and  of  the  prevalence  of  his  grace  in  our  hearts,  transforming  us 
into  his  image." 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  43 

and  the  brightest  emanation  from  this  fountain  of  love,  and 
so  shows  the  nature  of  the  infinite  divine  love  and  holiness. 
Therefore  creatures  have  no  need  of  any  thing  but  this  love,  in 
order  to  be  like  God,  little  images  of  his  infinite  benevolence. 

Ans.  3.  God's  love  and  regard  to  himself  is  not  excluded, 
but  necessarily  included,  in  this  instance  of  his  benevolence  to 
sinners,  in  giving  his  Son  to  die,  that  they,  through  him,  might 
live.  This  love  to  himself  must  be  kept  in  view,  in  order  to 
see  his  benevolence  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  sinners  ;  for 
had  God  no  benevolent  regard  to  himself  and  care  for  his  own 
honor,  there  would  have  been  no  need  of  giving  his  Son,  that 
sinners  might  live,  as  a  mediator  would  have  been  needless,  in 
order  to  his  being  reconciled  to  sinners.  So  that  God's  su- 
preme regard  to  himself  is  supposed,  yea,  expressed  and  brought 
clearly  into  view,  in  giving  his  Son  to  the  world.  And  it  is 
that  regard  to  himself  and  his  own  honor,  which  consists  in 
benevolence  and  its  attendants  and  fruits,  of  which  his  benev- 
olence to  man  is  an  emanation  and  fruit,  or  rather,  they  are 
one  and  the  same  thing,  acted  out  in  the  work  of  redemption. 
In  this  view^,  we  may  see  how  God's  love  in  giving  his  Son  to 
die  for  sinners  is  a  specimen  and  most  clear  display  of  his 
holiness,  which  consists  in  benevolence,  and  why  men  are  rep- 
resented as  imitating  God  in  the  exercise  of  the  love  of  benev- 
olence ;  their  love  to  God  and  one  another  being  one  and  the 
same  undivided  affection. 

What  God  says  to  Moses,  when  he  besought  him  to  show 
him  his  glory,  serves  to  confirm  what  has  been  said  on  the 
above  passages  of  Scripture.  In  answer  to  Moses's  petition, 
God  says  to  him,  "  I  will  make  all  my  goodness  pass  before 
thee,  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name  of  the  Lord  before  thee, 
and  will  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  will 
show  mercy  on  whom  I  will  show  mercy."  (Ex.  xxxiii.  19.) 
God  here  tells  Moses  how  he  would  show  his  glory,  and  what 
it  consisted  in,  viz.,  goodness  —  sovereign  goodness  and  mercy, 
which  is  the  most  disinterested  benevolence  possible.  If  God 
showed  Moses  his  glory,  by  causing  all  his  goodness  to  pass 
before  him,  then  God's  holiness,  or  his  moral  character,  con- 
sists in  goodness ;  for  holiness  is  his  glory.  And  we  are  told 
how  he  did  this :  "  The  Lord  passed  by  before  him,  and  pro- 
claimed, The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long- 
suftering,   and    abundant    in   goodness'  and    truth;*  keeping 

*  By  truth  nothing  distinct  from  goodness  is  intended ;  it  denotes  the  immu- 
tability of  divine  goodness  ;  it  is  goodness  that  never  fails,  and  may  be  dejiend- 
ed  upon  -with  the  greatest  safety.  Where  there  is  no  goodness,  there  is  no 
truth  and  faithfulness ;  and  these  arc  properties  essential  to  the  goodness  of 
God. 


44  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and  transgression,  and 
sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty."  (Ex.  xxxiv. 
6,  7.)  Here  there  is  nothing  expressed  but  the  highest.  God- 
like benevolence,  or  disinterested  goodness.  This  therefore  is 
that  in  which  God's  glory  consists ;  consequently  this  is  the 
divine  holiness,  and  this  is  the  glory  into  which  men  are 
changed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  when  they  are  made  partakers 
of  his  holiness. 

When  it  is  added,  "and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty,"  nothing  is  expressed  contrary  to  goodness,  or  different 
from  it ;  but  it  expresses  the  peculiar  excellence  and  perfection 
of  God's  goodness.  It  is  a  goodness  which  regards  the  great- 
est good  of  the  whole  ;  a  goodness  which  regards  the  interest 
and  honor  of  the  divine  Being;  so  that  none  of  his  rights  shall 
be  given  up,  or  his  law  set  aside,  in  favor  of  man,  that  mercy 
may  be  shown  to  him.  This  is  the  thing  meant  by  his  not 
clearing  or  acquitting  the  guilty.  This  is  the  same  goodn.ess 
which  is  opened  and  celebrated  in  the  gospel,  manifested  in 
God's  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  the  redemption  of  sinners,  and 
granting  them  pardon  and  life  through  him.  In  this,  God's 
love  and  regard  to  himself,  and  goodness  and  mercy  to  sinners, 
are  joined  together  as  one  and  the  same  undivided  thing. 
It  is  all  divine  benevolence,  and  it  is  the  same  goodness 
when  it  condemns  and  punishes  the  guilty  as  when  it  par- 
dons and  saves  the  believer  in  Christ.  This  goodness,  this 
disinterested  good  will,  is  the  glory  of  God.  In  this  divine 
holiness  the  glory  of  God's  moral  character  consists ;  and  so 
far  as  men  exercise  this  goodness,  they  are  holy  as  God  is 
holy. 

III.  We  are  under  great  advantages  to  know  what  is  true 
holiness,  by  the  character  and  example  of  Christ.  He  is  the 
great  pattern  of  holiness,  as  it  respects  God  and  the  creature, 
and  the  most  bright  and  perfect  instance  of  it  that  ever  was  or 
will  be  on  earth,  he  has  acted  it  out  to  the  life.  He  is  both 
God  and  man,  and  if  we  can  find  what  is  the  true  moral  excel- 
lence of  his  character,  we  shall  at  the  same  time  learn  what 
divine  and  creature  holiness  is,  as  it  respects  both  God  and  man. 
It  wholly  consisted  in  conformity  to  that  law  which  he  himself 
said  was  fulfilk-d  by  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor.  There- 
fore it  all  consisted  in  love;  and  if  we  properly  attend  to  what 
he  has  said  and  done,  we  may,  with  the  greatest  certainty, 
determine  the  nature  and  kind  of  this  love.  His  love  to  men 
was,  in  the  highest  degree,  disinterested  benevolence,  as  it  was 
love  to  enemies,  and  such  a  regard  for  their  good  as  to  lead 
him  to  be  willing  to  take  their  misery  on  himself,  and  bear  it 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  45 

all,  that  they  might  escape  and  live  forever.  This  is  the  high- 
est instance  of  pure,  disinterested  benevolence  that  ever  was 
known,  and  it  is  commonly  spoken  of  as  such,  and  the  excel- 
lency of  it  is  owned  to  consist  very  much  in  its  being  in  such 
a  striking  degree  disinterested  love  and  goodness.  Thus 
Christ's  example  of  love  to  men  consists  wholly  in  disinter- 
ested goodness.  If  this  is  left  out,  there  remains  nothing  holy 
and  excellent. 

His  love  to  God  was  also  a  disinterested,  benevolent  love, 
as  it  was  acted  out  in  seeking  and  promoting  the  glory  of 
God.  He  sought  not  his  own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  Him  that 
sent  him.  And  this  he  himself  speaks  of  as  that  in  which 
the  distinguishing  excellence  of  his  character  consisted.  (John 
vii.  18  ;  viii.  50.)  This  was  the  great  thing  he  pursued,  as  the 
work  he  had  to  do.  "  I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth  ;  I  have 
finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do."  (John  xvii.  4.) 
He  subordinated  every  thing  to  this,  and  for  its  sake  he  gave  up 
his  own  ease,  and  willingly  endured  the  greatest  sufferings. 
When  in  the  view  of  his  terrible  sutferings  he  was  reconciled 
to  them  and  willing  to  go  through  them,  it  was  from  a  zeal  for 
God's  glory ;  and  he  expressed  his  whole  heart  in  this  matter, 
when  he  said,  "  Father,  glorify  thy  name."  (John  xii.  28.)  As 
if  he  had  said,  "  Let  God  be  glorified,  and  all  my  ends  are 
answered  ;  for  the  sake  of  this  I  have  undertaken  this  work, 
and  am  willing  to  go  through  the  dreadful  scene  of  sufferings 
that  is  before  me."  Thus,  "  Christ  pleased  not  himself,  but, 
as  it  is  written,  The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee 
fell  on  me."  (Rom.  xv.  3.)  He  pleased  not  himself,  i.  e.,  he 
sought  not  himself,  was  not  in  the  least  degi-ee  selfish,  but  at 
the  greatest  distance  from  it.  He  had  such  a  strong,  disinter- 
ested, benevolent  regard  to  the  glory  of  God  in  the  advance- 
ment of  his  kingdom,  in  the  salvation  of  men,  that  all  the 
reproach  cast  upon  God  by  sin  fell  with  its  full  weight  on 
him  ;  and  that  he  might  vindicate  the  divine  character,  and 
take  away  the  reproach  that  would  come  on  God  and  his  law 
if  sinners  were  saved  without  a  complete  atonement,  he  took 
the  reproach  and  punishment  of  sin  on  himself,  that  hereby  God 
might  be  honored  in  the  salvation  of  sinners.  Thus  he  pleased 
not  himself,  but  practised  the  greatest  self-denial,  and  took  all 
the  evil  on  himself,  that  God  might  be  glorified  and  sinners  be 
saved.  This  St.  Paul  mentions  as  an  example  to  his  disciples, 
in  following  which,  they  must  not  please  themselves,  must  not 
be  selfish,  and  seek  themselves,  but  the  good  of  others,  in  the 
exercise  of  disinterested  benevolence.  (Verses  1,  2.)  Thus  he 
himself  followed  Christ,  and  imitated  his  holiness,  while  he 


46  TITE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

sought  not  his  own  profit,  but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they 
might  be  saved.*  (1  Cor.  x.  33  ;  xi.  1.) 

And  here,  by  the  way,  we  may  see  how  Christ  sought  one 
undivided  interest  in  the  exercise  of  disinterested  benevolence. 
He  was  devoted  to  the  greatest  general  good,  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  salvation  of  sinners ;  or  that  kingdom  of  God  in 
which  God  is  glorified  in  the  highest  degree,  and  all  the  good 
of  the  creature  is  comprised.  So  that  his  being  wholly  de- 
voted to  the  glory  of  God,  in  all  he  did  and  suffered,  was  not 
in  the  least  inconsistent  with  his  benevolence  to  man,  nor  did 
in  any  degree  exclude  it;    but  the  latter  is    implied  in  the 

*  When  the  apostle  says,  "  I  seek  not  mine  own  profit,  but  the  profit  of 
many,  that  they  may  be  saved,"  he  expresses  the  most  disinterested  benevo- 
lence, and  a  disposition  to  give  up  every  thing  that  could  be  called  his  o\%-n,  to 
promote  the  salvation  of  many.  In  this  he  followed  Christ,  who  pleased  not 
himself,  and  sought  not  his  own  profit,  but  gave  himself  away,  delivered  him- 
self up  to  infinite  evil  for  the  sake  of  others,  that  they  might  be  saved.  These 
words  lead  us  to  the  true  sense  of  that  passage  which  has  been  so  difficult  to 
many :  "  For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed  from  Christ,  for  my  breth- 
ren, my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh."  (Rom.  ix.  3.)  The  plain  meaning  of 
these  words  is,  that  he  interested  himself  so  much  in  the  salvation  of  his  breth- 
ren, that  he  was  willing  to  give  up  all  his  own  personal  interest  in  Christ  for 
their  sakes,  if  by  this  means  they  might  be  saved.  This  is  the  genuine  expres- 
sion of  disinterested  benevolence,  which  always  gives  up  a  less  good  for  a 
greater,  and  the  private  good  of  individuals  for  the  sake  of  the  public  good,  or 
the  salvation  of  mfyiy.  Therefore,  if  the  apostle  could  save  all  his  brethren  by 
giving  up  his  own  personal  interest  in  Christ,  he  ought  to  be  ready  to  do  it ;  for 
not  to  do  it,  in  this  case,  would  be  to  seek  his  own  profit  in  opposition  to  the 
profit  of  many,  and  to  act  most  contrary  to  benevolence  and  to  the  example  of 
Christ,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  many,  and  was  willingly  made  a  curse 
that  men  might  be  saved  from  it. 

I  know  there  have  been  many  objections  made  to  this  sense  of  the  words.  It 
is  said,  this  represents  the  apostle  as  willing  to  be  an  enemy  to  Christ,  and  to  be 
damned  forever,  which  is  impossible. 

Answer.  It  is,  indeed,  a  contradiction  that  he  should  be  willing  to  become 
an  enemy  to  Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  that  benevolence  in  which  he  imitated 
him,  and  acted  as  his  friend ;  especially  that  this  benevolence  should  make  him 
willing  to  be  Christ's  enemy.  Eut  no  such  ihhig  is  expressed  in  the  words. 
The  apostle  might  be  willing  to  give  up  his  own  personal  interest  in  Christ  for 
the  sake  of  the  salvation  of  millions,  and  yet  not  be  Avilling  to  be  an  enemy  to 
Christ ;  and,  indeed,  it  was  impossible  he  should  be  an  enemy  to  him,  while  in 
the  exercise  of  such  benevolence,  just  as  impossible  as  it  was  that  he  should  be 
willing  his  brethren  should  all  be  lost,  while  he  was  ardently  wishing  their 
salvation,  though  it  were  at  the  expense  of  his  own. 

As  to  his  being  wilHng  to  be  damned,  he  was  wiUing  to  give  up  all  the  hap- 
piness and  suffer  all  the  evil  which  was  consistent  with  his  benevolence  to  his 
brethren,  and  the  love  to  Christ  implied  in  this.  But  this  benevolence  was  in- 
consistent with  his  being  really  miserable  ;  for  he  would  be  so  gratified  in  their 
salvation  by  his  means,  and  he  so  placed  his  happiness  in  this  that  he  must  be 
in  a  great  degree  happy,  much  more  so  than  he  could  be  in  any  possible  enjoy- 
ment which  he  should  have  at  the  expense  of  their  salvation,  or  while  destitute 
of  this  benevolence. 

I  am  sensible  this  sense  of  the  words  is  most  contrary  to  aU  selfish  religion ; 
but  it  is  perfectly  consistent  with  that  charity,  that  disinterested  benevolence, 
which  "seeketh  not  her  own,"  but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  saved, 
without  which  it  is  impossible  to  be  a  true  follower  of  ChrLst. 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  47 

former,  and  the  more  benevolence  he  exercised  towards  God 
in  seeking  his  glory,  the  more  love  did  he  exercise  and  discover 
to  man.  So  that  Christ  did  not  only  seek  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  salvation  of  men,  and  express  his  love  to  God  and 
man  in  the  same  actions,  but  this  was  one  and  the  same 
undivided  affection  which  centred  in  one  and  the  same  thing, 
the  greatest  happiness  and  glory  of  God's  kingdom,  or  the 
greatest  good  of  the  whole ;  so  that  he  really  sought  but  one 
thing,  which  is  all  comprised  in  the  glory  of  God.  And  this 
may  serve  to  remove  a  difficulty  which  has  risen  in  the  minds 
of  some  persons,  with  respect  to  this.  They  have  asked,  "  If 
the  ultimate  end  of  Christ  in  what  he  did  and  suffered  was  the 
glory  of  God,  so  that  this  was  the  greatest,  and,  in  a  sense,  the 
only  thing  he  had  in  view,  and  this  induced  him  to  be  willing 
to  suffer  unto  death,  how  can  he  be  said  to  lay  down  his  life 
for  man  out  of  pure  benevolence  to  him  ?  He  never  would 
have  done  this,  had  it  not  been  for  the  love  he  had  to  God, 
and  regard  for  his  glory.  What  reason,  then,  has  the  sinner  to 
thank  him  fordoing  it  out  of  love  to  him?  Certainly,  if  he 
was  chiefly  influenced  in  this  by  love  to  God,  his  regard  to 
man  had  but  a  proportionably  small  infiuence  in  this  affair." 

The  solution  is,  the  benevolence  which  Christ  exercised 
towards  God  and  towards  men  is  one  undivided  affection. 
The  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  men  by  Christ  are  not 
to  be  distinguished  as  different  objects  of  pursuit.  Therefore 
in  seeking  the  glory  of  God  he  sought  the  salvation  of  men, 
and  in  seeking  the  salvation  of  men  he  sought  the  glory  of 
God,  the  one  being  necessarily  included  in  the  other.  And  in 
this  does  the  holiness,  the  moral  excellence  of  Christ  consist, 
according  to  Scripture.  Therefore  we  are  left  at  no  loss  about 
the  nature  of  true  holiness  in  God  and  in  the  creature.  It 
consists  in  disinterested  benevolence,  and  all  that  affection 
which  is  included  in  this,  in  opposition  to  self-love. 

Objection.  But  Christ  himself  sought  his  own  interest  and 
glory,  and  had  respect  to  the  recompense  of  reward,  "  who,  for 
the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured  the  cross,"  etc. 
(Heb.  xii.  2.) 

Aixs.  1.  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  disinterested  benev- 
olence, sought  the  glory  of  God  and  the  highest  happiness  and 
glory  of  his  kingdom  in  the  salvation  of  men,  as  the  greatest 
good.  In  this  he  placed  his  happiness  and  joy.  This  was  the 
great  end  he  sought  in  enduring  the  cross;  this  was  the  joy 
that  was  set  before  him.  Therefore  he  was  so  far  from  pleas- 
ing or  seeking  himself  in  this,  that  the  reward  he  sought  was 
the  object  of  disinterested'  affection,  and  nothing  else.  His 
benevolence  set  this  up  as  a  good,  for  the  sake  of  which  he  was 
willing  to  give  up  his  life  and  suffer  an  ignominious  d'^ath. 


48  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLIXEtiS. 

Ans.  2.  Christ's  own  honor  and  interest  is  included  in  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  greatest  good  of  the  creation.  As  God, 
his  own  glory  is  the  same  with  the  glory  of  the  Father;  as 
man,  his  interest  is  great,  as  well  as  of  infinite  importance,  to 
the  good  of  the  whole.  Therefore,  as  has  been  shown,  disin- 
terested benevolence,  or  love  to  God  and  men,  implies  a  regard 
to  himself  and  a  joy  in  his  own  happiness  and  glory.  There 
is  not  the  least  degree  of  selfishness  in  this,  but  it  is  essential 
to  disinterested  benevolence. 

IV.  We  may  learn  what  is  the  nature  of  Irue  holiness 
from  what  Christ  says  to  his  disciples:  "Ye  have  heard 
that  it  hath  been  said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor,  and 
hate  thine  enemy.  But  I  say  unto  you,  Love  your  enemies, 
bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you, 
that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Falher  which  is  in 
heaven  ;  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the 
good.  For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward 
have  ye?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same?  Be  ye 
therefore  perfect,  even  as  vour  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is 
perfect."     (Matt.  v.  43-48.)"' 

On  this  passage  of  Scripture  we  may  observe  the  following 
things :  — 

1.  What  our  Savior  here  condemns  is  selfishness,  which 
had  been,  by  the  Jewish  teachers,  justified  and  incnlcated  as 
true  holiness  and  obedience  to  tiie  divine  law,  requiring  us  to 
love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  By  our  neighbor,  they  under- 
stood one  who  is  kind  to  us  and  our  hearty  friend.  And  our 
enemy  they  distinguished  from  neighbor,  and  put  in  opposi- 
tion to  him,  and  taught  that  the  latter  is  to  be  hated,  that  it  is 
our  duty  to  do  so,  and  the  former  loved.  This  interpretation 
made  the  conniiand  very  easy  indeed,  and  brought  it  down  to 
suit  the  heart  of  the  most  wicked  man  on  earth.  And  all  the 
selfish  religion  that  is  taught  now  is  as  agreeable  to  corrupt 
nature  as  this  was  then ;  which  leads  me  to  observe,  — 

2.  Christ  condemns  this,  and  enjoins  directly  the  contrary, 
even  the  most  disinterested  good  will,  in  loving  our  worst 
enemy  with  that  kind,  benevolent  afliection  which  will  lead  us 
to  do  him  all  the  good  in  our  power. 

3.  He  shows  that  this  selfish  love  has  nothing  of  the  nature 
of  true  holiness,  by  observing  that  sinners,  even  the  worst  of 
them,  exercised  such  love.  They  love  those  that  love  them ; 
for  selfishness  itself  will  do  this.  Andy  by  the  way,  Christ  not 
only  condemns  selfishness  here  as  no  part  of  holiness,  and  in 
opposition  to  it,  but  his  argument  supposes  that  publicans  and 
sinners,  yea,  all  that  are  not  the  children  of  God,  are  wholly 
destitute  of  holiness ;  for  if  they  were  not,  his  argument  would 
not  be  conclusive. 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  49 

4.  Therefore  love  to  enemies  is  here  enjoined  as  essential  to 
the  character  of  a  disciple  of  Christ,  so  that  no  love  which 
does  not  imply  this  disinterested  benevolence,  or  love  to  ene- 
mies, is  the  love  in  which  holiness  consists,  by  which  the  true 
disciples  of  Christ  are  distinguished  from  others,  every  thing 
else  which  does  not  imply  this  being  found  with  sinners. 
According  to  this,  disinterested  benevolence,  or  that  love  which 
will  extend  to  enemies,  is  the  holy  love  which  distinguishes 
the  true  disciples  of  Christ  from  all  others,  and  nothing  will 
pass  for  true  holiness  in  Christ's  account  but  such  love  and 
what  is  implied  in  it. 

5.  It  is  by  such  love  alone  that  they  are  conformed  to  God, 
and  formed  after  the  likeness  of  his  moral  perfection  or  holi- 
ness. When  Christ  tells  his  disciples  that,  by  loving  their 
enemies,  they  should  be  the  children  of  their  Father  which  is 
in  heaven,  i.  e.,  imitators  or  followers  of  God  as  dear  children, 
it  is  implied  that  they  could  become  so  by  nothing  else.  So 
that,  in  this  view,  this  kind  of  love  is  represented  as  the  only 
holy  love,  as  it  is  the  only  love  by  which  they  imitate  God. 
And  it  hence  follows,  also,  that  this  is  the  love  in  which  the 
divine  holiness  consists ;  for  if  it  consisted  in  any  thing  of 
another  kind,  which  this  did  not  imply,  they  might  be  like 
God  without  love  to  their  enemies.  According  to  this  repre- 
sentation, God's  holiness,  which  consists  in  love  to  himself 
and  his  creatures,  is  such,  that  it  carries  in  its  nature  love  to 
enemies,  and  therefore  that  love  which  is  not  of  such  a  nature 
is  not  true  holiness.  Therefore  the  Christian's  love  to  God 
and  Christ  is  of  the  same  nature  with  love  to  enemies,  which 
is  disinterested  benevolence,  and  in  this  his  holiness  consists. 

6.  We  may  also  observe  from  this  passage,  though  it  is  not 
immediately  to  the  point  we  are  upon,  that  the  holy  love  by 
which  Christians  are  distinguished  from  others  will  love  God, 
even  though  he  were  our  enemy ;  therefore  it  is  not  necessary 
we  should  see  him  to  be  our  friend,  or  that  he  loves  us,  in 
order  to  our  loving  him.  They  who  hold  this,  and  that  all 
true  love  to  God  is  of  this  kind,  teach  a  selfish  religion,  directly 
contrary  to  what  Christ  taught,  and  which  he  said  publicans 
and  sinners  might  have  as  well  as  Christians.  If  we  cannot 
be  Christ's  disciples  unless  we  have  a  heart  to  love  our  ene- 
mies, even  such  as  are  so  unjustly,  and  are  doing  us  all  the 
injury  they  can,  then  none  are  his  disciples  who  have  not  a 
heart  to  love  God,  even  though  he  is  their  enemy,  and  disposed 
to  curse  and  destroy  them,  who  cannot  be  an  unjust  and  inju- 
rious enemy.  Surely  that  disposition  which  will  love  an 
enemy,  who  is  unjustly  and  injuriously  so,  will  not  find  it 
hard  to  love  an  enemy  who  is  so  with  the  highest  reason  and 

VOL.   III.  5 


50  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

justice.  And  all  true  love  to  God  is  of  this  kind.  It  is  such 
a  generous,  disinterested,  benevolent  affection,  that  it  is  so  fai 
from  originating  from  a  belief  of  his  love  to  us,  that  we  should 
continue  to  love  him,  even  though  he  appeared  to  be  our  en- 
emy ;  and  that  love  which  would  fail  in  this  case  is  not  true 
holiness.  Therefore,  it  is  certain  that  he  who  does  not  love 
his  enemies  does  not  love  God  with  a  true,  holy  love.  This 
is,  at  least,  implicitly  asserted  here  by  our  Savior. 

V.  That  all  true  holiness  consists  in  disinterested,  benevo- 
lent affection,  and  what  is  implied  in  this,  is  evident  from 
what  St.  Paul  says,  (1  Cor.  xiii.)  Here  the  apostle  speaks 
of  charity  as  comprising  all  real  holiness,  or  true  religion,  by 
which  he  means  that  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  which  the 
law  of  God  requires.* 

He  says,  whatever  gifts  and  attainments  a  man  may  have 
which  may  be  without  this  love,  he  is  still  nothing,  and  they 
will  be  no  profit  to  him  ;  and  whatever  exercises  he  has,  and 
whatever  he  may  do  or  suffer,  and  not  have  this  love,  he  is 
yet  nothing ;  by  which  it  is  very  strongly  asserted  that  love  is 
true  holiness,  and  that  nothing  else  has  any  thing  of  this 
nature.  In  giving  the  character  of  this  holy  love  in  its  exer- 
cises, he  says,  it  "  seeketh  not  her  own."  (1  Cor.  xiii.  5.)  This 
ascertains  the  nature  of  this  love  beyond  dispute.  It  is  not 
self-love,  in  whole  or  in  part,  for  this  always  seeks  its  own, 
and  nothing  else :  yea,  it  is  set  in  opposition  to  self-love  ;  it 
seeketh  not  her  own.  Nothing  can  answer  to  this  description 
but  that  disinterested  affection  which  consists  in  benevolence 
and  what  is  implied  in  it,  and  this  ansv^^ers  to  it  exactly;  it  is 
so  described  here  that  nothing  else  can  be  meant.  Therefore, 
the  apostle  exhorts  Christians  to  exercise  this  same  holy  love 
in  the  following  words :  "  Let  no  man  seek  his  own,  but  every 
man  another's  wealth."  (1  Cor.  x.  24.)  "  Let  no  man  seek 
his  own;"  i.  e.,  as  his  oivn,  in  a  selfish  way:  all  selfishness  is 
wholly  forbidden  ;  let  him  put  on  that  holy  love  which  seeketh 
not  her  own,  but  something  else,  viz.,  the  general  good  of  all. 
This  charity,  this  benevolent,  disinterested  affection,  is  the 
only  bond  of  holy  union  among  intelligent  beings ;  therefore, 
it  is  called  "  the  bond  of  perfectness,"  i.  e.,  the  most  perfect 
bond.  (Col.  iii.  14.) 

VI.  The  words  of  St.  Paul  —  "Whether  therefore  ye  eat 
or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God" 
(1  Cor.  x.  31)  —  might  be  mentioned  here  as  pointing  out  the 
nature  of  holiness  as  exercised  towards  God.     It  is  such  a 

*  The  Avord  in  the  original  signifies  lore,  and  ought  to  have  been  so  translated 
here,  as  it  is  above  a  hundred  times  in  the  New  Testament. 


SCRIPTURE    HOLINESS.  51 

love  to  God  which  implies  and  consists  in  seeking  his  glory- 
constantly  in  every  action ;  but  nothing  but  benevolence  will 
do  this.  It  is  strange  that  any  should  think  good  will  is  not 
to  be  exercised  towards  God,  when  we  are  in  every  thing 
to  seek  liis  glory;  lor  tlie  least  rellection  on  the  matter  must 
convince  every  one  that  nothing  but  good  will,  or  friendly 
affection  towards  God,  will  seek  his  glory,  or  care  any  thing 
about  it.  This  is  to  be  constantly  exercised  towards  God,  so 
as,  in  the  strength  of  it,  to  devote  ourselves,  every  action,  all 
we  are  and  all  we  have,  to  his  interest  and  glory ;  and  this  is 
to  exercise  kind,  disinterested  affection  towards  God,  in  which 
we  give  up  every  other  interest  for  the  sake  of  his  glory. 

VII.  Christians  are  expressly  said  to  live  not  unto  them- 
selves, but  unto  Christ.  "  And  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they 
which  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but 
unto  hira  which  died  for  them,  and  rose  again."  (2  Cor.  v.  15.) 
"  For  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  him- 
self. For  whether  we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord;  and  whether 
we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord."  (Rom.  xiv.  7,  8.)  Here  the 
Christian's  life  of  holiness  is  set  in  opposition  to  self-love,  in 
which  men  live  unto  themselves,  which  was  their  case  before 
their  conversion,  and  denotes  a  state  of  total  corruption.  I 
say  Christian  holiness  is  opposed  to  this,  and,  therefore,  must 
be  disinterested  affection  —  a  benevolent  regard  to  Christ,  by 
which  men  devote  themselves  wholly  to  him,  living  to  his 
glory,  and  seeking  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom,  which 
implies  love  to  men  and  seeking  the  greatest  general  good. 

VIII.  Scripture  holiness  is  that  by  which  men  devote  and 
consecrate  themselves  to  God,  to  be  wholly  for  his  use  and 
service.  This  is  expressed  by  being  holy  unto  God;  it  is, 
therefore,  called  "  holiness  to  the  Lord."  It  is  with  reference 
to  this  that  all  men  and  things,  which  were  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner consecrated  to  the  service  of  God  by  the  Jewish  ritual, 
were  called  holy,  as  there  was  in  this  consecration  an  outward 
image  and  resemblance  of  true  holiness,  which  is  a  voluntary 
consecration  to  God  and  devotedness  to  his  service.  This  is 
the  same  with  giving  themselves  to  the  Lord.    (2  Cor.  viii.  5.) 

This  will  lead  us  to  place  holiness  in  that  universal  benevo- 
lence which  has  the  kingdom  of  God  for  its  object,  and  subor- 
dinates all  to  this.  This  consecrates  a  man  to  God,  his  honor, 
interest,  and  kingdom,  in  the  strongest  manner,  and  effectually 
draws  him  off  from  every  other  interest;  and  no  other  kind  of 
affection  will  do  this.  Therefore,  this  is  holiness,  according  to 
Scripture. 

Who  can  attend  to  this  Scripture  account  of  holiness,  and 
not  be  sensible  that  universal  disinterested   goodness  is  the 


52  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

leading  and  most  essential  thing  in  it,  and  that  where  this  is 
wanting  there  is  no  holiness,  and  this  implies  the  whole? 
The  word  "love"  is  seldom,  if  ever,  used  in  any  other  sense 
in  the  Bible,  where  a  holy  affection  is  meant;  and  this  is  per- 
fectly agreeable  to  the  account  that  has  been  given  of  true 
holiness,  which  is  the  only  reasonable,  consistent  idea  that  can 
be  given  of  it,  viz.,  that  it  is  universal  benevolence,  and  all  that 
love  of  complacency  and  delight,  and  every  disinterested  affec- 
tion which  is  implied  in  this,  and  cannot  take  place  without  it. 


SECTION  VII. 

Objections  answered. 

Obj.  I.  True  Christians  ought  to  have  respect  to  the 
reward  they  shall  receive  in  heaven  for  what  they  do  and 
suffer  in  this  world.  It  is  expressly  asserted  that  Moses  had, 
and  is  spoken  of  as  part  of  the  excellence  of  his  character. 
This  is  contrary  to  the  disinterested  affection  in  which  it  is 
said  all  true  religion  consists. 

Ans.  1.  If  the  recompense  of  reward  that  Moses  had  re- 
spect to  consisted  in  being  confirmed  in  God's  service  and 
favor  forever,  and  put  under  the  greatest  advantages  to  glorify 
God  and  promote  the  interest  of  his  church,  and  in  seeing  this 
accomplished  to  the  highest  degree,  then  there  was  nothing 
selfish  in  this,  but  it  was  the  genuine  exercise  of  that  disinter- 
ested religion  which  consists  in  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor. 
The  disinterested,  benevolent  person  seeks  a  recompense  of 
reward  as  much  as  any  other  person  can,  and  more ;  but  it  is 
a  reward  with  which  benevolence  itself  is  well  pleased,  and 
not  selfishness.  Selfishness  never  seeks  the  reward  which 
God  gives  his  people;  this  is  suited  to  gratify  benevolence 
only ;  therefore,  it  is  respected  and  sought  only  in  the  exercise 
of  benevolence. 

Ans.  2.  It  has  been  observed  that  the  benevolent  person 
seeks  his  own  highest  good,  as  this  is  included  in  the  highest 
good  of  the  whole,  and  that  his  attention  and  concern  is  more 
particularly  turned  to  this  interest,  as  it  is  more  in  his  view, 
and  is  more  especially  under  his  care,  and  he  is  under  better 
advantages  to  promote  it,  than  the  interest  of  another.  There- 
fore it  is  no  argument  of  selfishness  in  Moses,  or  any  other 
man,  that  he  has  respect  to  his  own  future  happiness. 

Obj.  II.  The  promises  and  threatenings  in  God's  word  are 
all  directed  to  self-love.  They  suppose  that  all  men  have 
self-love,  and  are  suited  to  influence  this,  and   nothing  else. 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  53 

If  a  person  has  nothing  but  disinterested  affection,  promises 
and  threatenings  will  be  of  no  use  to  him.  If  men  ought  not 
to  have  any  self-love,  why  does  God  address  himself  to  that 
in  his  word,  and  seek  to  lead  men  to  avoid  sin  and  practice 
holiness,  in  the  exercise  of  self-love  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  promises  and  threatenings  in  the  Word  of  God 
suppose  men  possessed  of  a  desire  after  happiness,  with  an 
aversion  to  evil  and  a  regard  for  their  own  interest,  answerable 
to  its  worth.  This  is  so  far  from  being  inconsistent  with  the 
most  disinterested  affection,  that  it  is  implied  in  it,  as  has 
been  proved  at  large.*  Therefore,  promises  of  good  and 
threatenings  of  evil  are  as  much  suited  to  influence  the  benev- 
olent person  as  him  that  is  selfish. 

Ans.  2.  The  good  promised  is  a  good  which  benevolence 
seeks,  and  it  has  the  most  perfect  aversion  to  the  evil  threat- 
ened ;  and  the  benevolent  person  has  a  much  more  clear  and 
realizing  view  and  sense  of  the  greatness  and  desirableness  of 
the  good  and  the  drcadfulness  of  the  evil  than  the  selfish  per- 
son can  have.  This  being  so,  the  promises  and  threatenings 
in  the  Bible  are  so  far  from  supposing  that  men  ought  to 
regard  them  from  self-love,  or  that  there  is  any  selfishness  in 
true  religion,  that  their  proper  end  is  answered  only  in  them 
who  are  inlluenced  by  disinterested  benevolence ;  and  such 
only  pay  a  proper  regard  to  them.  The  selfish  person  may  be 
influenced  many  ways,  and  to  a  great  degree,  by  the  threat- 
enings and  promises  in  God's-  word ;  they  may  excite  high 
hopes  and  great  fears,  and  restrain  him  from  many  things  he 
would  otherwise  practice,  and  lead  him  to  do  many  things; 
but  they  will  not  influence  him  to  forsake  sin  and  practise 
holiness,  or  to  love  God  and  his  neighbor ;  but  after  all,  he  is 
as  much  under  the  power  of  sin  as  ever. 

And  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  promises  are  not  made  to 
selfish  exercises  and  doings,  and  therefore,  rightly  understood, 
are  not  suited  to  encourage  self-love,  but  benevolence.  All 
the  promises  and  threatenings  in  the  Bible  oppose  selfishness, 
and  are  calculated  to  destroy  it  and  encourage  disinterested 
affection,  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  so  far  are  they  from 
encouraging  self-love.  . 

Christ  promises  honor  and  exaltation  to  them  who  humble 
themselves.  Should  any  one  hence  infer,  that  this  promise 
was  designed  to  encourage  pride  in  seeking  exaltation  and 
honor,  and  that  pride  is  a  duty,  he  would  be  guilty  of  great 
absurdity  and  self-contradiction ;  for  this  would  be  saying  a 
man  ought  to  exercise   pride  in  seeking  humility,  and  that 

*  Seepp.  22,  23. 


54  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

Christ  has  set  before  ns  a  motive  to  excite  pride,  in  order  to 
induce  us  to  be  humble.  This  promise  is  so  far  from  encour- 
aging pride,  that  it  tends  to  destroy  it.  The  honor  and  exalta- 
tion promised  is  not  that  which  pride  seeks,  but  that  which  is 
most  opposite  to  it.  And  should  a  proud  man  be  hence 
influenced  by  his  pride  to  seek  humility,  he  might  put  on 
some  external  appearances  of  it,  but  he  would  be  as  far  as 
ever  from  real  hvunility,  for,  by  the  supposition,  all  his  exercises 
are  exercises  of  pride,  and  humility  is  not  the  object  of  his 
desire,  but  of  his  aversion.  This  may  serve  to  illustrate  the 
case  before  us,  and  show  how  far  the  divine  promises  are  from 
being  suited  to  encourage  pride  and  selfishness,  and  that  they 
encourage  nothing  but  benevolence.  And  it  also  leads  to 
another  answer. 

Ans.  3.  The  great  and  chief  good  which  is  promised  in  the 
Word  of  God  is  not  a  good  that  pleases  selfish  persons,  and 
therefore  is  not  designed  nor  suited  to  excite  self-love.  As  the 
duties  to  which  the  promises  are  made  are  contrary  to  self- 
love,  so  is  the  chief  good  that  is  promised.  The  honor  and 
exaltation  promised  to  humility  are  as  contrary  to  pride  as  is 
humility  itself.  The  honor  which  the  proud  man  seeks  is  not 
the  same  which  Christ  promises  to  him  who  humbleth  him- 
self, but  entirely  of  a  ditFercnt  nature,  and  contrary  to  it.  A 
person  who  humbles  himself  renounces  that  self-exaltation  and 
honor,  in  comparison  with  other  beings,  which  pride  and 
selfishness  seek,  and  places  his  honor  and  happiness  in  abasing 
himself,  and  becoming  the  servant  of  all,  by  exalting  God,  and 
promoting  his  glory,  and  serving  his  fellow-creatures,  minister- 
ing to  their  greatest  good  in  the  exercise  of  universal  benevo- 
lence ;  and  so  obtains  true  exaltation  and  honor,  which  is 
most  contrary  to  selfishness  and  pride.  So  the  happiness  in 
general,  which  is  the  subject  of  divine  promises,  is  not  a  hap- 
piness which  suits  self-love,  nor  can  it  be  induced  to  desire 
and  seek  it.  This  is  a  happiness  which  consists  in  glorifying 
God  and  promoting  the  interest  of  his  kingdom  —  in  devoting 
ourselves  wholly  to  this,  and  seeing  it  promoted  to  the  highest 
degree.  This  good  is  therefore  just  as  contrary  to  self-love  as 
is  universal,  disinterested  benevolence.  This  good  is  suited  to 
please  the  benevolent,  and  excite  them  to  pursue  the  practice 
of  holiness,  and  seek  this  glory,  honor,  and  happiness ;  but  to 
self-love,  is  the  object  of  aversion. 

If  these  things  are  well  considered,  it  will  appear  how 
groundless  this  objection  is.  If  the  benevolent  person  is  as 
capable  of  being  influenced  by  promises  and  threatenings  as 
any  one  else,  and  much  more,  and  these  are  suited  to  animate 
him  in  the  practice  of  disinterested,  universal  benevolence  and 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  55 

goodness ;  if  the  promises  and  threatenings  in  the  Bible  are, 
in  a  peculiar  manner,  suited  to  encourage  and  promote  benev- 
olence; if  neither  the  duty  to  which  the  promises  are  made, 
nor  the  chief  good  promised,  is  agreeable  to  self-love,  nor  can 
be  chosen  and  embraced  by  it,  —  then  there  being  so  many 
promises  and  threatenings  in  the  Bible  is  not  the  least  evi- 
dence that  true  religion  does  not  consist  in  disinterested  affec- 
tion, or  that  self-love  is  any  part  of  it.  But  the  contrary 
appears  with  strong  and  irresistible  evidence,  even  from  these 
considerations. 

Obj.  hi.  There  is  not  such  a  difference  and  opposition  be- 
tween what  is  called  benevolence  and  self-love  as  has  been 
supposed ;  nor  is  there  any  such  thing  as  disinterested  benev- 
olence; men  are  seeking  their  own  happiness  in  all  their  atiec- 
tions  and  exercises.  He  that  seeks  the  good  of  another  does 
it  because  he  takes  pleasure  in  it,  and  he  seeks  his  own 
pleasure  and  happiness  as  much  as  he  who  seeks  his  own  per- 
sonal good  only,  and  the  one  is  as  much  self-love  as  the  other. 
And  men  are  friendly  to  one  thing  rather  than  another,  be- 
cause one  gives  them  pleasure  and  the  other  does  not ;  so  that 
self-love  is  at  the  bottom  of  all,  and  one  man  is  really  as  selfish 
as  another;  all  the  difference  is, one  man's  selfishness  operates 
in  a  different  way  from  that  of  another  man  ;  all  love  springs 
from  self-love,  and  cannot  be  distinguished  from  it. 

Ans.  1.  If  by  self-love  the  objector  means  a  general  appetite 
to  happiness,  and  aversion  to  misery,  or  a  capacity  of  pleasure 
and  pain,  it  is  granted  that  this  takes  place  in  benevolence 
as  much  as  in  self-love.  But,  as  has  been  shown,  this  is  in 
itself  neither  selfishness  nor  disinterested  affection,  but  only  a 
capacity  for  either. 

Ans.  2.  It  is  true  that  disinterested  affection  gives  a  higher 
pleasure  and  enjoyment  than  self-love,  and  therefore  it  is 
greatly  for  a  person's  interest  to  place  his  happiness  in  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  interest  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  greatest 
good  of  mankind;  but  it  does  not  hence  follow,  that  the 
pleasure  to  be  enjoyed  in  loving  God  and  our  neighbor  is  the 
cause  of  this  love;  or  the  inducement  to  a  selfish  person  to 
love  God,  in  order  to  answer  a  selfish  end,  and  to  make  himself 
happy.     I  say  this  does  not  follow,  for  two  reasons  :  — 

1.  This  is  to  put  the  cause  for  the  effect,  and  the  effect  for 
the  cause.  The  ground  and  reason  of  a  person's  taking  pleas- 
ure in  the  happiness  of  his  neighbor  is  his  disinterested  good 
will  to  him,  and  not  this  pleasure  the  cause  of  his  good  will 
to  his  neighbor.  But  the  objector  supposes  the  latter,  viz., 
that  the  pleasure  a  person  has  in  benevolence  is  the  cause  of 
his  loving  his  neighbor,  which  is  absurd. 


56  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

2.  There  is  a  contradiction  in  supposing  that  self-love  will 
lead  a  person  to  place  his  happiness  in  his  neighbor's  good, 
lor  the  latter  stands  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  former. 
Selfishness  is  directly  opposed  to  a  person's  placing  his  hap- 
piness in  the  good  of  another :  this  consists  in  an  opposite 
affection,  which  selfishness  cannot  be  reconciled  to.  Nor  can 
the  selfish  person  so  much  as  have  an  idea  of  the  enjoyment 
which  attends  benevolence  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  impossible 
that  the  happiness  benevolence  gives  should  be  a  prevailing 
motive  with  him  to  love  and  seek  the  happiness  of  another, 
that  he  may  hereby  make  himself  happy. 

If  one  should  suppose  that  because  exaltation  and  honor  is 
the  certain  attendant  of  humility,  this  will  induce  a  proud 
man,  in  the  exercise  of  his  pride,  to  be  humble  for  the  sake  of 
the  honor  he  will  obtain  by  it,  and  therefore  that  pride  and 
humility  are  at  bottom  the  same  thing,  and  seek  the  same 
honor,  the  supposition  would  be  as  consistent  and  rational  as 
that  we  are  considering. 

If  a  pei'son  places  his  happiness  in  the  good  of  his  neighbor, 
it  may  be  asked.  How  came  he  to  do  this  rather  than  another, 
and  by  what  medium  does  he  enjoy  this  pleasure  ?  The 
answer  must  be  this  :  The  former  is  a  friend  to  his  neighbor, 
and  this  gives  him  pleasure  in  his  happiness ;  whereas  the 
latter  is  not  his  friend,  and  bears  no  good  will  to  him,  but 
regards  his  own  interest  only,  and,  therefore,  cannot  take 
pleasure  in  his  neighbor's  good.  The  characters  of  these  two 
men  are  essentially  different ;  their  exercises  are  of  a  different 
and  opposite  nature.  The  latter  is  a  lover  of  his  own  self 
only;  the  former  loves  his  neighbor  as  himself,  and  is  so 
united  to  him  in  disinterested  good  will,  that  he  necessarily 
shares  in  his  happiness.  In  this  case  he  does  not  love  his 
neighbor  in  order  to  get  possession  of  his  happiness;  this  is 
not  the  motive  of  his  benevolence,  for  this  is  a  contradiction. 
It  is  impossible  he  should  get  possession  of  his  neighbor's 
happiness  in  this  way  and  from  this  motive ;  for,  so  far  as  he 
acts  from  such  a  motive,  he,  by  the  supposition,  cares  nothing 
about  it,  and  it  is  no  happiness  to  him.  Nothing  but  disin- 
terested benevolence  will  give  him  a  share  in  his  neighbor's 
good;  this  is  the  ground  and  cause  of  his  enjoying  it,  and  not 
a  desire  of  enjoying  this  happiness  the  ground  of  his  benevo- 
lence. So  far  as  a  man  desires  to  enjoy  his  neighbor's  happi- 
ness from  self-love,  just  so  far  he  is  incapable  of  enjoying  it. 
The  more  he  desires  it,  therefore,  in  this  sense,  the  farther  he 
is  from  it. 

Ans.  3.  Disinterested  good  v.ill,  which  puts  a  man  in  pos- 
session of  his  neighbor's  happiness,  also  makes  him  share  in 


INFERENCES.  57 

his  misery,  if  he  is  miserable,  and  bear  his  burdens  :  but  this 
is  most  contrary  to  self-love ;  therefore,  it  is  opposed  to  benev- 
olence. If  self-love  would  lead  a  person  to  take  pleasure  in 
his  neighbor's  happiness,  and  share  in  his  good,  and  this  were 
possible,  it  would  not  certainly  desire  to  share  in  his  misery, 
and  so  put  him  in  possession  of  that  too :  but  benevolence 
does  this ;  therefore,  it  is  not  self-love,  nor  the  fruit  and  off- 
spring of  it,  but  an  affection  of  a  different  and  opposite  nature. 

Ouj.  IV.  Holiness  consists  in  part  in  hatred  of  sin ;  there- 
fore, it  does  iiot  wholly  consist  in  love,  for  hatred  is  opposite 
to  love. 

Answer.  Hatred  of  sin  is  not  opposed  to  the  love  of  benev- 
olence, for  w^e  may  love  them  who  are  most  vile  and  odious 
with  a  love  of  good  will,  and  are  commanded  to  do  it ;  and 
God  loved  sinners  with  the  greatest  benevolence,  while  they 
were  most  odious  to  him  and  hated  them  with  a  perfect 
hatred  of  disapprobation  and  displacence.  Thus  we  may,  and 
are  obliged  to,  love  and  hate  the  same  persons  at  the  same 
time,  in  many  instances;  —  to  love  them  with  a  love  of  good 
will,  and  yet  hate  them  with  a  hatred  of  displacence. 

Nor  is  this  displacence  and  hatred  of  sin  opposed  to  the 
/ove  of  complacence  so  as  to  imply  any  thing  of  a  contrary 
nature.  Hatred  of  sin  is  implied  in  all  holy  love ;  and  that 
affection  which  takes  complacence  in  holiness  is  exercised  in 
the  hatred  of  sin,  it  being  in  its  nature  one  and  the  same  thing 
exercised  towards  different  objects.  Love  to  God  is,  in  its 
nature,  displeasure  at  enmity  against  him,  and  necessarily 
hates  those  who  hate  him,  not  with  the  hatred  of  ill  will,  but 
of  disapprobation  and  displacence. 


SECTION  VHI. 

Inferences  from  the  preceding  View   of  the  Nature   of   true 

Holiness. 

I.  From  the  view  that  has  been  given  of  holiness,  we  are 
led  to  observe  the  impropriety  many  have  been  guilty  of  in 
speaking  of  holy  Christian  love  as  consisting  chiefly,  if  not 
wholly,  in  love  of  complacence.  It  has  been  very  common, 
where  love  to  God  and  love  to  our  brother  is  spoken  of  and 
explained,  very  much,  if  not  wholly,  to  overlook  the  love  of 
benevolence,  and  keep  the  love  of  complacence  chiefly  or 
altogether  in  view.  This  is  not  agreeable  to  Scripture,  which, 
I  trust,  appears  from  what  has  been  said.  The  love  of  benev- 
olence is  chiefly  kept  in  view  there,  as  what  comprehends  the 


58  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

whole  of  holy  love ;  and  we  cannot  have  or  communicate  a 
proper  notion  of  holiness,  if  we  depart  from  the  Holy  Scripture 
in  this  particular.  This  has  doubtless  been  the  occasion  of 
great  confusion  and  many  mistakes. 

II.  We  may  hence  learn  what  true  self-denial  is,  and  in 
what  it  consists. 

Our  Lord  teaches  us  that,  in  becoming  his  disciple,  a  man 
must  deny  himself — that  there  is  no  other  way  to  become  a 
Christian,  and  this  must  be  practised  in  every  step  in  which 
men  follow  him.  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me." 
(Luke  ix.  23.)  This  self-denial  consists  most  essentially  in 
acting  contrary  to  self-love,  —  in  crossing  that,  and  giving  up 
the  interest  that  it  seeks  for  the  sake  of  some  other  interest, — 
or,  in  giving  up  our  own  private  personal  interest  for  the  sake 
of  the  glory  of  God  and  the  greatest  good  of  mankind,  which 
is  the  same  with  exercising  disinterested  affection,  or  to  love 
God  with  all  our  heart  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  Self- 
denial  consists  in  the  exercise  and  practice  of  true  holiness  as 
it  has  been  described  above,  and  in  nothing  else ;  in  which 
self  is  renounced,  and  men  forsake  the  whole  interest  which 
self-love  seeks,  for  the  sake  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  What- 
ever men  do  or  suffer,  whatever  they  give  up,  for  the  sake  of 
this,  they  deny  themselves;  and  where  there  is  nothing  of 
this  disinterested  love  exercised,  there  is  no  self-denial,  what- 
ever is  done  or  suffered,  as  self  is  not  in  the  least  renounced. 
Christ  himself  is  the  most  perfect  example  of  self-denial,  which 
consisted  in  seeking  not  his  own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  the 
Father,  and  the  greatest  good  of  the  creation,  in  promoting 
the  kingdom  of  God ;  the  whole  of  which  is  expressed  by  the 
apostle  in  the  following  words  :  "  For  even  Christ  pleased  not 
himself." 

Self-denial  does  not,  therefore,  consist  merely  in  crossing 
our  natural  inclinations,  in  parting  with  that  which  is  very 
dear  to  us,  or  going  through  great  toil  and  sufferings  to 
obtain  some  end.  When  this  is  done,  not  for  our  own  sake, 
or  from  self-love,  but  for  Christ's  sake,  or  for  the  sake  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  it  is  true  self-denial;  but  when  it  is  done 
for  our  own  sakes  wholly,  there  is  no  self-denial  in  it.  The 
most  selfish  creature  in  the  world  may  part  with  one  good  for 
the  sake  of  another,  by  which  he  greatly  crosses  some  of  his 
inclinations  and  appetites,  and  may  go  through  great  labor 
and  sufferings,  purely  to  please  himself,  or  gratify  his  self-love. 
Thus  a  man  may  give  up  his  ease,  and  practise  hard  service 
and  toil  throughout  a  whole  year,  for  the  sake  of  the  wages 
he  is  to  receive,  while  he  is  wholly  selfish  in  what  he  does 


INFERENCES.  59 

and  suffers,  having  no  regard  to  any  other  interest  but  his 
own.  So  a  man  may  be  willing  to  do  and  suffer  many 
things,  and  cross  many  of  his  own  natural  inclinations  to  a 
great  degree,  for  the  sake  of  his  eternal  interest,  that  he  may 
obtain  salvation,  purely  from  self-love.  In  this  there  is  no  self- 
denial. 

A  man  may  give  all  his  goods  to  the  poor,  and  devote  his 
whole  life  to  the  most  severe  discipline,  and  practise  the  great- 
est austerities  imaginable,  and  then  give  his  body  to  be  burnt, 
with  a  view  to  escape  hell  and  obtain  heaven,  and  yet  if  he 
has  not  that  charity  which  seeketh  not  her  own,  but  does  and 
suii'ers  all  wholly  under  the  influence  of  self-love,  there  is  no 
true  self-denial  in  it,  but  it  is  as  really  self-gratification,  and 
pleasing  himself,  as  if  he  indulged  his  sensual  appetites  in  riot 
and  wantonness,  and  there  is  really  no  more  true  religion  in  it. 
For  there  is  no  more  true  holiness  in  desiring  and  seeking 
eternal  happiness  in  a  selfish  way,  and  from  self-love,  than 
there  is  in  desiring  any  temporal,  worldly  enjoyment.* 

But  here  two  questions  arise,  which  may  be  worthy  of  par- 
ticular consideration,  as  it  may  serve  to  throw  some  further 
light  on  this  subject:  — 

I.  Do  persons  give  up  their  eternal  interest  in  self-denial,  so 
as  not  to  have  a  selfish  regard  to  this  ii\,  their  religious  exer- 
cises ?  It  is  easy  to  see  that  persons  may  and  ought  to  give 
iTp  their  own  private,  temporal  interest  in  many  instances,  at 
least,  and  to  a  greater  degree,  for  the  sake  of  others,  and  to 
promote  the  general  good.  But  is  it  not  unreasonable,  and 
even  impossible,  for  them  to  disregard  and  give  up  their  own 
eternal  interest  for  the  sake  of  others,  or  for  any  thing  what- 
soever ? 

Ans.  1.  Whatever  temporal  good  any  one  gives  up  for  the 
sake  of  his  own  eternal  interest,  and  wholly  from  self-love,  he 
is,  by  the  supposition,  as  selfish  in  this  as  he  can  be  in  any 
thing  whatsoever;  and  therefore  there  is  no  self-denial  in  it,  if 
self-denial  is  acting  contrary  to  self,  or  denying  ourselves.  So 
that  he  who  does  not  know  how  to  deny  himself  with  respect 

*  Of  this  sort,  -wc  have  reason  to  think,  are  all  the  abstinences,  fastings, 
prayers,  -N^hipijings,  and  austerities,  as  well  as  giving  large  sums  of  money,  prac- 
tised by  multitudes  in  the  Popish  world,  for  tlie  sake  of  obtaining  the  heaven 
they  have  in  view.  And  of  the  same  kind  are  all  the  labors  and  painful  do- 
ings and  suti'crings,  all  the  reformations  and  abstinences,  yea,  every  thing  cl^e 
that  men  do  or  suffer  in  the  practice  of  religion,  and  with  a  view  to  obtain 
salvation  in  the  Protestant  world,  or  any  where  else,  who  act  wholly  from  F-elf- 
love,  and  have  no  disinterested  regard  to  Christ  and  his  kingdom.  There  is  no 
self-denial  in  all  this.  But,  by  the  way,  the  heaven  and  happiness  which  these 
seltish  persons  are  seeking  by  all  their  fsains,  whether  in  Popish  or  Protestant 
countries,  is  no  more  like  the  true  happiness  and  heaven  than  is  the  Mahom- 
etan paradise. 


60  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

to  his  eternal  interest,  is  really  a  stranger  to  self-denial.  To 
give  up  our  temporal,  worldly  ijiterest,  for  the  sake  of  eternal 
happiness,  wholly  under  the  influence  of  self-love,  is  as  real 
an  instance  of  selfishness  as  parting  with  all  we  have  now  to 
possess  a  large  estate  the  next  year.  Therefore,  if  no  person 
can  renounce  his  eternal  interest  in  opposition  to  a  selfish 
regard  to  it,  there  is  no  such  thing  in  nature  as  self-denial,  or 
public,  disinterested  affection.  But  let  it  be  kept  in  mind,  that 
in  the  practice  of  the  gi'eatest  self-denial  a  person  does  not 
divest  himself  of  a  love  of  happiness ;  for  this  is  impossible,  as 
has  been  shown,  as  well  as  contrary  to  the  supposition.  But 
he  places  his  happiness,  not  in  his  own  private  interest,  but  in 
a  good  more  worthy  to  be  sought,  viz.,  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  prosperity  of  his  church  and  kingdom.  For  the  sake  of 
this  he  gives  up  the  former,  and  forgets  himself. 

Ans.  2.  There  is  the  same  reason  why  self-love  should  be 
wholly  crossed,  in  every  instance,  as  there  is  that  it  should  be 
crossed  at  all ;  so  the  same  reason  that  our  whole  interest,  so 
far  as  it  is  the  object  of  self-love,  should  be  given  up,  for  the 
sake  of  an  interest  of  unspeakably  more  worth. 

True  benevolence  always  seeks  the  greatest  good  of  the 
whole,  and  is  a  disposition  to  give  up  the  less  good  for  the 
greater.  That  affection  which  hesitates  at  this,  and  makes 
any  selfish  conditions,  is  private  affection,  not  pubhc  love.  If 
benevolence  will  lead  us  to  forsaice  our  personal  interest  in 
any  degree,  it  will  lead  us  to  forsake  it  wholly,  for  the  greater 
good  of  others,  if  it  is  exercised  to  a  sufficient  degree,  and 
there  is  nothing  selfish  in  us  to  counteract  and  oppose  it. 

If  we  consider  what  God  is,  how  infinitely  great,  important, 
and  desirable,  and  of  what  infinite  worth  are  his  being,  happi- 
ness, and  glory,  and  how  infinitely  worthy  and  excellent  he 
is ;  what  an  absolute  and  infinite  right  he  has  to  us  and  to 
all  creatures,  to  dispose  of  them  as  he  sees  fit,  in  his  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness,  for  his  own  happiness  and  glory,  and 
for  the  greatest  glory  and  happiness  of  his  kingdom, —  I  say, 
if  we  well  consider  this,  it  must  appear  most  fit  and  reasona- 
ble that  we  should  love  him  above  all,  and  without  any 
reserve,  i.  e.,  with  all  our  hearts,  and  give  up  ourselves  wholly 
to  him,  to  be  for  his  use,  that  his  ends  may  be  answered  by 
us,  and  he  be,  in  the  highest  degree,  blessed  and  glorified,  and 
his  kingdom  most  happy  and  glorious  forever,  let  what  will 
become  of  us,  and  without  making  any  conditions  with  regard 
to  ourselves.  Therefore,  it  becomes  us  always  to  feel  so 
towards  God,  and  place  om*  whole  happiness  in  his  felicity 
and  glory,  having  in  this  sense'no  will  of  our  own.  But  this 
is  denying  ourselves,  and  giving  up  the  whole  of  our  own 


INFERENCES.  61 

interest  for  his  sake.  A  choosing  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  him, 
and  to  be  and  do  every  thing  wholly  for  his  sake,  is  to  choose 
to  do  nothing  for  our  own  sakes  ;  which  is  to  give  up  the 
whole  that  self-love  seeks. 

If  we  make  conditions  in  this  case,  and  are  willing  that 
God  should  be  supreme  and  have  the  whole  disposal  of  us, 
and  glorify  himself  by  us,  if  he  will  secure  our  highest  personal 
interest,  and  employ  all  his  wisdom  and  goodness  in  our  be- 
half, but  are  disposed  to  oppose  this  on  any  other  condition, 
there  is  no  disinterested  ati'ection  to  God  in  this,  nor  indeed 
any  true  love  to  him,  nor  is  there  any  self-denial  in  it;  yea,  it 
is  itself  real  opposition  to  God ;  and  the  most  selfish  creature, 
and  the  greatest  enemy  to  God  in  the  universe,  may  be 
brought  to  this,  consistent  with  all  his  selfishness  and  enmity. 

It  is  true,  indeed,  as  has  been  shown,  that  the  most  disin- 
terested affection  does  not  exclude  proper  regard  to  our  own 
being  and  interest,  but  necessarily  includes  it.  But  it  must 
be  observed,  that  if  our  own  personal  interest  is  inconsistent 
with  the  general  good,  universal  benevolence  will  give  it  all 
up  for  the  sake  of  this  greater  good;  for  to  be  unwilling  to 
give  up  our  own  interest  when  the  public  good  requires  it,  is 
criminal  selfishness  and  enmity  to  being  in  general,  and  there- 
fore enmity  against  God. 

For  the  same  reason  for  which  I  shall  be  willing  that  the 
interest  of  any  individual  in  the  universe  should  not  be  re- 
garded, but  given  up,  when  inconsistent  with  the  general 
good,  I  shall  be  willing  to  give  up  m.y  own  interest,  on  the 
same  supposition,  if  I  am  governed  by  benevolence.  There- 
fore, however  great  and  important  is  our  whole  interest,  tem- 
poral and  eternal,  we  ought  to  be  willing  to  gis^e  it  all  up,  if 
it  is  inconsistent  with  the  highest  interest,  the  greatest  glory 
of  Him  who  is  at  the  head  of  the  universe,  and  the  sum  of  all 
being  and  perfection,  and  true  benevolence  will  do  this ;  since 
the  latter  interest  is  infinitely  greater  and  more  important  than 
the  former,  and  that  not  worthy  of  any  regard  in  comparison 
with  this. 

But  this  leads  to  another  question. 

11.  How  can  our  eternal  interest  be  inconsistent  with  the 
greatest  display  of  God's  glory,  and  the  highest  interest  of  his 
Idngdom  ?  Are  not  these  so  united  together  that  they  cannot 
be  separated  ?  How,  then,  can  the  former  be  given  up  for  the 
sake  of  the  latter? 

Answer.  If  we  know  that  Vv'e  are  tnic  Christians,  we  may 
be  sure  that  it  is  for  the  glory  of  God  and  good  of  the  whole 
that  we  should  be  eternally  happy  in  his  kingdom.  But  even 
in  this  case  we  are  capable  of  making  the  supposition  that  it 

VOL.  III.  6 


62  THE    KATlKi:    ()]•■    HOLINI'.SS. 

would  not  be  so;  and,  on  this  suppos^ition,  we  shall  be  dis- 
posed to  give  up  all  our  personal  interest,  so  far  as  we  are  in 
the  exereise  of  disinterested  aft'ection,  and  willing  to  deny  our- 
selves. But,  if  we  do  not  know  that  we  have  embraced  the 
gospel,  we  cannot  be  sure  that  it  is,  on  the  whole,  most  for 
the  honor  of  God,  and  the  glory  and  happiness  of  his  king- 
dom, that  our  eternal  happiness  should  be  secured;  so  we 
have  opportunity  to  try  how  we  shall  feel  and  be  disposed 
on  such  a  supposition.  In  this  case  the  language  of  supreme 
love  to  God  will  be  to  this  purpose  :  "  Let  Infinite  Wisdom 
dictate.  Let  God  reign,  and  dispose  of  me  and  all  creatures 
so  as  shall  be  most  for  his  own  glory,  and  the  greatest  good 
of  the  whole,  whatever  becomes  of  me  and  my  interest."  In 
this  case,  not  to  have  Infinite  Wisdom  order,  not  to  have  God 
supreme  and  dispose  as  pleases  him,  so  as  to  glorify  himself 
in  the  highest  degree,  and  make  his  kingdom  most  perfect 
and  happy,  would  be  a  greater  evil,  infinitely  greater,  to  the 
true  friend  of  Ciod  and  his  kingdom,  than  the  giving  up  liis 
own  personal  interest;  yea,  on  sujDposition  his  own  interest 
and  highest  happiness  is  inconsistent  with  the  glory  of  God, 
it  will  be  worth  nothing,  and  worse  than  nothing,  to  him.  He 
will,  therefore,  say  with  Moses,  "'Blot  me,  I' pray  thee,  out 
of  thy  book.'  If  God  may  not  be  God,  and  order  all  things 
for  his  own  glory  and  the  greatest  good  of  his  kingdom,  and 
if  my  salvation  is  inconsistent  with  this,  I  give  all  up,  I  have 
no  interest  of  my  own  to  seek  or  desire.*' 

It  is  true  he  who  has  such  disintererested  benevolent  exer- 
cises must  be  happy  so  long  as  God  reigns,  and  is  glorified, 
and  his  kingdom  is  in  the  highest  degree  advanced,  because 
this,  by  the  supposition,  is  become  his  good,  or  he  places  his 
happiness  in  this ;  and  when  he  comes  to  know  that  he  is 
thus  devoted  to  God,  he  may  be  sure  of  his  own  eternal  sal- 
vation. But  let  it  be  observed,  he  mnst  first  have  such  exer- 
cises of  disinterested  affection  as  these  before  he  can  have  any 
evidence  that  he  shall  be  saved;  for  he  must  become  a  friend 
to  God  before  he  can  have  any  evidence  that  he  is  interested 
in  his  favor,  and  shall  inherit  eternal  life. 

III.  How  can  we  in  any  case  give  up  our  own  eternal  in- 
terest for  God's  sake,  and  for  the  interest  of  his  kingdom, 
since,  by  devoting  ourselves  to  God,  we  take  the  most  sure 
and  the  only  way  to  secure  and  promote  our  own  highest 
good  in  our  eternal  salvation  ?  Is  there  not  an  inconsistency 
in  this  ? 

Answer.  Though  a  person,  by  giving  himself  to  God  in 
the  exercise  of  disinterested  affection,  in  this  way  denying 
himself  for  God's  sake,  does,  indeed,  take  the  most  direct  and 


INFERENCES.  63 

effectual  way  to  true  happiness,  and  to  secure  and  promote 
his  highest  interest,  yet  he  as  really  gives  it  up  for  God's  sake 
as  if  he  did  not  secure  and  promote  it  in  this  way;  and  he 
does  as  truly  deny  himself  as  if  he  did  really  and  eternally 
lose  his  wliole  inieix'st.  Thorulon^,  it  docs  not  hence  follow 
that  he  is  selfish,  and  seeks  his  own  private  in; crest  in  giving 
himself  to  God  and  loving  God  more  than  himself,  for  this  is 
a  contradiction,  being  the  same  as  to  say  he  is  selfish,  and 
loves  himself  more  than  God,  in  renouncing  self,  and  loving 
God  more  than  himself,  and  doing  all  for  God's  sake. 

Christ,  when  speaking  of  self-denial,  says,  "  Whosoever  will 
save  his  life  shall  lose  it;  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for 
my  sake  and  the  gospel's,  the  same  shall  save  it."  (Mark  viii. 
35.)  That  is,  he  who  is  so  selfish  as  not  to  be  willing  to  deny 
himself  and  give  up  his  own  interest,  even  all  of  it,  for  my 
sake,  out  of  a  disinterested  regard  to  me  and  my  kingdom,  he 
shall  miss  of  all  true  happiness,  and  must  necessarily  lose  it 
forever.  But  he  who,  in  the  exercise  of  disinterested  affection, 
denies  himself  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's,  and  places  his 
happiness  in  Christ's  honor  and  interest,  shall  be  really  happy, 
and  secure  his  highest  interest  forever.  But  it  does  not  fol- 
low from  this*that  a  man  seeks  his  own  life  and  happiness  in 
a  selfish  way,  and  so  does  all  for  his  own  sake  in  losing  his 
life  for  Christ's  sake  and  the  gospel's,  for  this  involves  a  con- 
tradiction ;  and  if  this  could  be,  it  would  not  be  self-denial, 
but  self-gratification. 

III.  What  has  been  said  of  the  nature  of  holiness  will  help 
us  to  distinguish  between  true  religion  and  that  which  is  false. 
The  leading  and  most  essential  difference  lies  here :  true  re- 
ligion consists  in  disinterested  affection,  and  "  seeketh  not  her 
own ; "  false  religion  wholly  consists  in  selfish  affections  and 
exercises.  The  former  is  true  holiness ;  the  latter  is  nothing 
but  sin. 

This  will  serve  as  a  touchstone  by  which  we  may  try  the 
various  doctrines  and  schemes  of  religion  which  are  embraced 
and  contended  for  by  professed  Christians.  If  they  are  the 
dictates  of  universal  disinterested  benevolence,  and  suited  to 
please  and  promote  this,  they  are  doctrines  according  to  god- 
liness ;  but  if  they  are  suited  to  gratify  self-love  only,  and 
formed  on  a  selfish  plan,  they  have  no  foundation  in  Scripture. 

There  are  many  who  professedly  make  self-love  the  founda- 
tion of  all  religion,  and  represent  it  as  wholly  a  selfish  thing 
from  beginning  to  end.  They  do  so  who  teach  that  love  to 
Go-^  and  all  practical  religion  has  its  foundation  wholly  in  a 
belief  that  God  loves  us  and  has  forgiven  our  sins,  and  that 
the  faith  by  which  the  just  do  live  consists  most  essentially  in 


64  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

this  belief;  and  this  selfishness  is  involved  in  the  scheme  of 
religion  that  many  others  embrace.  The  "five  points,"  so 
long  disputed  between  Calvinists  and  Arminians,  being  exam- 
ined by  this  criterion,  it  will  appear,  I  doubt  not,  on  which 
side  the  truth  lies.  The  latter  iorm  a  scheme  of  doctrines 
exactly  suited  to  gratify  the  selfishness  and  pride  of  man  — 
to  exalt  men  at  the  expense  of  the  honor  of  God,  and  happi- 
ness and  glory  of  his  kingdom.  That  of  the  former  is  suited 
to  exalt  God,  and  display  the  glory  of  his  grace  in  the  happi- 
ness and  glory  of  his  moral  kingdom,  and,  therefore,  is  most 
agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  universal  benevolence.*  He  whose 
head  and  heart  are  truly  formed  upon  this  disinterested  benev- 
olent plan  will  not  find  it  difficult  to  distinguish  between 
those  doctrines  which  are  the  dictates  of  selfishness  and  pride, 
and  such  as  are  suited  to  exalt  God,  and  abase  man,  and  set 
up  the  glory  of  God  and  his  kingdom  as  the  supreme  end  of 
all;  and  will  cordially  embrace  the  latter,  and  renounce  the 
former. 

And  this  will  help  us  to  a  rule  to  "  try  the  spirits  "  of  men, 
so  far  as  we  are  to  judge  of  their  hearts  by  their  practice.  A 
man  appears  to  have  true  religion  who  embraces  the  doctrines 
which  are  according  to  godliness,  and  appears'to  be  devoted 
to  the  honor  of  God  and  the  Redeemer,  and  the  advancement 
of  his  interest  and  kingdom  in  the  world,  for  which  he  is  at 
all  times  ready  to  spend  and  be  spent;  and  he  is  kind  to  his 
fellow-men,  doing  good  to  all  as  he  has  opportunity,  and 
especially  good  to  the  professed  friends  of  Christ  and  his  king- 
dom. He  puts  on  "  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness 
of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering,  etc.f  (Col.  iii.  12.)  And 
if  a  person  appears  in  his  life  and  conversation  to  be  wholly 
selfish  and  proud,  seeking  his  own  ease,  pleasure,  and  honor 
rather  than  the  honor  of  Christ  and  the  promotion  of  his 
kingdom,  and  the  good  of  mankind,  whatever  doctrines  he 
professes  to  embrace,  and  however  full  of  religious  zeal  and 
devotion  he  may  appear  to  be  at  times,  we  have  reason  to 
conclude  he  is  a  stranger  to  true  religion. 

And  by  this  rule  every  one  may  try  his  own  religion.  If  it 
began  in  a  belief  that  God  loved  him,  and  had  bestowed  sal- 
vation upon  him,  etc.,  and  all  his  religious  joy  and  sorrow,  and 

*  The  doctrines  here  referred  to  are,  1.  God's  decrees;  2.  Original  sin; 
3.  Man's  moral  impotency;  4.  Justification  by  faith  through  imputed  right- 
eousness ;  0.  The  perseverance  of  the  saints.  Calvinists  take  the  positive  side ; 
Arminians,  the  negative. 

t  It  is  worthy  of  observation  that  a  kind,  benevolent  spirit  exercised  towards 
men  —  especially  the  saints,  in  doing  them  good  —  is  much  spoken  of  in  Scrip- 
ture as  an  evidence  of  true  religion ;  and  the  reason  of  this  appears  from  the 
foregoing  account  of  true  holiness. 


INFERENCES.  65 

darkness  and  light,  respect  his  own  interest  in  God's  favor,  etc., 
it  has  the  appearance  of  false  religion.*  He  who  comes  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  fixes  on  something  infinitely  more 
important  than  self,  and  his  own  personal  interest,  as  the  ob- 
ject of  his  regard  and  pursuit.  He  from  that  moment  devotes 
himself  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  greatest  general  good,  in 
the  advancement  of  his  kingdom.  From  this  time  he  begins 
to  pray,  and  say,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name.  Thy  kingdom 
come.  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth  as  in  heaven."  And  it  now 
becomes  his  study  and  labor  to  promote  this  grand  interest,  by 
serving  God  and  his  generation,  and  thus  he  seeks  first  the 
kingdom  of  God.  He  whose  religious  discoveries,  views,  and 
exercises  are  not  of  this  kind,  and  do  not  issue  in  this,  may 
safely  conclude  himself  a  stranger  to  true  religion. 

If  this  most  fundamental  difference  between  true  religion 
and  false  was  attended  to  by  public  teachers,  and  they  labored 
to  keep  it  in  view  in  all  their  descriptions  of  the  Christian's 
character  and  exercises,  and  set  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of 
the  gospel  in  this  light,  it  would  tend  to  kill  the  false  comfort 
and  confidence  of  those  who  have  a  selfish  religion,  and  unde- 
ceive them.  And,  on  the  contrary,  it  would  tend  greatly  to 
the  instruction,  enlargement,  and  joy  of  the  true  friends  of 
God  and  his  kingdom. 

But,  instead  of  this,  how  common  is  it  to  hear  the  preacher 
speak  of  religion  as  if  it  consisted  altogether  in  selfishness! 
To  represent  the  hopes  and  fears,  the  joys  and  sorrows,  and  all 
the  exercises  of  the  Christian  as  wholly  selfish,  and  treat  of  all 
the  doctrines  and  duties  of  Christianity  in  this  light!    How 

*  Objection,  St.  John  taught  this  religion.  He  says,  "  We  love  him,  be- 
cause he  first  loved  us."    (1  John  iv.  19.) 

Answeu.  What  is  asserted  here  is,  that  God's  love  is  first  in  the  affair.  Had 
he  not  first  loved  us,  and  given  his  Son  to  die  for  us,  and  then  called  us  by  his 
grace,  and  given  us  a  heart  to  love  him,  we  had  continued  enemies  to  him. 
This  is  the  plain  sense  of  the  words,  and  is  agreeable  to  innumerable  other 
passages  of  Scripture.  Whereas  the  other  sense  is  quite  forced,  and  makes  the 
words  say  what  they  do  not.  They  are  not,  we  love  him  because  we  fr.U  be- 
lieved he  loved  us.  Besides,  such  a  sense  is  contrary  to  the  whole  run  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  the  express  declaration  of  our  Lord,  who  says,  there  is  no  true 
religion  in  such  love.  See  pp.  48,  49,  50,  of  the  Inquiry.  And  it  is  contrary 
to  the  whole  Bible  in  another  view.  According  to  Scripture,  we  can  have  no 
evidence  of  our  interest  in  God's  special  love  and  pardoning  mercy  until  we 
believe  and  embrace  the  gospel ;  and  love  to  God,  or  what  implies  it,  is  the 
only  evidence  we  can  have  that  God  loves  us.  It  is  therefore  impossible,  on 
good  grounds,  to  believe  God  loves  us  with  a  design  to  save  us,  before  we  love 
him.  We  must  first  love  him,  before  we  can  have  the  least  evidence  that 
God  loves  us.  They  therefore  who  believed  God  loved  them,  while  they 
had  no  love  to  him,  and  have  begun  to  love  God  wholly  upon  this  belief,  have 
believed  a  lie,  in  the  face  of  the  whole  Bible ;  and  all  their  religion  is 
nothing  but  delusion. 

6* 


66  THE    NATURE    OF    HOLINESS. 

common  to  find  Ai-minians,  Neonominians,  professed  Calvin- 
ists,  Antinomians,  or  whatever  other  name  they  may  bear,  and 
however  they  may  differ  in  other  things,  all  agreeing  in  this ! 
This  is  to  stun  and  starve  the  true  Christian,  and  feed  and 
strengthen  such  as  have  a  lie  in  their  right  hand. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Mr.  Hart,  in  his  Dialogues,  asserted  concerning  the  moral  taste,  common 
to  all  men,  what  was  thought  to  he  inconsistent  witli  the  total  corruption  of 
man  described  in  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  of  a  very  bad  tendency.  He  was 
publicly  told  that  Mr.  Edwards,  in  his  Dissertation  on  tlie  Nature  of  True 
Virtue,  had  considered  and  confuted  his  notion  of  moral  taste ;  and  it  was 
suggested  that  he  ought  first  to  answer  Mr,  Edwards,  before  he  advanced  so 
much  on  a  tenet,  which,  it  was  thought,  had  been  sufficiently  exposed.* 
This  led  Mr.  Hart  to  read  that  Dissertation,  and  he  has  since  published 
"  Remarks  on  it,  showing  tliat  he  has  given  a  wrong  idea  and  definition  of 
virtue,  and  is  inconsistent  with  himself."  The  following  Appendix  is  an 
attempt  to  vindicate  Mr.  Edwards.  The  author  would  have  been  glad  to  be 
excused  from  this  task ;  but  since  he  was  persuaded  Mr.  Edwards  had  given 
a  right  idea  and  definition  of  true  virtue,  and  that  it  is  of  importance  he 
should  be  vindicated,  and  Mr.  Hart's  objections  answered,  and  as  what  has 
publicly  passed  between  him  and  Mr.  Hart  seemed  to  point  him  out  for  this 
work,  he  has  thought  it  his  duty  to  undertake  it,  hoping  it  may  be  of  soma 
advantage  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  virtue. 

*  See  Animadversions  on  Mr.  Hart's  Dialogues,  p.  21. 


APPENDIX    I. 


AN  ANSWER  TO    MR.   HART'S   REMARKS    ON    PRESIDENT    ED- 
WARDS'S  DISSERTATION   CONCERNING   THE  NATURE 
OF   TRUE  VIRTUE. 


SECTION  I. 

Mr.  HarCs  Objections  a2;ainst  Mr.  Edwards's  making  True  Viiiue  to  consist 
primarily  in  Benevolence,  which  lias  universal  Being  for  its  primary  Ob- 
ject, considered  and  answered. 

Mr.  Edwards,  in  his  Dissertation  on  the  Nature  of  True  Virtue,  has  said 
it  consists  primarily  in  benevolence ;  and  that  the  primary  or  first  object  of 
universal  benevolence  is  simply  being  considered,  or  being  in  general, 
agreeable  to  the  representation  in  the  foregoing  inquiry.  To  this  Mr.  Hart 
objects  two  things:  — 

First.  He  says  that  as  being  simply  considered,  or  being  in  general,  is 
neither  God  nor  the  creature,  but  an  abstract  idea,  love  to  this  object  is  not 
commanded  ;  for  we  are  commanded  to  love  God  and  our  neighbor  only. 
According  to  Mr.  Edwards,  there  ought  to  be  another  and  a  first  command 
to  love  being  in  general.  But  as  we  find  no  such  command,  we  may  be  sure 
there  is  no  such  duty,  and  that  holiness  does  not  at  all  consist  in  such  love. 

Answer.  Love  to  being  in  general  is  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  com- 
manding us  to  love  God  and  our  fellow-creatures ;  for  these  are  being  in 
general,  and  comprehend  the  whole  of  being.  He  who  does  not  exercise 
universal  benevolence  does  not  obey  the  first  nor  the  second  command  ;  but 
he  who  loves  being  as  such,  or  simply  considered,  which  is  the  same  as  being 
in  general,  (and  it  is  evident  Mr.  Edwards  uses  these  terms  as  synonymous,) 
—  I  say,  he  who  loves  being  in  general  loves  God  and  his  fellow- creatures, 
and,  therefore,  obeys  the  two  great  commands. 

Objection.  "This  is  no  answer,"  says  Mr.  H.  "  According  to  this  no- 
tion of  the  root  or  first  principle  of  true  virtue,  love  to  God  as  well  as  to  our 
neighbor  is  the  ofispring  of  this  general  indeterminate  benevolence.  And 
if  it  is  fit  to  command  or  require  the  daughter  affection,  much  more  the 
mother  love." 

Ans.  1.  If  being  in  general  was  something  distinct  from  God  and  the 
creature,  and  more  than  these,  and  not  included  in  them,  the  objection  would 
appear  to  have  some  foundation ;  but,  as  the  case  is,  it  is  wholly  groundless. 
If  a  particular  member  of  a  community  or  nation  should  be  commanded  to 
love  the  king  and  all  his  fellow-subjects,  and  he  should  be  told  this  love  must 
be  primarily  good  wiU  to  all  in  general,  and  not  to  any  individuals,  exclusive 


70  APPENDIX. 

of  the  rest,  would  he  have  any  reason  to  say  this  was  not  included  in  tlie 
command  he  had  received,  and  that  he  was  not  by  this  bound  to  exercise  this 
good  Avill  to  the  whole  nation,  as  such,  because  he  was  to  love  only  the  king 
and  his  fellow-subjects  ?  —  tliat  the  whole  nation,  simply  considered  as  such, 
or  the  nation  in  general,  including  king  and  subjects,  was  only  "  an  abstract 
idea,"  including  neither  king  nor  his  subjects,  but  something  else  which  he 
must  \o\'e  Jirsf,  and  then  from  this  "mother  affection"  the  "daughter  love" 
must  flow,  viz.,  love  to  the  king  and  to  his  fellow-subjects  ?  If  not,  what  Mr. 
Hart  has  said  is  not  reasonable. 

Ans.  2.  It  will  more  fully  appear  how  frivolous  this  objection  is,  if  we 
consider  in  ivhat  sense  being  in  general  is  the  primary  object  of  true  benevo- 
lence. It  means  no  more  than  that  true  benevolence  is  of  the  nature  of  love 
to  being  in  general.  This  is  fundamental  and  original  in  its  nature,  so  that 
it  cannot,  from  its  very  nature,  be  limited  to  any  particular  sort  or  circle  of 
beings,  but  for  the  same  reason  it  loves  one,  it  loves  all.  Therefore,  it  re- 
gards individuals,  and  is  exercised  towards  them,  not  in  a  limited,  confined 
sense,  but  as  part  of  the  whole.  In  this  view,  it  appears  that  love  to  God 
may  be  an  affection  which  has  being  in  general  for  its  object;  and  its  true 
nature,  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from  every  thing  else,  may  consist  in 
this,  and  yet  there  be  no  exercise  of  heart  towards  being  in  general,  antece- 
dent to  love  to  God,  of  which  love  to  God  is  the  fruit  and  offspring.  All  that 
is  asserted  is,  that  this  true  love  to  God  is  a  disposition  to  love  being  in  gen- 
eral, and  carries  this  in  its  very  nature,  else  it  would  not  be  true  benevo- 
lence.* And  where  is  the  ground  of  representing  love  to  being  in  general 
as  the  "  mother  affection,"  and  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  as  the  "  daugh- 
ter love,"  when  the  matter  is  viewed  in  this  light  ? 

Secondly.  Mr.  Hart  objects  that  Mr.  Edwards,  by  making  being  in  gen- 
eral the  primary  object  of  holy  love,  sets  this  up  as  supreme,  and  makes  an 
idol  of  it,  to  which  the  first  and  supreme  regard  is  to  be  paid,  while  nothing 
but  a  secondary,  subordinate,  inferior  affection  is  left  for  God. 

Answer.  When  it  is  said  that  being  in  general  is  the  primary  or  first 
object  of  benevolent  love,  the  meaning  is  that  this  affection,  in  its  primary 
quality  and  distinguishing  nature,  has  being  in  general,  as  such,  for  its  ob- 
ject, and  is  a  disposition  to  regard  all,  and  not  a  part  only ;  and  that  being  in 
general  is  its  first  object,  in  distinction  from  benevolent  being,  which  is  a 
secondary  object  of  benevolence  and  the  primary  object  of  complacence. 
This  is  not  only  consistent  with  God's  being  the  chief  and  supreme  object 
of  this  affection,  but  he  is  so  necessanly,  as  Mr.  Edwards  has  observed  and 
proved  in  his  second  chapter. 

Mr.  Edwards  took  care  to  guard  against  both  these  objections  of  Mr. 
Hart's  in  the  following  words  :  "  When  I  say  true  virtue  consists  in  love  to 
being  in  general,  I  shall  not  be  likely  to  be  understood  that  no  one  act  of  the 
mind,  or  exercise  of  love,  is  of  the  nature  of  true  virtue,  but  what  has  being 
in  general,  or  the  great  system  of  universal  existence,  for  its  direct  and  im- 
mediate object,  —  so  that  no  exercise  of  love,  or  kind  affection  to  any  one 
particular  being,  that  is  but  a  small  part  of  the  whole,  has  any  thing  of  the 
nature  of  true  virtue,  —  but  that  the  nalure  of  true  virtue  consists  in  a  dispo- 
sition to  benevolence  towards  being  in  general."  "  My  meaning  is,  that  no 
affections  towards  particular  persons  or  beings  are  of  the  nature  of  true  vir- 
tue, but  such  as  arise  from  a  generally  benevolent  temper,  or  from  that  habit 
or  frame  of  mind,  wherein  consists  a  disposition  to  love  being  in  general." 

What  can  be  plainer  than  this  ?  According  to  this  a  person  may  love  God 
supremely,  with  a  love  which  has  not  universal  existence  for  its  direct  and 
immediate  object,  only  as  God  is,  in  a  sense,  universal  existence ;  but  God 
may  be  as  much  the  first,  direct,  and  immediate  object  in  all  respects  as  if 

*  See  the  preceding  Inquiry,  pp.  16,  17. 


APPENDIX.  71 

there  were  no  other  existence,  and  yet  this  love  carry  in  its  nature  love  to 
beinor,  as  such,  or  universal  existence,  and  this  be  the  ground  and  reason 
■why  it  fixes  on  God  as  the  supreme  object,  and  distinguish  it  from  every 
thing  which  is  not  lioly  love  ;  for,  if  it  were  not  a  love  which  in  its  nature  is 
love  to  being  in  general,  it  would  not  be  true,  holy  love  to  God. 

But  it  seems  Mr.  Hart  has  understood  Mr.  Edwards  as  he  thought  he 
should  not  be  lilvely  to  be  understood,  and  as  he  expressly  declared  he  would 
not  be  understood  :  with  liow  much  reason  and  justice,  the  reader  must  judge. 

Mr.  Hart  allows  that,  according  to  Mr.  Edwards's  scheme,  God  may  be  the 
primary,  chief,  and  supreme  object  of  the  love  of  complacence. 

But  let  us  consider  whetlier  there  are  not  as  many  and  great  diffic\ilties  in 
this  as  there  are  in  making  God  the  supreme  object  of  benevolence  to  being 
in  general.     This,  perliaps,  may  give  us  some  further  light  in  this  matter. 

Tiie  love  of  complacence  lias  beauty,  or  beautiful,  excellent  being,  for  its 
object.  Holy  complacence  has  moral  beauty  in  general,  moral  beauty  as 
such,  simply  considered,  for  its  object,  and  not  any  particular  beauty,  or  the 
beauty  of  any  particular  being,  as  confined  and  limited  to  that,  and  exclusive 
of  moral  beauty  in  general.  It  is  exercised  towards  particular  beautiful 
beings  as  sharing  in  the  beauty  common  to  all  holy  beings,  and  is  love  to 
moral  beauty  in  general  as  such ;  or,  in  other  words,  it  is  love  of  holiness  for 
holiness'  sake,  simply  considered  as  being  what  it  is  in  its  own  nature. 
Therefore,  love  to  particular  holy  beings  has  its  first  original  and  primary 
ground  in  love  of  holiness  in  general,  and  is  really  in  its  own  nature  love  of 
holiness,  as  such,  which  distinguishes  it  from  all  affection  which  is  not  true 
love  of  holiness. 

Mr.  Hart's  objection  against  benevolence,  as  Mr.  Edwards  has  represented 
it,  may  be  applied  to  this  view  of  complacence  in  the  following  manner : 
"  According  to  tliis  doctrine,  there  ought  to  have  been  three  great  commands. 
The  first,  greatest,  and  most  fundamenUil  of  all  should  liave  been  thus,  viz.. 
Thou  shalt  love  holiness  in  general,  simply  considered ;  for  complacence  in 
this  is  the  root  and  mother  of  all  complacential  love,  and  'all  holy  complacence 
primarily  and  most  essentially  consists  in  it.  Secondly,  subordinate  to  this, 
and  as  the  first  great  branch  of  this  root,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,"  etc.  (See  "  Remarks,"  pp.  5,  6.)  Is  not  this  argument 
in  all  resj)c;ct3  as  strong  and  conclusive  as  wlien  used  by  Mr.  Hart  against 
what  Mr.  Edwards  has  said  of  benevolence  ? 

Mr.  H.  v/ill  doubtless  acknowledge  that  God  may  be  the  supreme  object  of 
the  love  of  holiness,  as  he  is  infinitely  holy,  and  the  fountain  and  sum  of  all 
holiness,  and  that  he  must  be  so  to  him  who  loves  holiness  in  general,  or  for 
its  own  sake,  simply  considered,  though  he  might  not  be  the  supreme  object 
of  any  other  kind  of  love  which  lias  not  holiness,  as  such,  for  its  primary 
object.  And  why  must  not  this  be  as  true  of  the  love  of  benevolence,  as  Mr. 
Edwards  luis  defined  it? 

Mr.  H.  uses  the  following  argument  to  prove  that  God  cannot  be  the 
supreme  object  of  the  benevolence  Mr.  Edv/ards  describes  :  — 

''Upon  Mr.  Edwards's  principles,  the  absolutely  great  Being  must  have  an 
incomparably  greater  share  of  the  primary  benevolence  to  being  simply  con- 
sidered, than  all  other  particular  beings.  Compared  with  them  he  has  chief 
and  supreme  benevolent  regard ;  but  not  so  compared  v/ith  the  primary  ob- 
ject of  virtuous  love,  viz.,  being  in  general.  That  must  be  the  chief  object 
for  the  great  Being  does  not  exhaust  all  being,  so  as  to  reduce  all  others  to 
non-existence,  or  no  degree  of  being.  He  infinitely  outweighs  all  other 
beings,  as  put  in  the  scale  against  him.  But  if  his  infinite  degree  of  being 
is  put  into  one  scale,  and  the  same  be  put  into  the  opposite  scale,  and  to- 
gether with  that  the  degrees  of  existence  of  all  other  beings,  it  is  obvious 
this  great  Being's  weight,  in  the  opposite  scales,  will  balance  itself,  and  the 
whole  weight  of  the  other  beings  will  remain  clear  and  turn  the  scale.     Tliis 


72  APPENDIX. 

scale  has  in  it  the  whole  of  the  primary  object  of  virtuous  love,  the  other 
not;  and  the  virtuous  attraction,  or  tendency  of  primary  benevolence  to 
being,  simply  considered,  is  in  proportion  to  tlie  quantity  of  being." 

Every  one  must  see,  at  first  view,  that  if  this  argument  proves  God  cannot 
be  the  supreme  object  of  universal  benevolence,  it  equally  proves  he  cannot 
be  the  supreme  object  of  any  love  and  regard  in  which  the  creature  has  the 
least  share ;  and  that  the  heart  which  has  any  regard  to  the  creation,  cannot 
pay  supreme  regard  to  God.  But  I  will  now  apply  it  to  the  love  of  compla- 
cence in  particular,  by  substituting  that  in  room  of  benevolence,  by  which  it 
will  appear  this  argument  will  prove,  if  it  proves  any  thing,  that  God  cannot 
be  the  supreme  object  of  complacence. 

"  Upon  Mr.  Edwards's  principles,  (and  in  the  case  before  us,  we  may  say, 
upon  Mr.  Hart's  too,)  the  absolutely  great  Being  must  have  an  incomparably 
greater  share  of  the  love  of  holiness  for  holiness'  sake,  or  the  love  of  moral 
beauty  in  general,  simply  considered,  than  all  other  particular  beings.  Com- 
pared with  them,  he  has  the  chief  and  supreme,  complacential  love ;  but  not 
so,  compared  with  the  primary  object  of  holy  love,  viz.,  holiness  in  general, 
or  moral  beauty,  as  such.  Tliat  must  be  tlie  cliief  object,  for  the  great  and 
most  holy  Being  does  not  exhaust  all  holiness,  so  as  to  reduce  all  others  to  no 
degree  of  moral  beauty.  His  holiness  infinitely  outweighs  the  holiness  of  all 
other  beings,  as  put  in  the  scale  against  him.  But  if  his  infinite  degree  of 
holiness  is  put  into  one  scale,  and  the  same  be  put  into  tlie  opposite  scale, 
and  together  with  that,  the  holiness  of  all  other  holy  beings,  it  is  obvious  this 
great  Being's  holiness  in  the  opposite  scales  will  balance  itself,  and  the  whole 
weight  of  the  holiness  of  other  beings  will  remain  clear,  and  turn  the  scale. 
This  scale  has  in  it  the  Avhole  of  tlie  primary  object  of  the  love  of  compla- 
cence, the  other  not ;  and  the  holy  attraction,  or  tendency  of  primary  com- 
placential love  to  holiness  in  general,  simply  considered,  is  in  proportion  to 
the  quantity  of  holiness."  Mr.  H.  subjoins  to  this  argument  the  following 
words :  "  How  do  false  metaphysics  entangle  and  mislead  the  greatest  and 
best  men,  when  th(?y  wander  in  them ! "  To  whose  metaphysics,  Mr. 
Edwards's  or  Mr.  Hart's,  this  exclamation  is  most  properly  applicable,  tlie 
judicious  reader,  I  suppose,  will  be  at  no  loss.* 

Mr.  Edwards  says  "  True  virtue  must  cliiefly  consist  in  love  to  God,  the 
Being  of  beings,  infinitely  the  greatest  and  best  of  beings,"  and  that  "  it  may 
be  asserted  in  general,  tliat  nothing  is  of  the  nature  of  true  virtue,  in  which 
God  is  not  the  first  and  the  last,"  etc.   (pp.  125,  134.)     And  he  thought  this 

*  It  may  not  be  useless,  perhaps,  to  observe  here,  that  as  being  in  general  is 
the  primary  object  of  general  beneA'olence,  and  benevolent  being  a  secondary 
object,  as  has  been  observed  ;  so  there  is  a  distinction  to  be  made  in  the  object 
of  complacential  love,  into  primary  and  secondary,  in  some  measure  analogous 
to  that  of  benevolence.  The  primary  object  of  complacence  is  that  holiness 
and  beauty  which  consist  in  pure  benevolence,  and  a  secondary  object  is  the 
holy  complacence  itself.  It  must  be  evident,  to  any  one  who  will  attend,  that 
this  must  be  the  case  ;  for  there  must  be  complacence  before  there  can  be  any 
delight  in  complacence,  or  comi^lacential  love  of  complacence ;  therefore  the 
Jirst  complacence  cannot  have  complacence  or  love  of  holiness  for  its  object ; 
but  the  frst  love  of  holiness  must  be  the  love  of  holy  benevolence.  And  when 
this  complacence  in  benevolence  once  exists,  it  docs  itself  become  an  object  of 
complacence,  and  in  this  sense  is  a  secondary  object  of  complacential  love;  it 
being  a  secondary  beauty,  implied  in  benevolence  and  flowing  from  it.  And, 
indeed,  the  mind  cannot  liave  any  true  conception  of  the  love  of  holiness,  or 
holy  complacential  love,  until  it  actually  takes  place  in  the  mind,  and  therefore 
the  first  exercise  of  it  in  every  mind  cannot  have  the  love  of  complacence  for 
its  object,  but  it  must  be  the  beauty  of  benevolence.  The  mind  in  this  way 
getting  an  idea  of  the  beauty  of  complacential  love,  immediately  takes  delight 
ill  it,  or  approves  of  it  as  an  excellence,  which  is  a  secondary  and  consequential 


APPENDIX.  73 

was  evident  from  what  he  had  said  upon  the  Nature  of  True  Virtue,  which 
he  has  particularly  proved  in  his  second  chapter.  Mr.  Hart  says,  herein  "he 
is  very  inconsistent  with  himself;"  and  that  "there  is  indeed  a  strange  con- 
fusion and  inconsistence  in  this  great  man's  ideas  and  reasonuigs  upon  this 
subject."    (pp.  i),  11.) 

But  enon(j-h  has  been  said  to  show  how  groundless  this  charge  is,  and  that 
Mr.  Edwards  is  perfectly  consistent  in  this  matter ;  and  I  trust  that  whoever 
will  consider  the  subject  with  proper  attention  and  candor  will  find  it  the 
only  consistent  notion  of  true  virtue  that  has  ever  been  proposed  and  that 
can  be  supported  by  Scripture.  This,  I  hope,  has  been  made  evident  in  the 
preceding  inquiry. 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  take  notice  here  of  the  objection  Mr.  H.  makes 
against  Mr.  Edwards's  speaking  of  any  affection  to  God,  under  the  name  of 
benevolence.  He  presents  us  with  an  extract  of  a  letter  from  one,  who,  he 
says,  is  "  an  ingenious  gentleman ; "  in  which  Mr.  Edwards  is  severely  cen- 
sured for  using  this  word  thus.  He  says  this  is  "  more  than  odd ;  it  is  quite 
improper,  and  sounds  irreverent ! " 

Mr.  Edwards  has  taken  particular  notice  of  this  objection,  and  answered 
it.  (pp.  12(3,  127.)  Mr.  Hart,  or  his  friend,  had  no  right  to  renew  this  very 
objection  against  Mr.  Edwards,  without  taking  notice  of  his  answer,  and 
showing  wherein  his  reasoning  fails,  which  neither  of  them  have  attempted. 

I  trust  none  will  deny  that  any  affection  exercised  towards  God  has  the 
nature  of  good  will  to  him ;  but  if  we  are  to  exercise  any  good  Avill  towards 
God,  and  be  in  any  degree  his  friends,  we  must  so  far  exercise  benevolence 
towards  him,  for  good  will  and  benevolence  are  two  names  of  the  same 
thing.  And  why,  of  these  two  names,  which  are  used  for  precisely  the  same 
tlimg,  one  should  be  "  improper  and  irreverent,"  when  used  to  express  this 
same  affection  towards  God,  and  the  other  not,  remains  for  this  ingenious 
gentleman  to  show.  Why  this  same  affection  may  not  be  called  by  the  same 
name,  when  exercised  towards  a  superior,  and  one  that  is  above  all  depend- 
ence on  us,  as  well  as  when  exercised  towards  an  inferior  and  dependent,  no 
man,  I  believe,  can  show.  If  benevolence  implies  indigence,  and  depend- 
ence in  the  object  towards  which  it  is  exercised,  it  would  indeed  be  improper 
and  irreverent  to  call  any  affection  exercised  towards  God  by  this  name. 
And  I  conclude  this  gentleman,  and  all  otliors  who  make  this  objection,  have 
affixed  this  idea  to  the  word  benevolence ;  and  that  this  is  the  ground  of  their 


exercise  of  complacence  towards  this  secondary  object.  The  case  seems  to  be 
plainly  this.  The  Hrst  exercise  of  holiness  is  benevolence  to  being,  as  such  ;  in 
which  the  heart  is  disposed  to  unite  itself  to  being  in  general,  in  seeking  the 
highest  universal  good.  And  this  general  benevolence  implies  in  it  benevo- 
lence to  benevolent  beings,  and  a  disposition  to  love  benevolence,  with  a  love 
of  complacence.  And  the  benevolent  mind,  being  thus  pleased  with  benevo- 
lence as  the  greatest  beauty  and  excellence,  is  of  course  in  the  next  place 
pleased  with  this  beautiful  complacence  in  benevolence. 

Of  this  holy  love,  in  all  its  branches  and  exercises,  God  is  in  a  true  sense  the 
first  and  supreme  object,  as  he  is  the  sum  of  all  being ;  so  that  all  created 
existence,  in  comparison  with  him,  sinks  into  nothing.  And  he  is  the  sum  and 
fountain  of  all  benevolent  being,  and  of  complacence  in  moral  beauty,  or  of  all 
excellence  and  moral  beauty  and  perfection.  And  his  existence  and  relations 
to  his  creatures,  in  Avhich  he  is  intinitcly  distinguished  from  all  other  beings, 
are  the  ground  of  peculiar  exercises  of  the  benevolent  mind  towards  him  ;  such 
as  holy  fear  and  reverence ;  a  humble  trust,  and  rest,  and  joy  in  him,  as  the 
supreme  good,  and  a  sweet  acquiescence  in  him,  and  in  his  government  and 
works,  and  resignation  to  him,  etc.,  all  which  is  implied  in  benevolence,  even 
in  its  very  nature,  and  is  nothing  but  imiversal  benevolence  acting  according 
to  its  nature  towards  this  infinitely  great  and  glorious  object. 

VOL.  III.  7 


74  APPENDIX. 

disgust.  But  in  tliis  they  are  very  arbitrary,  in  affixingr  a  moaning  to  the 
■word  which  it  does  not  express?,  nor  was  ever  designed  to  signify. 

Mr.  H.  allows  that  God  is  the  tirst  object  of  his  own  benevolence,  p.  18. 
If  God  exercises  benevolence  towards  himself,  why  may  not  his  creatures  ? 
Yea,  why  must  they  not  ?  In  the  exercise  of  holiness  they  imitate  God  as 
dear  children,  and  are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature.  Their  love  to  God, 
then,  must  be  of  the  same  nature  with  God's  love  of  himself;  and  if  his  is  a 
love  of  benevolence,  theirs  must  be  so  too.  And  why  God's  love  of  himself 
may  be  called  benevolence,  which  Mr.  H.  ventures  to  do,  and  yet  the  same 
kind  of  love  of  God  in  the  creature  may  not  be  called  so,  is  quite  unac- 
countable. 

Besides,  Mr.  H.  makes  all  virtue  summarily  to  consist  in  "  giving  up  all 
inconsistent  interests,  as  loss  for  God's  sake,  and  his  kingdom's."  Now,  what 
is  this  but  benevolence  or  good  will  to  God,  and  his  interest  and  kingdom,  in 
such  a  regard  for  his  honor  and  interest,  as  to  be  willing  to  give  up  every 
thing  for  the  sake  of  this  ?  If  this  is  not  benevolence,  of  which  God  is  the 
first  and  chief  object,  we  may  despair  of  ever  knowing  what  is  benevolence. 

But  Mr.  H.  is  more  express  yet.  He  says,  a  "  benevolent  propensity  of 
minds  to  minds  is  communicated  to  the  hearts  of  men,  by  a  sight  and  feeling 
sense  of  God's  benevolence  to  them,"  in  the  exercise  of  which  they  attract  to 
him  in  the  first  place.  Surely  Mr.  H.  falls  under  the  "just"  reproof  of  this 
"  ingenious  gentleman,"  if  any  one  does. 


SECTION  II. 

Mr.  HarPs   Ohjedions  against  Mr.  Edwards^s  JVotion  of  the  Secondary  or 
JWdural  Beauty  in  Virtue  considered  and  obviated. 

Mr.  Edwards  observes  there  are  two  kinds  of  beauty.  One  is  moral 
beauty,  or  the  beauty  of  true  virtue  or  holiness,  which  is  the  highest  kind 
of  beauty,  and  consists  in  cordial  agreement  and  harmony,  or  general  benev- 
olencCj  and  is  discerned  and  approved  of  by  such  only  who  love  true  holi- 
ness, which  love  is  itself  the  exercise  of  holiness.  The  other  is  natural 
beauty,  which  consists  in  natural  harmony  or  agreement,  and  takes  place  in 
the  natural  and  material  world,  in  numberless  instances.  And  this  same 
kind  of  beauty  is  found  in  things  immaterial  and  mental,  as  well  as  in  other 
things,  and  there  is  a  natural  beauty  in  virtuous  exercises  of  the  mind,  and 
the  fruit  of  those  exercises,  which  is  entirely  distinct  from  the  moral,  holy 
beauty,  and  of  a  different  nature ;  even  the  same  kind  of  beauty  which  is 
found  in  the  material  world.  Thus  there  is  a  natural  beauty,  harmony,  and 
agreement  in  a  man's  doing  to  others  as  he  would  think  proper  they  should 
do  to  him,  of  the  same  kind  with  the  beauty  and  harmony  of  a  building,  the 
diiferent  parts  of  which  are  harmoniously  fitted  to  answer  each  other; 
which  beauty  is  distinct  from  that  general  benevolence,  in  which  the  virtue  of 
a  man's  doing  to  others  as  he  would  they  should  do  to  him  consists,  and 
■which  is  the  true  moral  beauty  of  the  heart.  This  natural  beauty  is  found  in 
all  virtuous  exercises  and  conduct,  especially  in  relative  duties  between  man 
and  man,  according  to  their  different  stations  and  relations,  which  may  be 
relished  and  delighted  in  by  those  who  have  no  virtue,  as  a  taste  for  this 
natural  beauty  is  natural  to  all  men,  and  does  not  imply  disinterested  benev- 
olence, but  is  consistent  with  the  highest  degree  of  selfishness  and  sin. 
Therefore  they  have  run  into  a  great  mistake  who  have  thought  this  relish 
for  natural  beauty,  which  is  found  in  virtuous  conduct,  which  is  common  to 
all  men,  an  evidence  that  all  men  have  a  degree  of  true  virtue.  (See  Ed- 
•wards's  Nature  of  True  Virtue,  Chap.  III.  throughout.) 


APPENDIX.  75 

Mr. -Hart  objects  against  all  this,  as  "very  injurious  and  destructive  to 
true  virtue."  And  in  order  to  expose  it,  he  makes  the  following  observa- 
tions, (Chap.  III.):  — 

"  1.  If  this  doctrine  is  true,  God'y  revealed  law  no  where  commands, 
recommends,  or  once  mentions  thit  in  which  all  true  virtue  primarily  and 
most  essentially  consists,  but  only  enjoins  and  commands  it  in  regard  to  its 
secondary  beauty." 

Answer,  The  law  of  God  requires  universal  goodness,  or  love,  and 
nothing  else ;  in  wiiich  Mr.  Edwards  says  all  true  virtue  consists.  This  is 
sufficiently  illustrated  in  the  preceding  inquiry,  from  which  it  appears  this 
argument  is  very  ill  chosen  indeed  to  be  used  against  Mr.  Edwards's  notion 
of  virtue,  and  is  nothing  but  begging  the  question.  Mr.  H.  says,  "  If  I  mis- 
take not,  Mr.  Edwards  does  implicitly  acknowledge  this  in  what  has  been 
transcribed  above."  Answer.  He  is  doubtless  greatly  mistaken,  and  must  lie 
under  this  imputation  till  he  has  particularly  shown  Avhere  and  how  this  is 
implied  in  what  Mr.  Edwards  lias  said.     Mr.  H.  goes  on :  — 

"  2.  If  this  doctrine  is  true,  it  may  be  suspected  that  the  holy  men  of  old, 
prophets  and  apostles,  never  knew  or  practised  true  virtue." 

Answer.  Our  Lord  has  told  us  that  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  is  the 
whole  of  what  the  law  and  the  prophets  inculcated,  even  that  same  universal 
benevolence  in  which  Mr.  Edwards  says  all  true  virtue  consists.  We  have, 
therefore,  no  more  reason  to  suspect  the  prophets  never  knew  or  practised 
this  virtue,  than  we  have  to  suspect  that  Christ  was  not  a  teacher  come  from 
God.  And  one  of  the  chief  apostles  said,  "love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law," 
and  that  all  true  religion  and  holiness  consists  in  this,  and  nothi^ig  else. 
(1  Cor.  xiii.  2.)  He  is,  therefore,  so  far  from  placing  virtue  in  this  secondary 
beauty,  that  he  expressly  places  it  in  something  else,  even  in  universal  love 
and  benevolence. 

The  instances  in  Scripture  Mr.  H.  brings  to  support  this  observation  are 
not  to  his  purpose.  (Ps.  xviii.  25, 26.  Rev.  xvi.  5,  6.)  There  is  a  true  moral 
beauty  in  the  righteousness  of  God  here  celebrated,  which  consists  in  univer- 
sal benevolence.  Take  this  from  that  conduct  which  is  called  righteousness 
in  God  or  man,  and  no  moral  goodness  remains  ;  so  nothing  worthy  of  holy 
admiration  and  praise.  There  being  a  secondary  beauty,  a  natural  fitness, 
in  justice,  does  not  prove  or  suppose  there  is  no  higher  beauty  and  excellence 
in  it.  If  Mr.  H.  would  prove  the  point  he  has  set  up  here,  he  must  produce 
an  instance  of  virtue,  recommended  and  celebrated  as  such,  which  has  noth- 
ing in  it  of  the  nature  of  universal  benevolence.  In  what  he  has  yet  said,  he 
has  only  begged  the  question.     He  proceeds  :  — 

"  3.  Let  it  be  observed  that  there  is  no  such  object  of  God's  attention  and 
regard  as  being,  simply  considered." 

Answer.  There  is  such  an  object  as  being  in  general,  or  universal 
being,  which  is  the  same  with  being  simply  considered,  as  Mr.  Edwards  uses 
the  terms.  And  universal  benevolence  has  this  for  its  object ;  and  that  is 
not  virtuous  love  wliicli  will  not  extend  to  being  in  general,  as  such,  or  simply 
considered.  This  has  been  sufficiently  explained  and  evinced  by  Mr.  Ed- 
wards, and  in  the  preceding  Inquiry,  pp.  16,  17. 

Mr.  Hart,  to  support  his  assertion,  goes  on  to  say,  "  God  is  his  own  first 
object.  He  sees  himself  as  he  is,  as  possessed  of  an  absolute  fulness  of 
being,  enriched  and  adorned  with  all  possible  mental  perfections.  As  such 
he  is  the  primary  object  of  his  first  and  chief  love,  both  of  benevolence  and 
complacence. 

On  this  passage  I  would  observe,  — 

1.  It  is  granted  that  "God  is  his  own  first  object;"  this  Mr.  Edwards 
grants,  and  has  proved ;  and  it  has  been  shown,  in  the  foregoing  section,  that 
this  is  consistent  with  virtue's  consisting  in  love  to  being  in  general  —  not 
only  as  God  is,  in  efiect,  being  in  general,  but  his  love  of  himself  is,  in  its 
nature,  love  to  being  as  such,  or  being  simply  considered. 


76  APPENDIX. 

2.  According  to  Mr.  H.'s  account  of  the  matter  here,  God's  love  of  benev- 
olence and  complacency  is  no  part  of  his  excellence  and  perfections.  God 
is  "  enriched  and  adorned  witli  all  possible  mental  perfections,"  independent 
of  his  love ;  and  as  thus  possessed  of  all  possible  perfections,  "  he  is  the 
primary  object  of  liis  first  love."  This  is  a  bold  stroke,  indeed !  It  strikes 
out  all  love  of  benevolence  or  complacence  from  being  any  part  of  holiness. 
The  Scripture  says,  "God  is  love ;"  but,  according  to  Mr.  H.,  no  part  of  his 
perfection  is  expressed  in  this,  nor  any  thing  worthy  or  excellent.  And  the 
law  of  God,  which  requires  love,  is  no  transcript  or  expression  of  the  divine 
perfections,  for  tliese  do  not  consist,  in  the  least  degree,  in  love,  but  in  some- 
thing entirely  different  from  this.  And  if  God's  love  to  himself  is  no  part  of 
"  all  possible  perfection,"  he  having  all  possible  perfection  antecedent  to  this, 
then  his  love  of  benevolence  and  complacence  towards  his  creatures  is  no 
part  of  his  holiness  and  perfection ;  and  it  will  also  follow  that  love  of  benev- 
olence and  complacence  in  creatures,  the  angels  for  instance,  is  no  part  of 
their  moral  excellence.  Thus  we  see  where  Mr.  H.  is  carried  in  his  opposi- 
tion to  Mr.  Edwards's  account  of  true  virtue.  Tliis  was  no  inadvertence  in 
Mr.  II.  No  one  can  do  bettor  than  he  has  done  on  this  liead,  if  he  sets  up 
to  oppose  general  benevolence  to  being,  as  such,  as  the  foundation  and  sum 
of  all  holiness :  it  will  necessarily  land  him  in  this  first-born  of  absurdities, 
and  lie  can  give  no  better  account  of  the  divine  holiness  and  perfections  than 
Mr.  II.  lias  here  given.  Mr.  H.  has  the  same  sentiment  in  the  following 
extraordinary  sentence :  "  He  [God]  is  not  virtuous  and  holy  because  he 
loves  himself,  but  he  loves  himself  because  he  is  holy."  That  is,  God's  holi- 
ness does  not  consist  in  love,  but  something  which  is  antecedent  to  all  love, 
and  the  ground  and  object  of  it,  and  is,  therefore,  quite  a  distinct  thing 
from  love. 

Mr.  H.  may  be  asked  what  this  holiness  is,  and  wherein  it  consists  —  what 
are  "  all  possible  mental  perfections,"  in  which  there  is  no  degree,  no  kind 
of  love  ?  Doubtless  he  will  be  as  much  puzzled  for  an  answer  as  the  Indian 
he  mentions,  who  asserted  the  earth  stood  on  a  tortoise,  and,  being  asked 
■what  the  tortoise  stood  upon,  "  he  cried  out,  with  surprise,  '  Me  don't  know ! ' " 

Perhaps  Mr.  H.  thinks  lie  iias  answered  this  question  in  his  chapter  Of 
the  Essential  Nature  of  True  Virtue ;  but,  if  I  can  understand  him  there, 
what  he  says  of  tlie  divine  holiness  and  perfection  is  in  direct  opposition  to 
this  extraordinory  assertion,  and  very  consistent  with  Mr.  Edwards.  He 
represents  God's  holiness  as  consisting  in  an  equitable  regard  to  himself  and 
his  creatures.  This  may  be  benevolence  to  being  in  general,  notwithstand- 
ing any  thing  he  says  ;  yea,  I  think  it  must  be  this,  according  to  his  own 
account  of  the  matter,  when  all  he  says  upon  it  is  put  together.  He  speaks 
of  "an  established  virtuousness  of  character"  in  the  creature  as  conformity 
to  God  himself;  and  he  says  this  consists  in  love,  and  that  it  is,  in  effect, 
universal  love.  Now  what  can  universal  love  be  but  love  to  being  in  gen- 
eral.^ And  if  this  is  virtue  in  the  creature,  by  which  he  is  conformed  to 
God's  moral  character,  then  God's  holiness  consists  in  this  same  universal 
love,  or  love  to  being  in  general.  But,  be  this  as  it  may,  it  is  certain  Mr.  H. 
makes  the  holiness  of  God  to  consist  in  part,  if  not  wholly,  in  love.  What 
can  God's  equitable  regard  to  himself  be  but  love  to  himself?  Let  him  tell 
who  can. 

Moreover,  he  speaks  of  the  love  and  goodness  of  God  as  a  "  most  virtuous  " 
or  holy  propensity,  and  as  that  which  is  his  glory.  Now,  if  God's  love,  his 
benevolence  and  goodness,  arc  his  holiness  and  his  glory,  how  can  it  be  that 
he  is  "enriched  and  adorned  with  all  possible  mental  perfections"  antece- 
dent to  his  love  to  himself,  and  as  the  ground  of  it,  and  antecedent  to  liis  love 
to  his  creatures  ?  This  love  cannot  be  any  part  of  his  perfection,  holiness, 
and  glory,  if  he  is  "  adorned  witli  all  possible  perfections  "  antecedent  to  it. 
Thus  we  see  Mr.  Hart  has  been  so  far  from  telling  us  what  all  possible 


APPENDIX.  77 

perfection  is,  considered  as  aside  from  love,  and  the  ground  and  object  of  it, 
that  ho  has  contradicted  this  his  position,  and  placed  the  moral  perfection 
and  holiness  of  God  in  love,  and  nothing  else.  "Error  is  fated  to  run 
crooked." 

Mr.  H.  proceeds  to  say,  — 

"  4.  Let  us  next  consider  the  destructive  influence  of  this  notion  of  virtue 
upon  virtue  itself.  All  relative  duties  which  we  owe  to  God,  to  Jesus  Christ, 
and  our  fellow-servants,  partake  of  the  nature  of  justice.  They  are  equi- 
table, fit,  and  right  in  their  oAvn  nature.  They  have  a  natural  agreement 
and  liannonious  proportionableness  to  the  nature  and  cliaracters  of  their 
respective  objects.  All  this  you  see  and  approve ;  and  the  dispositions  and 
exercises  of  your  mind  or  heart  towards  all  these  relative  duties  are  natural, 
harmoniously  proportionable  to  them,  and  in  concord  with  them,  equitably 
suited  to  them.  Your  lieart,  then,  is  very  beautiful,  but  not  at  all  virtuous, 
if  tliese  harmonious  and  equitable  dispositions  and  exercises  of  your  mind  do 
not  arise  from  pure  benevolence  to  being,  simply  considered.  So,  then,  the 
beauty  of  your  mind,  as  adorned  with  all  these  relative,  equitable,  and  har- 
monious dispositions  only,  is  of  the  same  sort  with  that  of  bodies.  Your 
heart  is  as  beautiful  as  a  square  or  a  cube,  and  no  more  virtuous  than  they." 

On  tliis  the  following  things  may  be  observed :  — 

1.  There  is,  in  things  of  a  moral  niUure,  a  natural  beauty,  which  consists 
in  harmony  and  agreement,  which  is  distinct  from  any  thing  properly  moral 
in  them,  and,  therefore,  a  beauty  which  is  distinct  from  moral  beauty,  and  of 
a  different  nature.  This  Mr.  Edwards  has  asserted,  illustrated,  and  proved ; 
and  I  do  not  find  that  Mr.  Hart  has  so  much  as  attempted  to  show  wherein 
his  proof  fails,  and  how  what  he  says  is  not  to  the  purpose.  All  Mr.  H. 
attempts  to  do  is  to  draw  absurd  consequences  from  this  notion  of  secondary 
natural  beauty  in  moral  things,  —  which  consists  in  begging  the  question, 
or  assertions  without  any  manner  of  proof,  some  of  which  have  been  consid- 
ered, —  or  in  misrepresenting  Mr.  Edwards's  doctrine  on  this  head,  of  which 
the  words  before  us  are  an  instance,  as  I  shall  show  before  I  have  done. 

There  is  a  uniformity  and  proportion,  and  an  answerableness  of  one  thing 
to  another,  in  moral  things,  or  true  virtue,  which  is  of  the  same  kind  with  the 
uniformity  which  takes  place  in  the  material  world;  and  the  same  taste 
which  discerns  and  takes  pleasure  in  tlie  latter  will  do  the  same  with  respect 
to  the  former ;  and,  therefore,  this  taste  and  pleasure  does  not  imply  love  of 
virtue,  for  it  is  not  the  virtue  itself  that  is  discerned  and  relished ;  and  if  there 
was  nothing  there  but  what  is  discerned  and  relished  by  this  taste,  there 
would  be  no  virtue  in  it.  This  is  what  Mr.  Edwards  iias  asserted,  and  Mr. 
Hart  has  said  nothing  to  prove  it  is  not  so,  nor  will  he  ever  do  it,  it  is  pre- 
sumed. It  is  a  truth  which  every  considerate,  judicious  person  must  discern, 
Mr.  H.  himself  not  excepted,  for  Jw  has  acknowledged  it,  as  I  shall  show 
presently. 

A  person  wholly  selfish  may  be  pleased  with  some  things  which  attend 
general  benevolence ;  there  is  to  him  a  beauty  in  it,  so  far  as  he  has  advan- 
tage by  it.  This  may  be  while  he  sees  nothing  of  the  true  beauty  of  benev- 
olence. Saul,  under  the  influence  of  selfishness,  saw  a  beauty  in  David's 
conduct  in  sparing  his  life  when  he  was  in  his  hands,  and  Avas  highly  de- 
lighted with  it,  while  he  Avholly  overlooked  tlie  true  beauty  of  it,  and  the 
virtue  he  exercised,  and  had  no  pleasure  in  it,  but  would  have  been  dis- 
pleased with  the  same  conduct  in  David,  had  it  been  towards  one  of  Saul's 
enemies.  It  is  granted  that,  in  this  case,  the  beauty  seen,  and  Saul's  pleas- 
ure in  David's  conduct,  are  not  wholly  of  the  same  kind  with  that  under  con- 
sideration, as  the  former  has  its  foundation  chiefly  in  selfishness,  the  latter 
not;  yet  I  think  it  serves  to  illustrate  the  case  before  us,  and  show  that  men 
may  see  a  beauty  in  virtuous  conduct,  and  be  pleased  with  it,  and  yet  not  see 


VO  APPENDIX. 

the  true  boanty  of  virtue,  or  have  any  regard  to  the  true  virtue  "which  is  exer- 
cised, but  be  disposed  to  be  displeased  with  that,  and  hate  it. 

The  just  jjroportion  and  symmetry  of  a  beautiful  picture  is  adjusted  and 
marked  out  by  a  number  of  exactly  proportioned  lines,  drawn  so  as,  in  a  cer- 
tain manner,  to  agree  with  each  other,  and  form  a  proper  uniformity.  Now 
these  lines,  tinis  exactly  drawn  and  proportioned,  form  a  beauty  different 
from  that  which  we  call  the  beauty  of  a  picture,  or  a  human  face,  which 
consists  in  a  certain  symmetry  and  just  proportion.  An  accurate  mathemati- 
cian, who  has  no  taste  or  discerninij  of  what  is  meant  by  the  beauty  of  a 
picture,  which  is  formed  by  certain  colors  and  shades  proportioned  to  these 
lines,  j'et  mio"ht  discern  the  just  proportion  of  these  lines,  exactly  drawn  to 
STiit  and  answer  each  other,  see  a  beauty  in  it,  and  be  pleased.  Here  we  see 
there  are  two  distinct  beauties,  the  one  inferior,  the  other  higfher,  the  latter 
the  true  beauty  of  a  picture  ;  and  yet  the  former  is  discerned,  and  not  the 
latter.  And  why  may  it  not  be  so  in  the  case  before  us,  though  the  beauties, 
one  of  an  inferior,  the  other  of  a  hipfher  kind,  have  a  different  and  greater 
distinction  than  in  this  instance  ?  The  exact  proportion  and  harmony  in  the 
vibrations  of  the  chords  of  a  musical  instrument  have  a  beauty  in  them  that 
would  give  pleasure,  if  clearly  discerned,  distinct  from  the  harmony  of  a 
tune ;  and  he  who  has  no  taste  for  music  might  discern  the  harmony  and 
exact  proportion  of  these  vibrations,  and  be  pleased  with  this  beauty. 

Mr.  H.  insists  upon  it  that  what  Mr.  Edwards  calls  the  secondary  beauty 
that  attends  true  virtue,  and  says  is  the  same  kind  Avith  natural  beauty,  ig 
true  virtue,  and  all  the  beauty  there  is  in  it.  This  seems  to  be  at  the  bot- 
tom of  all  he  has  said  against  Mr.  Edwards  on  this  head.  He  might,  so  far 
as  I  can  see,  with  just  as  much  reason  say,  all  the  beauty  of  a  beautiful  pic- 
ture consists  in  the  exact  proportion  of  a  number  of  lines ;  or  that  the  whole 
of  the  beauty  and  sweet  harmony  of  music  consists  in  the  exact,  harmonious, 
correspondent  vibrations  of  the  air,  or  of  the  chords  of  a  musical  instrument. 
He  says,  "  The  truth  is,  this  marvellous  scheme  has  changed  the  natural, 
moral  beauty  and  glory  of  true  virtue  into  an  image  made  lilce  to  the  beauty 
of  an  equilateral  triangle,  or  a  chessboard." 

That  he  had  no  reason  to  bring  this  charge  against  Mr.  Edwards,  any  one 
must  see  at  first  glance.  Mr.  Edwards  says  virtue  does  not  consist  in  this 
secondary  beauty,  but  in  something  else  of  quite  a  different  nature  and  kind ; 
that  though  there  is  a  beauty  Avhich  consists  in  proportion,  and  the  answera- 
bleness  of  one  tiling  with  another  that  attends  true  virtue,  which  is  of  the 
same  kind  with  the  proportion  and  beauty  of  a  triangle  or  chessboard,  yet 
this  is  of  a  nature  entirely  different  from  virtue,  and  has  nothing  of  its  beauty 
and  glory.  What  more  could  Mr.  Edwards  have  done  utterly  to  exclude  the 
beauty  of  a  chessboard  from  the  beauty  and  glory  of  true  virtue  ?  This  was 
the  design  of  this  chapter  on  secondary  beauty.  But  may  not  this  charge, 
■with  great  justice  and  propriety,  be  retorted  on  Mr.  Hart  himself?  He  insists 
upon  it,  that  this  secondary  beauty,  Avhich  Mr.  Edwards  has  proved  to  be  like 
to  the  beauty  of  material  things,  (and  Mr.  H.  has  not  shown  that  it  is  not  so,) 
is  all  the  beauty  and  glory  there  is  in  true  virtue.  This  charge  must  lie 
upon  him  till  he  can  prove  tlie  beauty  attending  true  virtue,  which  Mr.  Ed- 
wards calls  natural,  secondary  beauty,  is  not  a  beauty  of  the  same  kind  with 
the  beauty  in  material  things.     This  leads  me  to  another  observation. 

2.  There  is  a  misrepresentation  in  this  passage.  Mr.  H.  here  supposes 
that  all  relative  duties  to  God,  to  Jesus  Christ,  etc.,  may  be  practised  from 
the  heart,  according  to  Mr.  Edwards,  without  the  exercise  of  true  virtue ; 
"and  the  dispositions  and  exercises  of  the  mind  or  heart  towards  all  the 
objects  of  these  relative  duties  be  natural,  harmoniously  proportionable  to 
them,  and  in  concord  with  them,  equitably  suited  to  them,"  and  the  heart  be 
thus  "  very  beautiful,  but  not  at  all  virtuous."  This  is  a  gross  misrepresen- 
tation.   Mr.  Edwards  speaks  of  tliis  secondary  beauty  as  the  attendant  of 


APPENDIX.  '3Q 

true  virtue,  which  does  not  take  place  in  the  mind  that  is  destitute  of  virtue. 
He  allows  of  no  dispositions  and  exercises  of  heart,  harmoniously  propor- 
tionable and  equitably  suitable  to  the  objects  of  relative  duties,  in  the  mind 
destitute  of  true  virtue  or  general  benevolence,  and  which  are  not  the  exer- 
cises of  that.  And  in  this  misrepresentation  Mr.  H.  really  begs  the  ques- 
tion in  dispute,  or  takes  for  granted  what  he  had  to  prove,  viz.,  that  a  man 
may  heartily  practise  all  relative  duties  towards  God  and  his  neighbor,  while 
he  has  no  universal  benevolence.  If  he  had  proved  tliis,  which  he  has  taken 
for  granted,  and  Mr.  Edwards  had  allowed  what  he  supposes,  viz.,  that  the 
mind  miy  have  all  the  beauty  which  he  supposes  in  relative  duties.  ■« ithout 
any  true  virtue,  "  the  destructive  intluence  of  his  notion  of  virtue  upon  virtue 
itself"  might  have  appeared.  But  as  the  case  stands,  nothing  of  this  kind 
is  made  to  appear. 

Mr.  H.  goes  into  the  same  way  of  arguing  (if  it  can  be  called  arguing)  in 
another  passage  which  I  will  transcribe.  After  having  made  a  quotation  from 
Mr.  Edwards,  in  which  he  supposes  what  he  had  abundantly  proved,  viz.,  that 
there  is  a  natural  beauty  accompanying  true  virtue,  in  which  true  virtue  does 
not  consist,  but  is  of  the  same  kind  with  the  natural  beauty  in  material 
things,  he  cries  out,  "Wonderful!"  and  then  goes  on  in  the  following 
words:  ''Here  an  appeal  is  made  to  experience,  and  tlie  argument  is  built  on 
this  supposition,  that  moral  proportion  and  harmony  is  a  beauty  of  the  same 
kind  with  that  of  material  things;"  Here  is  a  misrepresentation.  Mr.  Ed- 
-wards  does  not  assert  this  of  "  moral  proportion  and  harmony,"  but  says  that, 
besides  the  moral  proportion  and  harmony  in  true  virtue,  there  is  also  a  nat- 
ural proportion  and  harmony,  ^hich  is  the  attendant  of  true  virtue,  in  which 
there  is  a  natural  beauty  of  tlie  same  kind  with  that  of  material  things.  And 
Mr.  H.  has  said  nothing  to  disprove  it,  that  I  can  find.  And  surely  Mr.  Ed- 
wards had  a  right  to  build  an  argument  on  a  premise  wliich  he  thought  he 
had  fully  proved,  and  which,  it  seerns,  Mr.  H.  did  not  think  best  directly 
and  expressly  to  attempt  to  disprove,  or  so  much  as  deny.  But  Mr.  H.  goes 
on:  "It  is  not  possible  to  conceive  of  any  thing  more  absurd.  I  desire 
any  one  to  take  a  human  mind,  adorned  with  all  right,  relative  affections  and 
exercises  to  Jesus  Christ,  harmoniously  agreeable  and  beautifully  propor- 
tioned to  his  characters  and  relations  to  us,  (only  excluding  benevolence  to 
being  simply  considered,  and  let  the  faith  of  him  be  tlieir  spring,)  and  care- 
fully compare  it  with  a  square,  a  cube,  and  a  beautiful  piece  of  embroidery, 
and  try  if  he  can  discover  any  such  likeness  in  their  beauties  as  to  lead  him 
to  pronounce  them  beauties  of  the  very  same  sort  or  order.  He  Vvill  as  soon 
discover  the  actions  of  a  spirit  to  be  of  the  same  kind  Avitli  the  action  or 
motions  of  a  clock." 

Here  I\Ir.  H.  supposes  what  is  impossible,  viz.,  that  "  a  mind  may  be 
adorned  with  all  right,  relative  affections  and  exercises  to  Jesus  Christ," 
when  benevolence  to  being  in  general  is  excluded,  and  that  a  man  is  a  true 
believer  in  Christ  while  wholly  without  this  benevolence.  He  has  attempted 
to  form  a  character  here  that  never  existed,  and  never  will,  because  it  implies 
a  contradiction.  Therefore,  there  is  no  such  character  to  be  considered.  Mr. 
H.  here  introduces  the  beauties  of  true  virtue,  and  then  asks  if  there  is  any 
likeness  between  these  and  the  beauty  of  a  square,  etc.  Mr.  Edwards  does 
not  say  these  are  beauties  of  the  same  sort.  What  he  says  is,  that  over  and 
above  the  true  virtuous  beauty  in  these  relative  duties,  there  is  also  a  beauty 
of  another  kind,  which  itself  is  not  virtue,  but  only  the  attendant  of  it,  and  is 
of  the  same  kind  with  the  beauty  in  material  things,  and  may  be  perceived 
and  delighted  in  by  one  who  has  no  virtue,  nor  any  relisli  for  it.  Now,  Mr. 
H.  has  not  offered  the  least  evidence  that  this  is  not  so,  in  this  passage ;  nor 
has  he  said  any  thing  really  in  opposition  to  Mr.  Edwards.* 

*  Mr.  Edwards  allows  there  is  a  natural  beauty  in  the  practice  of  justice  and 
other  virtues,  in  external  conduct.     And  when  these  are  the  expressiou  of  the 


80  APPENDIX. 

But  I  proceed  to  observe,  — 

li.  Mr.  II.,  after  all  he  has  said  to  tlie  contrary,  allows  the  very  thing  ho 
here  opposes ;  so  opposes  himself  only,  while  he  thinks  he  is  opposing  Mr. 
Edwards.  Ho  says,  men  who  are  destitute  of  true  virtue,  "  are  many  times 
determined  to  do  particular  equitable  actions  to  others  from  a  regard  to  the 
equity  of  the  case,  as  their  true  spring,  and  for  equity's  sake,"  etc. ;  that  a 
man  in  dealing  Avith  his  neighbor  may  "  see  Avhat  is  right  between  thorn,  and, 
from  a  regard  to  the  equity  of  the  case,  deal  justly  with  him."  Here  he 
allows  that  equitable  conduct  in  relative  duty  may  be  approved  and  practised, 
and  yet  there  be  no  virtue  in  it.  I  would  ask  ]Mr.  H.  whether  there  is  not  a 
sort  of  beauty  in  tliis  justice  and  equitable  conduct,  in  which  there  is  no 
virtue?  He  must  answer  in  the  affirmative  ;  for  what  he  says  implies  it,  as 
he  supposes  it  is  practised  from  a  regard  to  the  justice  and  equity  of  tlie  case, 
and  for  equity's  sake.  The  next  question  is,  whether  this  beauty  is  the  beauty 
of  true  virtue,  or  a  beauty  of  another  kind.  This  lie  has  also  answered.  It 
cannot  be  the  beauty  of  true  virtue  ;  for  he  expressly  says  there  is  no  true 
virtue  in  it.  And  if  there  is  a  beauty  in  one  instance  of  equitable  conduct 
■which  is  of  a  different  kind  from  the  true  beauty  of  virtue,  this  may  be  the 
case,  yea,  certainly  must  be,  in  all  instances.  And  this  is  a  secondary  beauty, 
■which  consists  in  a  natural  harmony  and  agreement  of  one  thing  with  another ; 
the  very  same  beauty  which  is  found  in  material  things.  Thus  Mr.  Hart  allows 
all  that  Mr.  Edwards  has  asserted  concerning  secondary  beauty,  and  expressly 
asserts  at  the  latter  end  of  his  book  what  he  greatly  condemns  in  Mr.  Ed- 
wards towards  the  beginning  :  "  Error  is  fated  to  run  crooked  ;  the  greatest 
men  cannot  govern  and  keep  it  straight." 

Mr.  Edwards  having  observed  that  it  was  evident,  from  what  he  had  said,  that 
the  "  disposition  or  sense  of  the  mind  whicli  consists  in  a  determination  of  mind 
to  approve  and  be  pleased  with  this  (secondary)  beauty,  considered  simply,  and 
by  itself,  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true  virtue,  and  is  entirely  a  different 
thing  from  a  truly  virtuous  taste,"  there  being  no  more  virtue  in  it  than  there 
is  in  "  a  disposition  to  approve  the  harmony  of  good  music,"  etc.,  Mr.  II.  makes 
the  following  observation  upon  it :  "  If  this  good  man  had  attended  to  one 
obvious  distinction,  he  might  have  saved  himself  from  falling  into  this  grand 
absurdity,  viz.,  the  difference  there  is  in  the  nature  of  things,  between  the 
mind's  seeing  and  approving  tlie  harmonious  proportion  and  justness  of  virtu- 
ous dispositions  and  exercises  of  heart  towards  God  and  our  neighbor,  and 
having  such  dispositions  and  exercises  himself.  A  man  may  see  and  approve 
the  beauty  and  excellence  of  true  virtue  in  some  degree,  and  yet  his  heart 
not  be  in  this  beautifully  harmonious  and  equitable  temper  and  state." 

Ans.  1.  "This  good  man"  has  attended  to  this  distinction,  and  thought 
he  had  demonstrated  the  "  grand  absurdity "  and  impossibility  of  what  is 
supposed  in  it,  in  the  following  words :  "  It  is  impossible  that  any  one  should 
truly  relish  this  beauty,  consisting  in  general  benevolence,  who  has  not  that 
temper  himself.  I  have  observed,  that  if  any  being  is  possessed  of  such  a 
temper,  he  will  unavoidably  be  pleased  with  the  same  tem])er  in  another. 
And  it  may  be  in  like  manner  demonstrated,  that  it  is  such  a  spirit,  and 
nothing  else,  that  will  relish  such  a  spirit.  For  if  a  being,  destitute  of  be- 
nevolence, should  love  benevolence  to  being  in  general,  it  would  prize  and 
seek  that  which  it  had  no  value  for.  Because,  to  love  an  inclination  to  the 
good  of  being  in  general,  would  imply  a  loving  and  prizing  the  good  of  being 
in  general.  For  how  should  one  love  and  value  a  disposition  to  a  thing,  or 
a  tendency  to  promote  a  thing,  and  for  that  very  reason,  because  it  tends  to 
proHiote  it,  when  the  thing  itself  is  what  he  is  regardless  of,  and  lias  no  value 
for,  nor  desires  to  have  it  promoted." 

heart,  there  is  a  moral  beauty  in  the  exercises  of  that,  the  beauty  of  holiness. 
But  when  there  is  no  true  virtue  in  the  heart,  there  is  no  natural  beauty  in  the 
exercises  of  the  mind ;  all  the  natural  beauty  is  m  the  external  rnnHuct. 


APPENDIX.  81 

Had  Mr.  H.  well  attended  to  this  passage,  and  determined  to  say  nothing 
contrary  to  it  till  he  could  answer  it,  "  he  might  have  saved  himself  from 
falling  into  the  grand  absurdity"  contained  in  the  words  just  quoted  from 
him.     For,  — 

Ans.  2.  Nothing  can  be  more  absurd,  and  imply  a  greater  contradiction, 
than  that  which  Mr.  H.  hero  affirms,  viz.,  that  the  heart  whicli  is  in  no  degree 
virtuous,  does  at  tlie  same  time  approve  of  virtue,  and  that  there  is  a  ditfer- 
ence  in  the  nature  of  things  between  these.  Heartily  to  approve  of  virtue 
for  its  own  sake,  is  to  be  at  heart  a  friend  to  virtue,  and  to  love  holiness  for 
holiness'  sake.  And  can  this  take  place  in  an  unlioly  heart  —  a  heart  tliat  is 
an  enemy  to  all  virtue  ?  It  is  impossible.  It  is  even  a  self-evident  proposi- 
tion, that  the  love  of  holiness  is  holiness,  and  therefore  has  passed  for  an  in- 
contestable truth,  till  Mr.  11.  has  risen  and  contradicted  it.  He  says,  "  A  man 
may  see  and  approve  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  virtue,  in  some  degree, 
and  yet  his  heart  not  be  in  this  beautifully  harmonious  and  equitable  temper 
and  state."  But  why  does  he  limit  this  to  some  degree  ?  Why  may  he  not 
approve  of  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  virtue  in  every  degree,  as  well  as  in 
some  degree  ?  It  is  impossible  for  him  or  any  one  else  to  tell,  unless  it  be 
because  his  heart  is  in  some  degree  a  friend  to  virtue,  i.  e.,  really  virtuous ; 
but  not  so  in  every  degree.  All  Mr.  H.'s  proof  of  this  extraordinary  asser- 
tion is  in  the  following  words:  "Nothing  is  more  common,  and  nothing 
more  to  be  lamented,  than  this  monstrous  inconsistence  between  the  moral 
sense  or  taste  of  the  mind,  and  the  ruling  dispositions  and  exercises  of  the 
heart  of  man."  Here  is  an  appeal  made  to  experience ;  but  the  whole  evi- 
dence of  the  thing  to  be  proved  lies  in  Mr.  H.'s  confident  assertion.  I  may 
say,  in  my  turn,  if  Mr.  H.  had  attended  to  one  obvious  distinction,  he  might 
have  saved  liimself  from  falling  into  this  grand  absurdity,  viz.,  tlie  difference 
there  is  in  the  nature  of  things,  between  the  dictates  of  the  judgment  and 
conscience,  and  the  relisli  and  approbation  of  the  heart.  An  inconsistence 
between  these  is  indeed  very  common ;  men  often  love  and  practise  that  with 
their  whole  hearts  which  their  reason  and  judgment  declare  to  be  wrong  and 
hateful ;  and  tlieir  conscience  pronounces  that  to  be  beautiful  and  excellent 
which  their  hearts  do  not  in  any  degree  approve,  but  utterly  detest  and  hate. 
Here  is  an  inconsistence  between  the  judgment  and  the  heart,  wliich  is  con- 
sistent with  the  nature  of  things,  and  evident  from  abundant  experience.  But 
for  the  heart  to  approve  of  that  which  at  the  same  time  it  hates  and  wholly 
rejects,  is  indeed  a  monstrous  inconsistence.  It  implies  the  most  palpable 
contradiction,  and  therefore  never  did  take  place,  nor  ever  will,  in  any  one 
instance.  To  see  beauty,  and  heartily  ap])rove  of  it,  as  such,  or  to  taste  and 
relish  the  beauty  of  holiness,  as  such,  is  the  same  with  tlie  love  of  lioliness, 
as  such,  or  for  its  own  sake.  And  when  Mr.  II.  will  prove  that  the  heart  of 
man  may  be  thus  friendly  to  holiness,  and  love  it  for  its  own  sake,  M'hile  des- 
titute of  all  true  virtue,  he  will  sliov>'  that  he  has  not  fallen  into  the  grand 
absurdity  with  which  he  is  cliarged. 

Mr.  H.  says,  that,  according  to  Mr.  E.,  "  the  nature  and  character,  or  perfec- 
tions of  God,  are  no  cause  or  ground  of  tlie  first  existence  of  a  virtuous  or 
holy  principle  in  the  hearts  of  created,  intelligent  beings ; "  and  adds,  "I 
should  be  glad  to  know  how  the  general  attraction  or  propensity  of  mind  to 
being  comes  into  existence." 

Answer.  It  comes  into  existence  by  the  omnipotent  energy  of  God.  It 
is  his  workmanship,  by  which  men  are  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  who  first  created  man  in  his  own  image.  *  (Gen.  i.  27.  Eph.  iv.  24.) 
God  gives  them  a  new  heart,  a  heart  to  know  him,  etc.  (Jer.  xxiv.  7.  Eze. 
xxxvi.  26.)  Giving  a  heart  to  know  God  must  be  a  work  of  power,  in  order  to 
their  knowing  him,  and  therefore  cannot  be  effected  by  the  knowledge  of 
him,  or  a  true  sight  of  the  perfections  of  God.  A  sight  and  knowledge  of 
the  divine  perfections  cannot  be  the  cause  or  ground  of  that  which  is  done  in 


82 


APPENDIX. 


order  to  this  knowledge  taking  place,  or  in  giving  a  heart  tlms  to  know  God. 
It  is  the  new  heart,  the  circumcised,  benevolent  heart,  and  not  the  old, 
uncircumcised,  selfish  lieart  that  sees  the  divine  character  and  loves  it.  It 
is  granted  the  heart  would  not  see  and  love,  were  there  nothing  to  be  seen 
and  loved ;  and  in  this  sense  tlie  character  seen  and  loved  is  the  ground  and 
cause,  sine  qua  non ;  as  without  this  there  would  be  no  object  of  love.  But 
the  efficient  cause,  ground,  and  foundation  of  all  is  the  divine  power  and 
energy,  circumcising  the  heart  to  know  and  love  —  giving  a  new  heart,  or  the 
Spirit  of  God  taking  possession  of  the  heart  as  a  powerful  principle  of  benev- 
olence. And  in  this  way,  even  by  the  immediate  exertion  of  divine,  new- 
creating  power,  the  heart  becomes  benevolent. 

Mr.  H.'s  representation  supposes  divine  power  and  energy  to  be  the  cause 
of  all  virtue  in  the  creature,  and  that  it  owes  its  first  existence  to  this  ;  and 
so  has  really  answered  the  question  which  he  puts.  He  supposes  "  a  realiz- 
ing belief"  of  the  divine  character  and  love — by  which  God's  excellence  and 
love  is  "  perceived,  realized,  and  felt,  as  extended  to  them "  —  is  given  to 
them  by  God ;  or  that  it  is  God  who  "  gives  them  to  feel  in  themselves  his 
attracting  love,"  and  that  tliis  is  the  cause,  ground,  and  reason  why  one  sees, 
realizes,  and  feels  this  excellence  and  love  of  God  rather  than  another,  and 
why  he  does  it  now  rather  than  before.  This  realizing  belief,  sensibility, 
and  feeling  is  given  by  God,  in  taking  away  tlie  lieart  of  stone,  which  would 
not  realize  and  feel  this  excellence  and  love,  and  giving  a  new  heart  —  a 
heart  of  flesh.  This,  then,  is  the  cause,  ground,  and  source  of  the  first 
existence  of  all  true  virtue,  and  must  be  so,  according  to  Mr.  H.  And  I 
conclude  Mr.  H.  will  not  say  this  divine  operation,  by  which  it  is  given  to 
men  to  see  and  feel  God's  excellence  and  love,  is  by  the  truth  seen,  because 
this  would  be  to  make  the  effect  the  means  and  cause  of  itself,  and  to  sup- 
pose God  works  by  that  which  is  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  his  own  opera- 
tion. Surely,  that  which  God  does,  in  order  to  make  men  see  and  feel,  is 
not  done  by  their  seeing  and  feeling,  or  by  the  things  seen  and  felt,  but  by 
an  immediate  operation.  If  Mr.  H.  will  not  grant  this,  he  Avill  find  himself 
in  the  case  of  his  before-mentioned  Indian. 

Mr.  H.  says,  "  This  doctrine  of  Mr.  Edwards  seems  to  be  the  foundation  on 
which  several  doctrines  in  the  new  scheme  of  divinity  are  built.  These  in 
particular,  viz. :  that  the  moral  perfections  and  character  of  God  as  revealed 
by  the  gospel,  and  seen  by  natural  men  under  the  teaching  of  the  word  and 
spirit  of  Jesus  Christ  so  far  as  they  are  capable  of  seeing  them,  can  have  no 
possible  influence  in  changing  their  hearts.  Regeneration  consists  in  giving, 
or  planting  in  the  heart,  a  new  spiritual  taste  or  relish.  This  change  is  not 
wrouglit  by  the  instrumentality  of  light,  or  by  any  means  whatsoever.  The 
Word  of  God  is  not  a  means  in  the  hand  of  tl>e  Spirit  in  working  this  change, 
but  it  is  effected  by  mere  absolute  and  properly  creating  power." 

Mr.  Hart  has  not  mentioned  these  doctrines  exactly  in  the  words  of  those 
to  whom  he  imputes  them ;  and  when  they  have  used  any  of  these  words  they 
have  explained  them,  and  guarded  against  a  wrong  sense,  which  the  reader 
will  be  in  danger  of  putting  upon  tliem  as  they  are  here  used  by  Mr,  H. 
The  sum  of  the  doctrines  that  have  been  advanced  on  this  head,  so  far  as  1 
can  learn,  is  this,  viz. :  that  the  human  heart  is  naturally  so  wholly  corrupt, 
so  blind  and  opposite  to  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  divine  truth  and  holi- 
ness, that,  in  order  to  its  seeing  and  relishing  this,  a  divine  power  must  be 
exerted  on  tlie  heart,  of  which  divine  power  and  operation  this  sight  and 
relish  of  truth  is  the  effect.  The  divine  operation  in  this  case  is  as  much 
antecedent  to  this  sight  and  taste  as  the  opening  the  eyes  is  antecedent  to 
seeing,  and  as  much  the  effect  and  consequence  of  this  work  as  seeing  is  the 
effect  and  consequence  of  liaving  the  eyes  opened.  Therefore,  light,  or  the 
truth  seen,  is  not  any  means  of  that  powerful  operation  which  is  antecedent 
to  seeing  the  truth,  and  does  produce  tiiis  sight  as  the  cause  of  it,  for,  by  the 


APPENDIX.  83 

supposition,  it  is  the  effect,  and  not  the  cause ;  and  divine  truth  seen  and 
relislied  is  really  that  in  which  the  active  change  consists  which  is  the  effect 
of  the  divine  power, 

Mr.  H.  frrants  this  is  all  true,  if  Mr.  Edwards's  notion  of  true  virtue  is 
riglit ;  so  that,  according  to  him,  —  and  I  suppose  it  is  the  truth  of  the  case,  — 
the  dispute  is,  at  bottom,  about  the  nature  of  true  holiness,  which  is  the  same 
with  the  nature  of  God's  moral  character.  If  this  is  rightly  stated,  in  the 
preceding  Inquiry,  what  Mr.  H.  calls  "the  new  scheme  of  divinity"  is  as  old 
as  the  Bible,  and  the  only  scriptural  one ;  if  not,  his  opposition  may,  perhaps, 
be  justified. 

SECTION   III. 

Mr.  HarCs  Objections  as;ainst  Mr.  Edwards's  Account  of  N'aturcd  Conscience 
and  Moral  Sense  considered  and  answered. 

Mr.  Hart's  ohjections  against  Mr.  Edwards's  description  of  natural  con- 
science and  moral  sense  are  grounded  on  his  excluding  from  it  all  relish  and 
approbation  of  heart,  of  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  virtue,  and  all  true 
sense  and  discerning  of  that  in  which  it  consists.  He  has  formed  his  obser- 
vations upon  this  under  five  particulars,  but  the  whole  of  the  objections  he 
makes  against  it  may  be  reduced  to  the  three  following :  — 

I.  If  natural  conscience  does  not  see  and  relish  true  virtue,  or  that  very 
beauty  and  excellence  in  which  it  is  distinguished  from  every  thing  else, 
then  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and  the  sense  of  desert  which  is  implied  in 
it,  are  witliout  foundation,  and  wrong,  and  it  "unavoidably  deceives  us;  for 
moral  desert  is  necessarily  connected  with,  and  has  a  natural  and  direct  rela- 
tion to,  this  quality  in  moral  actions  wherein  their  virtuousness  or  vicious- 
ness  consists,  and  to  nothing  else.  But,  according  to  Mr.  Edwards,  natural 
conscience  has  no  perception  or  sense  of  tliat  quality  in  moral  actions  wherein 
their  virtuousness  essentially  consists,  but,  as  a  wrong-headed  thing,  places 
it  in  that  wherein  it  does  not  at  all  consist,  and  so  connects  tlie  sense  of 
desert  wrong,  and  contrary  to  the  true  nature  of  things." 

Answer.  There  is,  in  natural  conscience,  the  exercise  of  reason  and 
judgment,  which  may  be  right  and  agreeable  to  the  truth,  independent  of  the 
exercises  of  the  heart,  and  in  direct  opposition  to  them.  Reason  and  judg- 
ment may  pronounce  a  tiling  right,  morally  good,  and  excellent,  while  to  the 
relish  and  inclination  of  the  heart  it  is  utterly  ineligible  and  displeasing.  In 
this  case  conscience  is  not  a  wrong-headed  thing,  but  dictates  the  truth. 
Reason  and  judgment  being  rightly  informed,  and  free  from  speculative 
error,  are  so  far  from  deceiving  us,  that,  by  the  supposition,  they  dictate 
nothing  but  the  truth,  and  place  virtue  and  vice  and  moral  desert  in  that  in 
which  they  truly  consist.  There  is  so  much  evidence  of  this  from  fact  and 
experience,  that  I  suppose  it  needless  to  attempt  to  make  it  more  evident  by 
reasoning  upon  it. 

It  will  be  said  this  does  not  remove  the  difficulty,  for  these  dictates  of 
reason  suppose  an  idea  of  the  thing  of  which  it  judges,  and  that  it  is  seen  in 
a  true  light.  How  can  the  mind  judge  of  that  of  which  it  has  no  true  sight 
or  conception  ?  It  judges  of  what  it  sees,  and  not  of  tliat  which  it  does  not 
see. 

Answer.  The  reason  and  judgment  may  be  convinced  of  the  beauty, 
excellence,  and  worthiness  of  an  object,  of  which  beauty  and  excellence  the 
mind  has  not  the  least  taste  and  relish  ;  and  in  this  sense  there  is  no  idea  or 
sight  of  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  the  object.  This  is  certain  from  fact 
and  experience,  as  has  been  just  observed ;  and  this  is  all  that  is  affirmed 
in  the  case  before  us,  and,  therefore,  the  tiling  that  is  objected  against; 


84 


APPENDIX. 


consequently,  the  objection  must  be  proiindlcss.  The  taste  and  sense  of  tlie 
natural  beauty  which  there  is  in  true  virtue,  and  a  desire  to  be  self-consistent, 
and  opposition  to  the  contrary,  —  both  which  Mr.  Edwards  observes  come 
into  natural  conscience  and  the  moral  sense,  —  may  be  necessary  to  jjive  an 
idea  and  sense  of  any  thing  moral,  and  of  moral  desert,  and  yet  the  judgment 
and  conscience  place  true  virtue  and  moral  desert  in  that  in  which  it  really 
consists.  Reason  may  dictate  that  the  beauty  which  the  mind  discerns  and 
relishes  is  not  the  true  beauty  of  virtue,  —  but  this  is  something  of  a  more 
noble  kind,  consisting  in  union  of  heart  to  heart,  in  universal  benevolence, 
and  that  all  moral  desert  lies  in  this  and  its  contrary,  —  I  say  reason  and 
conscience  may  dictate  all  this  without  any  actual  idea,  or  real  perception, 
of  that  sweet  beauty  and  excellence  there  is  in  virtue,  or  the  least  degree  of 
relish  of  it,  and  will  do  so,  if  all  speculative  error  is  removed.  Thus  natural 
conscience,  when  duly  enlightened,  will  approve  of  true  virtue,  and  nothing 
else,  as  really  excellent  and  pi-aiseworthy ;  and  if  a  man  does  not  judge  right 
in  this  case,  but  is  deceived,  and  judges  that  true  virtue  consists  in  that  nat- 
ural agreement  and  secondary  beauty  which  he  sees  and  relishes,  it  is  his 
own  fault,  and  an  abuse  of  his  reason  through  the  prejudices  and  corruption 
of  his  heart.  Mr.  H.  says,  according  to  ]\Ir.  Edwards's  notion  of  virtue, 
"natural  conscience  is  wholly  ignorant  of  it,  and  uninterested  in  it;"  but 
herein  he  is  greatly  mistaken.  The  reason  and  judgment  may  be  fully  con- 
vinced that  true  virtue  consists  in  benevolence,  while  the  heart  is  wholly 
opposed  to  it,  and  the  moral  taste  has  no  relish  for  it,  no  sense  of  its  sweet- 
ness, beauty,  and  excellence.  So  a  man's  conscience  may  be  convinced  that 
he  is  wholly  without  all  true  virtue,  and  all  proper  idea  and  sense  of  it,  and 
that  he  is  wholly  to  blame  for  not  exercising  this  virtue. 

A  man  who  never  felt  in  his  heart  the  least  degree  of  love  to  God,  or  had 
any  delight  in  worshipping  him,  but  the  greatest  aversion  to  it,  and  is  always 
most  uneasy  when  obliged  to  be  present  where  he  is  worshipped,  —  but  lias 
the  highest  relish  for  gaming,  drinking,  and  profaneness,  and  places  all  his 
happiness  in  these,  —  such  a  man  may  be  convinced  in  his  conscience  tliat 
there  is  such  a  tiling  as  true,  supreme  love  to  God,  and  tliat  there  is  the 
highest  and  most  refined  pleasure  in  this,  and  in  worshipping  and  serving 
God  with  such  love,  —  that  he  is  under  all  imaginable  obligations  to  love 
God,  and  delight  in  him  and  his  service,  so  that  it  is  wholly  his  fault  that  he 
does  not,  —  and  yet  go  on  in  his  old  way,  Avith  as  strong  an  inclination  as 
ever.  In  this  case,  the  man,  by  the  supposition,  has  no  true  idea  of  that 
about  which  he  reasons  right,  but  is  wholly  ignorant  of  the  beauty  and 
excellence  of  God,  and  has  not  the  least  taste  and  relish  of  the  pleasure  in 
"worshipping  him  with  true  devotion.  He  has,  indeed,  speculative  ideas  of 
these,  —  i.  e.,  all  the  ideas  that  speculation,  by  the  help  of  all  tlie  sensations 
he  has,  will  give,  or  is  capable  of,  —  while  his  heart  is  wholly  witliout  any 
taste  and  relish  for  moral  excellence.  In  this  instance,  —  and  there  are  many 
such,  —  his  conscience  does  not  deceive  him,  but  judges  right;  and  his  reason 
condemns  what  his  heart  relishes  and  approves,  and  pronounces  that  right, 
excellent,  and  happy,  of  which  he  has  not  the  least  taste  or  relish,  and  so  no 
true  idea,  of  the  beauty,  excellence,  and  happiness  of  what  his  conscience 
approves,  or  his  reason  judges  to  be  right  and  excellent. 

The  man  who  has  no  disinterested  benevolence  may  have  a  speculative 
idea  of  it,  —  i.  e.,  all  the  idea  that  there  is  or  can  be  in  mere  speculation,  and 
all  that  is  necessary  in  order  to  reason  about  it,  —  but  can  have  nothing  of 
that  idea  which  comes  by  taste  and  relish  of  the  tiling,  and  implies  a  sight 
and  sense  of  its  true  beauty  and  excellence.  All  the  blindness  and  ignorance 
there  is  in  this  case  lies  wholly  in  the  want  of  such  a  taste  and  relish,  and  in 
an  inclination  to  that  which  is  opposite  to  it.  The  natural  moral  taste,  which 
does  not  reach  to  true  virtue,  or  imply  the  least  relish  for  it,  but  is  consistent 
with  the  greatest  disrelish  of  it,  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  mind's  forming 


APPENDIX.  85 

an  idea  of  any  thing  tnoral,  and,  therefore,  is  implied  in  natural  conscience 
and  sense  of  moral  desert,  but  is  entirely  a  different  thing  from  a  relish  of 
true  virtue,  or  an  idea  of  its  true  beauty  and  excellence. 

Mr.  H.  observes  that  Mr.  Edwards  says,  "  Natural  conscience  will  approve 
of  true  virtue  without  seeing  the  true  beauty  of  it ; "  and  upon  it  has  the  fol- 
lowing words  :  "  Approve  of  that  which  you  have  no  idea  of,  no  relish  for ! 
Is  not  this  a  contradiction  ?  " 

Answer.  No;  by  no  means.  What  has  been  said,  I  hope,  is  a  sufficient 
answer  to  this  question.  The  approbation  of  conscience  in  this  case  is 
entirely  a  distinct  thing  from  any  relish  and  approbation  of  heart.  By  appro- 
bation of  conscience  here  is  meant  conviction  of  conscience,  or  the  reason 
and  judgment  dictating  that  true  virtue  is  right,  excellent,  and  most  beautiful, 
which  is  a  distinct  thing  from  relishing  or  seeing  the  beauty. 

II.  Mr.  H.  objects  that,  "  from  Mr.  Edwards's  doctrines  it  does  necessa- 
rily follow  that  men  are  under  no  natural  obligation  to  be  virtuous,  and 
cannot  equitably  be  required  to  be  so." 

The  sum  of  what  he  says  in  support  of  this  is,  "  Natural  conscience  and 
the  moral  sense  cannot  taste  and  approve  this  kind  of  virtue,  any  more  than 
the  white  of  an  egg ;  and  natural  reason  and  common  sense  say  there  is  no 
worth  in  it,  nor  any  use  or  occasion  for  it  in  the  moral  world.  Nothing  but 
this  preternatural  principle  itself  (i.  e.,  a  truly  virtuous  taste,  or  a  benevolent 
mind)  can  taste  the  sweetness  of  this  primary  beauty,  or  perceive  any  moral 
excellence  in  this  sort  of  virtue.  It  lies  far  beyond  the  sphere  of  natural 
conscience  and  the  moral  taste.  It  is  no  object  to  them ;  consequently  man 
is,  by  the  constitution  of  his  nature,  as  incapable  of  seeing  or  tasting  this 
primary  beauty  of  moral  things  as  beasts  are  of  relishing  their  secondary 
beauty.  He  is  no  more  made  for  the  one  than  they  are  for  the  other,  and  is 
no  more  obliged  to  relish  the  one  than  they  are  to  relish  the  other;  and 
cannot  equitably  be  required  to  do  so,  till  a  new  faculty  or  taste  is  given 
him,  adapted  to  this  object,  by  a  new  creating  act  of  power." 

Ans.  1.  When  Mr.  H.  says  natural  conscience  cannot  approve  of  this  kind 
of  virtue,  if  by  approve  he  means  conviction  of  conscience,  that  this  is  true 
virtue,  and  that  there  is  a  beauty  and  excellence  in  it,  while  the  heart  dis- 
approves and  rejects  it,  his  assertion  is  not  true,  as  has  been  proved.  If  by 
approve  he  means  a  relish  and  approbation  of  heart,  it  is  granted,  and  has 
been  proved  that  no  man,  who  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  true  vulue,  can 
thus  approve  of  it. 

When  he  says  "  natural  reason  and  common  sense  say  there  is  no  worth  in 
it,"  (i.  e.,  virtue  which  consists  in  benevolence  to  being  in  general,)  "nor  any 
use  or  occasion  for  it  in  the  moral  Avorld,"  he  only  begs  the  question,  and 
asserts  what  is  most  contrary  to  known  fact.  There  are  multitudes,  the  dic- 
tates of  whose  reason  and  common  sense  are,  that  all  true  worth  and  excel- 
lence consist  in  this,  and  that  this  is  the  life,  excellence,  and  happiness  of  tha 
moral  world.  And  this  is  the  universal  dictate  of  natural  reason  and  com- 
mon sense,  Avhen  properly  enlightened  and  impartial. 

And  his  assertion,  in  which  all  the  seeming  force  of  his  argument  lies,  is 
wholly  without  foundation,  viz.,  that  man  is,  by  the  constitution  of  his  nature, 
as  incapable  of  seeing  or  tasting  this  primary  beauty  of  moral  things  as  the 
beasts  are  of  relishing  their  secondary  beauty.  Man  is,  by  the  constitution 
of  his  nature,  as  capable  of  seeing  and  tasting  this  beauty  as  he  is  of  exer- 
cising virtue  ;  for  this  is  one  and  the  same  thing.  Man  has  all  the  natural 
faculties  which  are  necessary  in  order  to  his  being  virtuous ;  and  therefore, 
by  the  constitution  of  his  nature,  is  capable  of  seeing  and  tasting  the  beauty 
of  moral  things,  and  of  being  perfectly  holy.  He  wants  nothing  but  an 
inclination  to  this,  a  heart  to  improve  the  faculties  he  has,  in  order  to  see  and 
taste  this  beauty,  and  be  truly  virtuous.  In  short,  he  is  furnished  with  every 
thing  needful  in  order  to  see  and  exercise  virtue,  except  it  be  virtue  itself. 
VOL.  III.  8 


86  APPENDIX. 

This  he  has  not,  but  has  every  tiling  else  ivhicli  a  creature  can  have,  and  not 
be  actually  virtuous.  And  if  the  want  of  a  virtuous  disposition,  or  a  heart  to 
discern  and  exercise  virtue,  and  a  strong  and  fixed  opposite  inclination,  take 
off  all  obligation  to  virtue,  then  it  is  not  possible  that  any  man  should  be 
under  any  obligation  to  exercise  more  virtue  than  he  actually  has  and  does 
exercise ;  and  consequently  there  is  no  such  thing  as  sin  and  blame,  or  ill 
desert,  in  nature. 

But  Mr.  H.  says,  "  This  is  no  more  than  sayin"'.  If  they  had  this  new  kind 
of  relish,  they  would  have  it ;  and  if  they  had  it,  they  might  easily  exercise  it. 
But  what  is  tliis  to  the  purpose,  when  at  the  same  time  they  confess  there  is 
no  natural  faculty  in  human  nature,  by  any  possible  application  of  truth  to 
which  this  taste  can  be  raised  up  in  the  heart  ?  On  these  principles,  we 
might  with  as  much  reason  and  as  good  a  grace  say.  The  mability  a  blind  man 
is  under  to  see  and  relish  the  beauty  of  light  is  of  the  moral  kind ;  and  sol- 
emnly impute  it  to  him  as  sin." 

A>'swER.  This  is  saying  that  this  new  kind  of  relish  depends  on  the  will 
or  heart,  and  consists  in  the  disposition  and  exercise  of  that ;  that  so  long  as 
the  disposition  and  choice  of  the  heart  is  wrong,  and  in  opposition  to  virtue, 
it  has  no  relish  for  it:  but  when  the  mind  is  disposed  and  inclined  to  virtue, 
it  has  this  taste  and  relish  ;  for  they  are  one  and  the  same  thing.  Therefore, 
all  the  defect  lies  in  the  heart  being  indisposed  to  love  and  choose  that  which 
is  in  itself  most  excellent,  and  to  which  it  is  invited  by  the  strongest  reasons 
and  motives. 

If  Mr.  H.'s  servant  should  utterly  refuse  to  live  in  his  house,  or  obey  him 
in  any  one  tiling,  and  declare  that  he  saw  nothing  agreeable  in  his  house,  or 
any  of  his  ways,  but  he  took  his  whole  delight  in  gaming,  drinking,  and  de- 
bauchery, and  was  determined  to  spend  the  rest  of  his  life  in  these ;  his  mas- 
ter would  doubtless  tell  him  that  he  had  a  very  false  and  bad  taste  indeed, 
that  he  was  very  capable  of  knowing  and  doing  better,  and  it  was  wholly 
owing  to  the  viciousness  of  his  heart  that  he  could  take  no  delight  in  his 
house  and  service,  and  had  become  such  a  disobedient  servant,  etc.,  and  sol- 
emnly impute  it  to  him  as  his  sin.  If  the  servant  should  say,  "  This  is  no 
more  than  saying.  If  I  had  a  relish  for  your  service  and  your  ways,  I  should 
have  it,  and  if  I  had  it  I  could  easily  exercise  it,  and  should  then  be  willing 
to  stay  with  you  ;  but  as  I  have  not  this  taste  and  turn  of  mind,  but  tlie  con- 
trary, you  have  no  reason  to  blame  me  in  the  least,  or  think  me  under  any 
obligation  to  love  or  obey  you ; "  his  master  would  doubtless  think  he  argued 
very  weakly.  And  if  Mr.  H.,  by  all  experiments  in  his  pow'er,  should  find 
nothing  in  him,  "  by  any  possible  application  of  truth  to  which "  he  could 
raise  up  in  his  heart  the  least  degree  of  taste  and  relish  for  the  beauty  and 
order  of  his  house,  or  any  inclination  to  live  with  him,  but  a  fixed  abhor- 
rence of  his  service  and  all  his  ways,  would  this  excuse  his  servant  in  his 
eyes  ?  No.  If  he  did  not  divest  himself  of  all  reason  and  common  sense,  the 
farther  he  found  his  servant  from  all  taste  and  relish  for  the  business  and 
enjoyment  of  his  house,  and  the  more  impossible,  by  any  applications  to  his 
mmd,  to  raise  in  his  heart  such  a  taste,  or  eradicate  the  contrary,  the  more 
would  he  blame  and  impute  sin  to  him. 

Ans.  2.  We  do,  indeed,  "confess  there  is  no  natural  faculty  in  human 
nature,  by  any  possible  application  of  truth  to  Avhich  this  taste  can  be  raised 
up  in  the  heart,"  so  long  as  the  will  remains  wholly  perverse,  and  opposes  all 
such  applications ;  and  every  one  must  confess  this  who  will  not  hold  the 
most  palpable  absurdity.  But  this  does  not  suppose  any  want  of  natural  fac- 
ulties, or  any  natural  defect  in  them  ;  all  the  defect  lies  in  the  inclination  or 
will:  it  is  the  perverse,  obstinate  resistance  of  that,  to  the  applications  made, 
which  prevents  their  efficacy ;  therefore  the  person  is  wholly  blamable  for 
not  having  this  taste,  if  a  perverse  inclination  is  in  any  case  blamable.  This 
is  illustrated  in  the  instance  of  the  servant  above. 


APPENDIX.  87 

Ans.  3.  Mr.  H.  liimself  allows  the  same  thing  which  he  is  here  condemn- 
ing'. He  says  wicked  men,  or  vicious  minds,  have  no  virtuous  taste,  —  this 
being  a  distinct  thing,  and  essentially  different  from  any  thing  which  they 
have,  —  and  that  their  hearts  are  in  opposition  to  it ;  and  then  goes  on  to  say, 
"There  is  no  cure  for  this  evil  disease  of  tlie  heart  but  by  the  grace  and 
truths  of  the  gospel,  as  strongly  impressed  upon  the  mind  by  the  spirit  of 
Christ.  If  the  perverseness  and  obstinacy  of  wicked  minds  prevail  to  that 
degree,  under  the  enlightening  influences  and  strivings  of  the  Spirit  of  truth 
and  grace,  as  to  provoke  the  Lord  to  withdraw  his  gracious  influences,  and 
give  them  wjiolly  up  to  their  own  hearts'  lusts,  their  perverseness  becomes 
absolutely  incurable,  and  they  go  into  perdition." 

According  to  this,  men  are  as  far  from  a  virtuous  taste  as  Mr.  Edwards 
supposes  they  are,  and  they  cannot  be  recovered  to  this  by  any  thing  but  the 
spirit  of  Christ ;  and  yet  he  holds  they  are  under  obligations  to  be  virtuous, 
and  to  have  this  virtuous  taste,  even  while  they  are  under  the  power  of  this 
"  incurable  disease,"  —  incurable  by  any  powers  in  themselves,  or  by  any 
application,  unless  by  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  even  incurable  by  him,  "  abso- 
lutely incurable,"  if  perversely  and  obstinately  resisted  by  tliem.  Let  Mr.  H. 
vindicate  his  own  positions  here,  and  he  will  answer  all  his  objections  agahist 
President  Edwards  and  his  disciples  on  this  head. 

Mr.  H.,  in  his  letter  to  Dr.  Whitaker,  allows  that  "  men  must  have  tliese 
things  presented  to  their  view  by  God's  teaching,  before  they  can  perceive 
their  moral  excellence."  Mr.  H.  may  be  asked,  Why,  then,  are  they  under 
obligations  to  see  this  moral  excellence,  and  relish  it,  antecedent  to  God's 
teachings,  or  the  impressions  of  the  spirit  of  Christ  ?  What  if  the  spirit  does 
not  strongly  impress  these  things  on  the  mind,  and  they  have  not  God's 
teachings,  will  this  leave  them  under  no  obligations  to  see  and  relish  these 
things,  and  wholly  blameless  in  their  "  incurable  disease  "  ?  It  must,  if  what 
Mr.  H.  says  on  tliis  head  against  Mr.  Edwards  has  any  reason  and  weight. 
And  why  is  their  perverseness  blamable  from  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  with- 
draws himself  ?  Why  are  they  sent  to  perdition,  since  their  disease  always 
was  incurable  by  themselves,  and  they  are  as  far  from  a  virtuous  taste  as  a 
blind  man  is  from  seeing  the  light,  and  it  is  become  absolutely  incurable 
now  ?  As  well  may  you  condemn  a  blind  man  for  not  seeing  and  relishing 
the  light  of  the  sun,  Mr.  H.  being  judge.* 


*  I  said  above,  Mr.  Hart  holds  that  men  who  have  no  virtue,  or  virtuous 
taste,  are  under  obligations  to  be  virtuous,  because  this  is  supposed  in  his  ob- 
jection against  Mr.  Edwards,  which  we  are  considering,  and  is  implied  in  all  he 
says  upon  it.  But  I  think  he  has  said  what  is  inconsistent  with  this,  and  a  suf- 
ficient ground  to  conclude  he  does  not  hold  that  unregenerate  men  are  under 
obligations  to  be  holy.  I  have  reference  to  what  he  says,  Avhen  it  was  urged 
against  him  that  the  representation  given  in  his  words  just  quoted,  which  he 
had  before  given  in  substance  in  his  dialogues,  was  as  inconsistent  with  man's 
obligations  to  be  holy,  etc.,  as  the  doctrines  he  objected  against.  They  are  the 
following  words :  "  The  gospel  is  a  ministration  of  supernatural  truth  and 
grace,  fitted  in  its  nature  to  work  in  the  mind  as  a  vital  seed  and  sacred  leaven ; 
and  the  mind  of  man  is  naturally  capable  of  being  influenced  and  changed  or 
spiritualized  by  it,  when  firmly  believed  and  realized.  The  Holy  Spirit  of  God 
accompanies  this  ministration  of  the  word  of  life  Avith  some  degree  of  his  influ- 
ence, as  a  common  grace.  If  sinners  improve  this,  and  the  outward  helps  they 
have  by  tlie  gospel,  as  far  as  then  "''^  improvable  by  them,  I  believe  he  will  crown 
his  common  influence  with  special  and  efl'ectual,  leading  them  on  to  saving 
faith,  and  so  regenerate  them.  If  they  do  not,  but  continually  resist  and 
rebel  against  the  motions  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  provoke  God  to  withdraw  his 
Spirit,  and  give  them  up  to  final  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart,  the  grace  of 


88  APPENDIX. 

Bat,  as  Mr.  H.  has  undertaken  to  show  particularly  what  inability  does  not 
excuse,  Ave  will  attend  to  that,  and  see  if  he  has  given  any  better  account  of 
the  matter  than  they  do  whom  he  thinks  he  opposes.  He  says,  "  That  kind 
of  moral  inability  which  does  not  excuse  from  blame,  but  rather  aggravates  it, 
is  that  which  our  Savior  and  tlie  prophets  and  apostles  charge  upon  the  per- 
verse Jews,  when  they  say  they  liave  eyes  and  see  not,  ears  and  hear  not, 
hearts  capable  of  understanding,  and  yet  understand  not.  It  consists  in  an  in- 
disposition, and  perverse  refusal,  to  exert  those  moral  powers  which  men  have. 

He  has  here  given  a  very  good  account.  The  disease  lies  wholly  in  the 
indisposition  and  perverseness  of  the  will  or  lieart ;  therefore,  their  not  see- 
ing, and  all  their  inability  to  see,  is  their  own  fault.  This  account  is,  indeed, 
agreeable  to  Scripture,  and  to  reason  and  common  sense,  and  is  the  very 
same  they  give  of  the  matter  whom  Mr.  H.  thinks  he  is  opposing.  He  goes 
on :  "  But,  upon  the  principles  of  Mr.  Edwards's  scheme,  the  inability  of 
natural  men  to  see,  or  rather  taste,  the  sweetness  of  what  he  calls  virtue, 
consists  in  the  want  of  a  natural  faculty,  or  taste  suited  to  the  object."  This 
is  a  most  ungrounded  and  injurious  assertion,  directly  contrary  to  the  whole 
tenor  of  Mr.  Edwards's  writings.  I  might,  on  as  good  ground,  say  that, 
according  to  Mr.  H.  in  the  account  above,  men's  inability  to  see  consists  in 
the  want  of  a  natural  faculty,  because  they  want  a  disposition  or  heart  to 
see.  Men  sluit  their  own  eyes,  through  an  indisposition  and  perverse  refu- 
sal to  exert  tlie  powQjjs  they  have  in  seeing  and  relishing  divine  things.  The 
Spirit  of  God  alone  can  cure  this  evil  disease  of  the  heart  by  removing  this 
indisposition  and  perverse  refusal  to  see,  and  so  opening  the  eyes  of  the 
blind.  Tliis  is  a  renewing  the  will,  or  changing  the  heart,  to  discern  and 
taste  the  sweetness  and  excellence  of  true  holiness,  and  not  giving  any  new 
natural  faculty. 

the  gospel  is  vindicated,  and  they  perish  as  despisers  of  it.     This  belief  is  con- 
sistent with  my  doctrine  above." — Letter  to  Dr.  Whitaker,  p.  32. 
On  these  words  the  following  things  may  be  noted :  — 

1.  When  Mr.  H.  says  "the  mind  of  man  is  naturally  capable  of  being  in- 
fluenced and  changed  by  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  when  frrnily  believed  and 
realized,"  it  is  implied  that  it  is  not  naturally  capable  of  this  until  this  is  the 
case,  —  which  he  says  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  alone,  —  and  that  none  can 
believe  and  realize  it  unless  strongly  impressed  by  the  Spirit.  According  to 
this,  men  are  not  naturally  capable  of  holiness,  —  i.  e.,  have  no  natural  capacity, 
while  without  the  Spirit,  causing  them  to  realize  the  truth,  and  strongly  im- 
pressing it  on  their  minds,  —  therefore  cannot  be  under  obligation  to  be  holy. 
Thus  he,  who,  without  any  reason,  charges  Mr.  Edwards  with  holding  that 
sinners  have  no  natural  capacity  of  holiness,  does  himself  assert  it,  so  as  to  be 
justly  liable  to  the  charge. 

2.  He  places  all  the  sinner's  duty  in  improving  what  he  calls  common  grace, 
and  the  outward  helps  they  have  by  the  gospel,  as  far  as  as  they  are  improva- 
ble by  them.  This  they  may  do  without  the  exercise  of  the  least  degree  of 
holiness  ;  therefore,  they  are  not  obUged  to  be  holy,  they  not  being  capable  of 
it,  until  they  have  the  special  and  effectual  influence  of  the  Spirit.  Thus  Mr. 
Hart  holds  that  "  men  are  under  no  natural  obligation  to  be  virtuous  at  all." 
"With  how  poor  a  grace,  then,  does  this  objection  against  Mr.  Edwards's  doc- 
trine come  from  him  ! 

3.  His  bclkf  that  God  will  effectually  lead  them  on  to  saving  faith,  and  so 
regenerate  them  who  improve  the  common  influences  of  the  Spirit,  as  far  as 
they  are  improvable  by  them,  —  i.  e.,  as  far  as  is  consistent  with  reigning  lust 
and  enmity  against  God,  —  is  a  belief  without  any  evidence  from  Scripture,  or 
any  other  quarter ;  and,  therefore,  this  belief  is  doubtless  consistent  Avith  all 
his  doctrines,  as  it  is  with  all  the  doctrines  of  Ai'minians  and  Pelagians,  who 
have  as  much  of  this  fond  belief  as  Mr.  Hart. 


APPENDIX.  89 

And  now  the  reader  is  left  to  judge  whether  Mr.  H.  has,  in  any  measure 
supported  his  objection.     1  proceed  to  the  consideration  of  another. 

III.  Mr.  H.  says,  "  Mr.  Edwards  is  grossly  inconsistent  witli  himself  in 
what  he  says  of  natural  conscience." 

Mr.  H.  observes  Mr.  Edwards  says  that  "  natural  conscience,  if  well  in- 
formed, will  approve  of  true  virtue,  and  will  disapprove  and  condemn  the 
want  of  it ;  and  yet  without  seeing  the  true  beauty  of  it.  If  men's  consciences 
were  fully  enlightened,  as  they  will  be  at  the  day  of  judgment,  they  would 
approve  nothing  but  true  virtue."  And  then  remarks  upon  it,  "  Thus  natural 
conscience  does,  and  does  not,  can,  and  cannot,  taste  or  approve  the  true 
beauty  of  virtue." 

Answer.  What  has  been  said  in  answer  to  the  first  objection,  may  serve 
to  show  how  groundless  this  is,  and  that  Mr.  Edwards  is  perfectly  consistent 
here.  Reason  and  conscience  may  be  truly  convinced,  and  judge  that  virtue 
consists  in  general  benevolence,  and  in  nothing  else ;  and  therefore  that  this 
is  the  highest  beauty  and  excellence,  and  yet  the  mind  have  no  taste  for  this 
beauty,  and  consequently  no  true  discerning  of  it.  Reason  and  conscience 
may  be  so  enlightened  and  convinced,  as  to  judge  perfectly  right  in  this  mat- 
ter, which  will  doubtless  be  the  case  at  the  day  of  judgment,  without  any 
taste  of  the  beauty  of  virtue,  and  consistent  with  the  greatest  distaste  and 
abhorrence  of  it. 

Mr.  H.  might  as  easily,  and  with  as  much  reason,  fasten  a  contradiction 
on  our  Lord,  because  he  has  said  of  his  persecutors,  "  They  have  both  seen, 
and  hated,  both  me  and  my  Father,"  (John  xv.  24 ;)  and  yet  at  the  same  time 
said  of  the  same  persons,  "  They  liave  not  known  the  Father,  nor  me." 
(Chap.  xvi.  3.)  And  with  as  good  reason  might  he  charge  St.  John  with 
expressly  contradicting  his  Lord  and  Master,  when  he  says,  "  Whosoever 
sinneth  hath  not  seen  him,  neither  known  him."  (1  John  iii.  6.)  Whereas 
Christ  says  of  some  of  the  greatest  sinners,  "  They  have  seen  both  me  and 
my  Father."  In  a  word,  the  Bible  is  so  express  in  this,  that  they  who  do 
evil,  even  all  who  have  no  true  virtue,  whatever  advantages  they  are  under 
to  know  God,  and  Avhatever  knowledge  of  God  they  have  by  natural  con- 
science and  moral  sense,  yet  do  not  know  God,  nor  have  seen  him,  and  do 
not  see  nor  know  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  sum  of  all  holiness  in  God  and 
the  creature,  (John  xiv.  27, )  that  it  is  not  a  little  wonderful  Mr.  H.  should  take 
sucli  great  exceptions  against  Mr.  Edwards's  saying  the  same  thing,  and 
imagine  he  had  contradicted  himself. 

Mr.  Edwards  says,  natural  conscience,  when  well  informed,  and  thoroughly 
awakened,  approves  true  virtue,  and  indeed  approves  nothing  that  falls  short 
of  it.  Upon  this  Mr.  H.  says,  "  But  the  secondary  beauty  falls  short  of  it." 
Because  Mr.  Edwards  had  said  there  is  in  natural  conscience  a  taste  for 
secondary  or  natural  beauty,  he  supposes  he  has  here  contradicted  himself. 
But  all  the  seeming  contradiction  lies  in  Mr.  H.'s  mistake.  Mr.  Edwards's 
plain  meaning  is,  that  natural  conscience  is  capable  of  being  convinced 
what  true  virtue  is,  so  as  to  judge  or  pronounce  that,  and  nothing  which 
falls  short  of  it,  to  be  virtue.  There  may  be  a  taste  for  secondary  beauty, 
and  yet  conscience  not  approve  of  this  as  true  virtue  ;  but  pronounce  it  not 
to  be  so. 

The  following  words  of  Mr.  H.  are  remarkable.  Speaking  of  Mr.  Ed- 
wards's sentiments,  he  says,  "  At  the  day  of  judgment,  natural  conscience 
will  be  so  improved "  (i.  e.,  according  to  Mr.  Edwards)  "  as  to  see  the  true 
beauty  of  virtue,  consisting  in  general  benevolence,  and  wholly  approve  it ; 
which  nothing  but  virtuous  benevolence  can  do.  Will  not  the  wicked  then 
become  virtuous,  according  to  this  doctrine  ?  " 

Answer.  The  doctrine  is  not  Mr.  Edwards's,  but  Mr.  H.'s, ;  one  which 
he  has  invented  and  palmed  on  Mr.  Edwards.    Mr.  Edwards  does  not  say 

8* 


90  APPENDIX. 

that  conscience  will  at  the  day  of  judgment  see  the  true  beauty  of  virtue,  but 
he  says  directly  the  contrary  in  the  clearest  and  strongest  terms.* 

We  will  now  attend  to  Mr.  H.'s  account  of  natural  conscience  or  moral 
sense,  and  see  how  he  distinguishes  it  from  a  virtuous  taste,  between  Avhich 
he  says  there  is  "  a  real  and  essential  difference."  He  says,  "  By  the  moral 
discernment  and  taste  natural  to  man,  we  are  constituted  moral  agents.  By 
the  exercise  of  this  moral  fticulty,  the  things  that  are  morally  good  or  virtuous 
are  seen  to  be  so,  as  sucli  are  approved,  the  obligation  we  are  under  to  choose 
and  practise  them  is  felt  in  some  degree.  This  does  not  render  a  man  vir- 
tuous. To  render  a  man  truly  virtuous  or  holy,  his  heart  must  agree  with  his 
enlightened  conscience  or  moral  sense  ;  or,  in  other  Avords,  his  will  must 
choose  with  preferring  love,  and  a  determined  resolution  to  practise  what  is 
approved  and  recommended  by  the  moral  sense,  and  this  not  in  some  partic- 
ular branches  of  virtue  only,  but  in  its  whole  extent.  This  sense,  choice,  and 
attachment  of  heart  to  God,  or  to  virtue  and  its  interests,  is  that  wherein  a 
truly  virtuous  taste  or  spiritual  sense  consists,  as  distinguished  from  the 
natural,  moral  sense  of  the  mind ;  they  are  really  two  distinct  things,  though 
in  perfect  harmony. 

On  this  it  may  be  observed, — 

1.  What  Mr.  H.  here  says  may  be  understood  so  as  to  be  perfectly  con- 
sistent with  Mr.  Edwards.  He  distinguishes  natural  conscience  and  moral 
sense  from  the  heart  or  will,  and  supposes  the  latter  may  oppose  the  clearest 
dictates  of  the  former.  Mr.  Edwards  grants  that  by  natural  conscience  "  the 
things  that  are  morally  good  or  virtuous  are  seen  to  be  so,  as  such  are  ap- 
proved," so  far  as  they  can  be  seen  and  approved,  without  any  taste  or  appro- 
bation of  heart ;  and  the  obligation  we  are  under  to  choose  and  practise 
them  is  in  some  sense  and  degree  seen  and  felt,  and  that  a  virtuous  taste 
consists  in  quite  a  different  thing,  viz.,  a  disposition  to  love  and  choose  what 
a  well-enlightened  conscience  dictates  to  be  right.  And  this  is  all  Mr.  H. 
seems  to  say  here.  If  we  understand  him  as  meaning  no  more,  it  is  not  only 
consistent  witli  all  that  Mr.  Edwards  says  of  natural  conscience  and  a  virtu- 
ous taste,  but  he  will  be  consistent  with  himself  when  he  says,  "  They  who 
have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  God  as  their  teacher,  in  his  revelation  of  the 
hidden  things  of  God  to  men,  and  do  not  give  credit  to  his  supernatural  wit- 
ness to  their  truth,  but  act  under  the  biasing  and  blinding  influence  of  the 
spirit  of  error  and  worldly  lusts,  do  not  receive  these  things  as  true  and 
divine,  neither  can  they  know  them  to  be  so,  so  long  as  they  refuse  the  light 
and  witness  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for  they  are  spiritually  discerned.'.' — [Letter 

to  Dr.  JVh r,  p.  GO.)     I  do  not  pretend  to  understand  Mr.  Hart's  labored 

explanation  of  the  text  Avhich  speaks  of  the  natural  man's  not  discerning  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  He  is  to  me  very  dark  and  confused,  if  not 
inconsistent,  and  has  left  the  text  as  unintelligible,  at  least,  as  he  found  it. 

*  It  is  not  easy  to  say  how  Mr.  II.  could  be  guilty  of  this  gross  misrepre- 
sentation and  abuse,  who  is  so  great  an  advocate  for  fairness,  candor,  honesty, 
.and  justice  in  controversial  writings.  He  must  be  very  eager  to  find  contra- 
dictions, who  \\ill  take  such  a  method  to  do  it.  No  one  will  envy  Mr.  11.  the 
triumph  and  flourish  he  has  made  upon  this,  in  the  following  words  :  "  Error 
is  fated  to  run  crooked.  The  greatest  men  cannot  govern  and  keep  it  straight. 
It  is  our  wisdom  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Since  so  great  a  man  as  Mr. 
Edwards  could  not  alter  its  crooked  nature,  but  was  drawn  by  its  wily  turn- 
ings into  numberless  inconsistencies,  it  is  in  vain  for  others  to  attempt  to 
manage  so  involved  a  creature."  Tlie  error,  the  crookedness,  be  upon  Mr.  H. 
It  lies  wholly  with  him.  If  the  great  Edwards,  -who  wrote  with  so  much 
clearness  and  precision,  may  be  so  perverted  and  charged  in  the  lump  with 
numberless  inconsistencies,  it  is  truly  in  vain  for  others  to  attempt  to  tame  the 
crooked,  involved  creatui-e,  who  will  do  all  this. 


APPENDIX.  91 

However,  I  tliink  we  may  safely  conclude  that  in  the  passage  now  quoted  by 
them  who  have  not  received  the  Spirit,  and  do  not  give  credit  to  his  witness, 
he  mearts  all  unholy  men.  And  these,  he  says,  do  not  receive  the  things  of 
God  as  true  and  divine,  neither  can  they  know  them  to  be  so.  Then  cer- 
tainly they  do  not  see  tlieir  true  beauty  and  excellence  —  their  blinding  lusts 
do  effectually  blind  their  eyes  to  this ;  for  if  they  see  tliis,  they  must  see 
them  to  be  true  and  divine,  and  know  them  to  be  so.  Now  this  is  all  that 
Mr.  Edwards  asserts.  This  therefore  makes  him  inconsistent  with  himself 
in  opposing  Mr.  Edwards  ;  for  he  is  herein  opposing  himself  as  much. 

3.  But  if  we  understand  him  here  as  saying  any  thing  really  in  opposition 
to  Mr.  Edwards,  and  agreeable  to  what  he  elsewhere  supposes  and  asserts, 
viz.,  that  men  who  have  no  virtuous  taste  do  see  the  true  beauty  and  ex- 
cellence of  virtue,  and  relish  it  as  such,  he  has  not  only  expressed  himself 
in  a  very  dark,  ambiguous  manner,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  know  wliat  he 
means,  but  is  inconsistent  with  the  above-quoted  passage  of  his  own,  and 
even  with  himself  in  this  very  passage ;  but,  what  is  Avorse,  he  contradicts 
the  Bible,  as  well  as  plain  reason  and  common  sense.     For,  — 

3.  To  see  the  amiableness  and  excellence  of  an  object,  and  taste  and  relish 
it,  as  beautiful  and  excellent,  is  precisely  the  same  with  loving  that  object 
v.rith  a  love  of  complacence.  Therefore,  if  men  naturally  see  God's  holiness 
as  amiable,  beautiful,  and  excellent,  and  have  a  relish  for  it,  as  such,  they  do 
know  God  in  the  highest  sense  of  knowing  him,  and  they  do  love  him ;  for  these 
are  one  and  the  same  thing.  To  say  there  is  no  love  in  this  sweet  sense  and 
relish  of  God's  amiableness,  is  contrary  to  reason  and  common  sense.  And 
to  say  that  men  naturally  have  such  a  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  is  contrary 
to  Scripture,  and  is  contrary  to  this  verj^  passage  of  Mr.  H.'s  ;  for  he  says 
this  natural  conscience  and  moral  taste  is  a  different  thing  from  a  virtuous 
taste ;  yea,  there  is  an  essential  difference  between  them,  and  does  not  imply 
any  relish  or  choice  of  the  object,  but  the  choice  or  will  may  be  directly  op- 
posed to  it.  What,  then,  does  Mr.  H.  mean  by  his  moral  taste  ?  He  gave 
such  a  description  of  it  in  his  Dialogue,  tJiat  it  was  thought  it  necessarily 
implied  a  degree  of  true  love  to  God,  and  to  holiness,  or -a  really  virtuous 
taste ;  but  when  he  saw  this  construction  was  put  upon  it,  he  complained 
that  he  was  greatly  abused,  and  said  he  meant  no  such  thing ;  but  has  not 
yet  shown  liis  consistence  in  this,  so  far  as  I  can  judge.  He  asserts  that  "  a 
perception  of  beauty  is  not  love  "  of  beauty  ;  but  has  offered  no  proof,  nor 
will  he  ever  do  it.*     Therefore,  — 

4.  The  only  way  I  can  tliink  of  to  make  Mr.  H.  in  any  measure  consistent 
with  himself  in  these  things,  is  to  suppose  that  by  moral  taste,  by  which  the 
true  beauty  of  virtue  is  seen  and  relished,  he  intends  the  same  thing  in  kind 
with  a  virtuous  taste ;  and  that  the  difference  lies  wholly  in  the  different  de- 
grees of  the  same  kind  of  thing.  That  when  this  sight  and  relish  of  the 
beauty  and  excellence  of  virtue  is  in  so  low  a  degree  as  not  to  govern  the 
mind,  and  suppress  all  contrary  lusts,  it  is  not  true  love  to  God  or  to  holiness, 
so  is  not  a  holy  love ;  that  this  consists  not  in  this  low  degree  of  relish  and 
love,  but  in  a  "  preferring  love,"  which  so  prevails  as  to  bear  down  all  opposite 


*  He  has  attempted  to  show  that  his  moral  taste,  and  sense  of  the  amiable- 
ness of  holiness,  is  not  love  of  holiness,  in  his  letter  to  Dr.  Whitaker,  to  which 
the  reader  is  referred.  I  do  not  see  any  proof  of  this  in  all  that  he  has  there 
said.  The  most  that  he  says,  is  an  account  of  natural  conscience  and  moral 
taste,  very  consistent  with  that  which  Mr.  Edwards  gives,  and  he  makes  a 
proper  distinction  between  this  and  the  heart,  choice  or  will,  in  its  jnds'raent  in 
favor  of  virtue,  etc.  But  he  has  not  shown  that  there  may  be  a  sight  of  the 
beauty  and  amiableness  of  holiness,  and  a  taste  and  relish  for  it,  without  any 
exercise  of  heart  or  choice  in  favor  of  it,  and  while  the  heart  hates  and  opposes 
it.     Unless  he  can  do  this,  his  cause  cannot  be  maintained. 


92 


APPENDIX. 


lusts.  His  way  of  expressing  himself  on  this  head  gives  ground  to  think 
this  is  his  notion.  In  the  passage  under  consideration,  he  says  this  moral 
sense,  common  to  all  men,  approves  of  virtue,  and  feels  the  obligation  they 
are  under  to  practise  it,  in  some  degree  ;  but  does  not  render  tliem  virtuous, 
while  vicious  lusts  prevail,  and  the  prevailing  relish  of  the  heart  is  in  opposi- 
tion to  tliis  moral  sense.  To  render  a  man  truly  virtuous  or  holy,  his  will 
must  choose  with  preferring  love  and  determined  resolution  to  practise  what 
is  approved  by  the  moral  sense.  And  he  always  speaks  after  this  manner  on 
this  subject.  He  says  a  man  may  see  and  approve  the  beauty  of  virtue,  in 
some  degree,  Avhen  the  ruling  dispositions  and  exercises  of  his  heart  are 
inconsistent  with  this.  Speaking  of  men  who  have  no  virtue,  he  says,  "  Their 
hearts  in  many  instances  concur,  in  some  degree,  v.itli  the  moral  sense  of 
their  minds.  A  sense  of  equity,  moral  honor,  of  gratitude,  a  spirit  of  benev- 
olence, compassion,  etc.,  and  some  kind  of  regard  to  God  influence  them  to 
do  many  worthy  deeds,  when  yet  they  will  deny  and  counteract  all  these  for 
some  other  lusts,  and  under  greater  temptations,  and  liave  no  etfectually  gov- 
erning regard  to  God,  and  to  virtue,  its  interests  and  reward.  The  heart 
does  not  embrace  the  truths  believed  with  governing  love."  He  expresses 
hunself  in  the  same  way  on  this  head,  in  his  letter  to  Dr.  Whitaker.  He 
says,  "  The  sight  and  taste  of  the  amiableness  of  holiness,  and  approbation  of 
actions  and  characters  morally  good,  is  not  holy  love,  as  it  is  not  the  same 
with  their  being  chosen  and  embraced  by  the  will,  in  preference  to  all  that 
stands  in  competition  with  them."  And  that  it  "  is  not  the  same  thing  with  a 
supreme  love  and  preferring  choice  of  them  by  the  heart,  which  is  essential 
to  true  virtue."  He  does  not  say  there  is  no  degree  of  real  love  of  holiness 
in  this  sight  and  relish  of  the  true  beauty  of  it ;  but  he  says  it  is  not  holy 
love,  i.  e.,  supreme  love  and  preferring  choice. 

These  expressions  are  suited  to  such  a  notion  of  virtue  as  consists  in  a 
prevailing,  governing  degree  of  the  same  kind  of  dispositions  and  exercises 
which  all  men  have  ;  but  are  not  true  virtue  till  they  rise  to  such  strength 
and  high  degree  as  to  rule  and  govern  in  the  heart.  And,  I  tliink,  they  are 
not  consistent  with  any  other  notion  of  it. 

But  if  this  is  liis  notion,  he  has  designedly  covered  himself,  and  carefully 
avoided  speaking  out  plainly,  v/hich  if  lie  had  done,  we  should  better  know 
what  to  say  to  him.  For  it  might  be  easily  proved  that  such  a  notion  of 
virtue  is  very  unreasonable,  and  contrary  to  the  Bible.  And  it  does  not 
well  consist  with  his  saying,  that  this  same  taste  and  relish  of  the  true  beauty 
of  virtue  is  essentially  different  from  a  virtuous  taste ;  for  the  things  which 
are  of  the  same  nature  and  kind,  and  differ  only  in  degree,  cannot  properly 
be  said  to  have  an  essential  difference.  So  that  even  this  supposition  will 
not  make  him  consistent.  I  hope,  if  he  ever  writes  again,  he  will  honestly 
and  with  all  plainness  tell  what  he  means.* 

As  a  conclusion  to  this  and  the  foregoing  section,  the  following  observa- 
tions may  be  made  :  — 

1.  The  Holy  Scripture  represents  all  men  who  are  not  true  believers,  and 
not  born  of  the  Spirit,  as  in  such  darkness  and  blindness  that  they  do  not 
see  and  know  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  cannot  see  the  things  of  God's 
kingdom,  (Jolm  iii.  3 ;)  do  not  see  the  Spirit  of  God,  (John  xiv.  17 ;)  nor 
can  discern  the  things  of  the  Spirit,  (1  Cor.  ii.  14  ;)  so  that  the  gospel  is  hid 
from  them,  (2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4.)  That  they  only  who  have  a  virtuous  taste, 
and  are  regenerate,  do  know  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  (John  xvii.  3 ;  1  John 
iv.  8,)  and  taste  his  goodness,  (Ps.  xxxiv.  8 ;  1  Pet.  ii.  3 ;)  i.  e.,  discern  and 

*  This  was  Dr.  Mayhcw's  scheme,  though  he  did  not  think  it  best  to  declare 
it  expressly  in  any  of  his  publications.  And  this  is  the  scheme  of  most  Armin- 
ians,  and  of  many  who  call  themselves  moderate  Calviiiists.  Eut  none  of  them, 
I  tliink,  have  yet  undertaken  expressly  to  vindicate  it  before  the  public. 


APPENDIX.  93 

relish  his  moral  perfection,  or  holiness,  which  is  love,  or  goodness.  And 
they  only  liave  "  the  light  of  the  knowledg-e  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ,"  (2  Cor.  iv.  (),)  —  with  respect  to  which  all  the  unregenerate 
are  in  total  darkness,  —  wliicli  glory  can  be  nothing  else  but  holiness,  which 
is  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  moral  world.  And  yet  the  Scripture  repre- 
sents these  persons  wlio  are  thus  blind  as  actually  blamable  for  not  having 
that  virtue  and  holiness  which  they  do  not  see,  and  not  loving  what  is  hid 
from  them ;  and  that  this  blindness  and  unbelief  is  itself  a  very  great  crime, 
though  they  cannot  be  cured  of  it  so  as  to  sed  the  marvellous  light  of  God's 
beauty  and  glory  by  any  thing  but  the  mighty  power  of  God  quickening  and 
new-creating  them,  making  them  now  creatures,  opening  their  eyes,  or  giv- 
ing them  eyes  to  see,  or  a  new  heart,  a  heart  to  perceive  and  understand. 

Now,  since  this  is  the  Scripture  account,  it  is  sufficient  to  support  all  that 
Mr.  Edwards  has  said  on  this  head,  and  ought  to  silence  all  Mr.  H.'s  objec- 
tions, until  he  can  show  that  it  is  not  the  same  with  that  which  Mr.  Edwards 
has  given,  and  is  consistent  with  unregenerate  men  seeing  and  relishing 
these  things  in  a  sense  and  manner  in  which  Mr.  Edwards  says  they  do  not; 
for,  as  the  case  now  stands,  his  objections  seem  to  be  equally  against  the 
Holy  Scriptures. 

2.  What  Mr.  Edwards  has  said,  and  Mr.  H.  objects  against,  is  perfectly 
agreeable  to  reason  and  experience.  That  they  wlio  have  no  virtue,  and 
whose  hearts  are  wliolly  governed  by  contrary  inclinations  and  lusts,  cannot, 
wliile  they  remain  so,  see  and  relisli  the  beauty  of  true  virtue,  is,  in  a  sense, 
a  self-evident  proposition,  as  the  contrary  implies  a  most  evident  contradic- 
tion.* Besides,  we  know  by  experience  that  we  get  the  idea  of  all  those 
things  wliich  belong  to  the  mind  and  heart  by  what  takes  place  in  our  own 
minds  and  hearts,  and  cannot  obtain  it  any  other  way.  For  instance,  we 
obtain  the  idea  of  love  by  the  exercise  of  this  in  our  own  hearts ;  if  nothing 
of  this  kind  had  ever  taken  place  in  our  minds,  we  could  not  have  any  true 
idea  of  it ;  and  though  men  exercise  a  sort  of  love,  and  so  know  what  it  is, 
yet,  if  this  is  a  love  which  is  distinct  in  its  nature  from  disinterested  benevo- 
lence, it  will  not  help  them  to  the  true  idea  of  such  benevolence,  and  they 
never  can  have  it  till  this  takes  place  in  their  hearts.  The  inclination  and 
lusts  of  tlieir  hearts,  which  are  inconsistent  with  the  least  degree  of  benevo- 
lent love  and  goodness,  do  necessarily  blind  their  eyes,  and  shut  all  true 
knowledge  of  this  love,  all  true  sense  and  relish  of  its  beauty,  out  of  their 
minds.  However,  they  may,  from  the  various  tastes  and  exercises  of  their 
hearts  and  tlieir  mental  powers,  be  able  to  reason  well  upon  the  subject,  and 
be  convinced  tliat  benevolence  and  the  affections  included  in  this  is  true 
virtue,  and  that  nothing  wliich  falls  short  of  it  is  virtue,  or  has  any  moral 
excellence.  And  as  their  eyes  are  shut  to  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  this  is 
excluded  from  their  hearts  by  nothing  but  their  lusts,  they  really  close  their 
own  eyes  to  keep  the  light  from  them,  and  are,  therefore,  wholly  inexcusable 
in  their  ignorance  and  lusts ;  and  their  conscience  may  be  convinced  of  this, 
and  tliat  they  are  justly  condemned  for  their  blindness  and  want  of  holiness. 
•  3.  Mr.  H.  has  really  acknowledged  all  this,  even  all  that  Mr.  Edwards  has 
asserted,  so  that  all  his  opposition  to  Mr.  Edwards  is,  in  effect,  opposition  to 
himself.  This  has  been  evident,  I  conclude,  to  every  attentive,  discerning 
reader,  from  what  has  been  observed.  He  allows  that  the  eyes  of  all  unbe- 
lievers are  fast  closed  and  shut,  so  as  not  to  receive  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  —  which  cannot  be  opened  but  by  the  powerful  work  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  —  and  tliat  this  blindness  is  so  far  from  excusing  men  for  not  being  vir- 
tuous, and  not  seeing  its  beauty,  that  it  rather  aggravates  their  guilt ;  —  tliat 

*  This  is  so  evident  that  a  heathen  could  say,  •'  A  miud  destitute  of  virtue 
cannot  see  the  beauty  of  truth." — Hierocles. 


94  APPENDIX. 

all  the  children  of  Adam  are  naturally  without  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  that 
while  they  are  in  this  case  —  in  which  they  all  are  till  they  receive  the  spirit 
of  Christ,  and  become  true  believers  in  him  —  "  they  are  led  and  influenced 
in  their  judgment*  concerning  these  things"  (i.  e.,  the  things  of  the  gospel) 
"  by  the  spirit  that  is  of  this  world ;  i.  e.,  act  under  the  biasing  and  blinding 
influence  of  the  spirit  of  error  and  worldly  lusts.  Such  do  not  receive  these 
things  as  true  and  divine,  neither  can  they  know  them  to  be  so.  They  may, 
in  some  measure,  see  what  his  doctrine  is,  and  see  his  works  and  witness  by 
the  gospel  revelation,  but  they  do  not  see  the  Spirit  of  God  in  them."  —  {Let- 
ter to  Dr.  W.,  pp.  60,  61.) 

If  they  do  not  see  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  doctrines  and  works  of  Clirist, 
they  do  not  see  tlieir  holiness,  but  all  the  beauty  of  this  is  entirely  hid  from 
them ;  for  he  who  is  blmd  to  the  Holy  Spirit  is  blind  to  holiness  itself.  This 
needs  no  proof.  Now  this  is  all  that  is  implied  in  what  Mr.  Edwards  has 
said.  I  know  Mr.  H.  says,  that,  according  to  Mr.  Edwards's  doctrine,  men 
have  no  naturstl  capacity  by  which  they  may  see  the  beauty  of  virtue,  and 
become  holy,  and  that  they  can  be  brought  to  this  only  by  the  unmediate, 
physical,  miraculous  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  etc.,  but  this  might  as  reason- 
ably be  charged  on  Mr.  H.'s  doctrine,  and  as  easily  proved. 

4.  Not  only  man's  blindness  to  the  beauty  of  true  virtue,  which  Mr.  Ed- 
wards speaks  of,  is  consistent  with  their  obligations  to  holiness,  but  they 
may  be  obliged,  though  their  reason  and  conscience  be  blinded  and  deceived. 
It  is  not  necessary  that  natural  conscience  and  moral  taste  should  dictate 
riglit,  and  pronounce  true  holiness  to  be  so,  and  that  it  is  beautiful  and  excel- 
lent, and  the  contrary  wrong  and  liateful,  in  order  to  the  man's  being  under 
obligations  to  be  holy,  and  wholly  to  blame  for  not  being  so.  A  man  may 
be  so  deceived  as  to  believe,  in  his  conscience,  that  the  highest  virtue  is 
nothing  but  a  piece  of  wickedness,  and  that  he  ought  to  hate  it,  and  yet  be 
under  obligations  to  love  and  practise  it.  This  all  will  grant,  I  conclude. 
The  reason  is,  because  such  blindness  of  the  judgment  and  conscience,  and 
perversion  of  the  moral  taste,  is  wholly  owing  to  the  blinding  lusts  of  the 
heart;  so  that,  if  the  heart  Avere  right,  reason  and  conscience  would  judge 
according  to  truth.  And  if  the  heart  remains  blind,  and  sees  not  the  beauty 
and  exellence  of  virtue,  but  hates  it,  though  the  dictates  of  the  conscience 
are  right,  and  reason  pronounces  it  beautiful  and  lovely,  is  not  this  as  blama- 
ble,  at  least,  as  if  reason  and  conscience  agreed  with  the  heart  ?  Shall  the 
blinding  lusts  of  men's  hearts  take  off"  all  obligations  to  love  what  they  dis- 
relish and  hate,  though  conscience  tell  them  that  it  is  excellent  and  lovely, 
when  this  same  blindness  of  heart,  if  it  blinds  the  conscience  too,  and  bribes 
that  to  agree  with  it,  would  be  altogether  blamable  ?  How  unreasonable, 
then,  is  Mr.  H.'s  objection  against  Mr.  Edwards's  doctrine  of  the  blindness 
of  men's  hearts  with  respect  to  the  beauty  of  virtue  !  —  as  if,  according  to 
this,  they  were  under  no  obligation  to  holiness !  And  it  is  now  left  to  the 
reader  to  judge  whether  all  his  objections  against  Mr.  Edwards's  account  of 
true  virtue  are  not  equally  without  foundation. 


*  "In  their  judgment."  If  by  judgment  here  Mr.  H.  means  reason  and  con- 
science judging,  he  carries  the  matter  much  farther  than  Mr.  Edwards  does, 
and  farther  than  the  truth ;  for  he  says  the  judgment,  in  this  sense,  may  be 
right  and  according  to  the  truth,  even  in  men  destitute  of  the  Spirit,  and  under 
the  dominion  of  the  spirit  of  this  world  and  their  blinding  lusts.  It  is  granted 
that  lust  and  sin  in  the  heart  does,  in  many  instances,  blind  and  pervert  the 
reason  and  conscience  of  men ;  but  this  is  not  always  so.  K  by  "judgment " 
he  means  the  taste  and  discerning  of  the  heart,  he  asserts  the  same  thing  which 
Mr.  Edwards  does,  and  which  he  himself  objects  against. 


APPENDIX.  95 


SECTION  IV 

Mr.  Harfs  Account  of  the,  Essential  JVature  of  True  Virtue,  and  of  a  defective 
Sort  of  Virtue,  considered. 

As  Mr.  Hart  had  opposed  Mr.  Edwards's  notion  of  true  virtue  as  wrong, 
and  subversive  of  all  religion,  and  then  undertook  to  show  what  is  the  es- 
sential nature  of  true  virtue,  we  mig^ht  reasonably  expect  he  would  fix  on 
something  which  is,  in  its  nature,  essentially  different  from  that  which  Mr. 
Edwards  describes,  and  particularly  show  what  it  is,  and  wherein  the  differ- 
ence lies ;  but  we  are  wholly  disappointed.  He  has  not  described  virtue  so 
as  to  give  his  readers  any  clear  idea  of  it,  or  show  wherein  it  differs  from 
that  which  Mr.  Edwards  describes.  He  says  true  virtue  consists  in  equitable 
affection  towards  God  and  our  fellow-creatures.  This  is  consistent  with 
what  Mr.  Edwards  has  said.  According  to  him,  it  consists  in  equitable 
affection ;  and  he  has  particularly  shown  what  this  is,  and  that  nothing  is 
equitable  affection  but  benevolence  to  being  in  general,  and  the  affections 
included  in  this. 

And  when  what  Mr.  Hart  says  about  his  "  equitable  affection "  is  put  to- 
gether, it  will  agree  to  nothing  else  but  the  same  universal  benevolence,  or 
love  to  being  in  general,  which  he  seems  to  think  he  is  opposing.  He  allows 
that  all  equitable  affection,  or  holiness  in  the  creature,  consists  in  love,  and 
speaks  of  this  as  a  love  of  kindness,  or  benevolence,  —  a  "  friendly  regard  " 
to  the  object  beloved,  —  and  says  this  is,  "in  effect,  universal  love,"  and  that 
this  universal,  friendly  love  is  a  conformity  to  God's  holiness,  which  must, 
therefore,  consist  in  this  same  love.  And  he  particularly  speaks  of  this 
equitable  affection  in  God  as  exercised  in  universal  love,  or  goodness,  Avhich 
is  the  same  with  love  to  being  in  general,  or  to  being  as  such,  viz.,  a  disposi- 
tion "  to  give  his  family  of  rational  creatures  as  great  a  measure  of  happi- 
ness as  can  be  communicated  by  the  exercise  of  a  paternal  government  over 
them."  Thus  we  see  Mr.  H.  represents  his  equitable  affection  as  a  fiiendly 
love,  which  is  really  universal  benevolence,  which  is  love  to  being  in  general. 
And  he  says,  "This  spirit  of  equitable, /nc?ir//j/ re^ar^  will  dispose  the  vir 
tuous  mind  to  behave  to  every  one  in  a  manner  suitable  to  their  various 
characters,  offices,  and  relations."  This  "  friendly  regard  "  is  benevolence, 
and  nothing  else ;  and  it  must  be  universal  benevolence  if  it  will  dispose  to 
behave  to  evenj  one  in  a  suitable  manner.  And  this  must  be  true  virtue  in  its 
essential  nature,  and  comprehend  the  whole  of  holiness,  as  this  will  lead  to 
all  right  exercises  and  conduct  towards  every  one. 

Mr.  H.  seems,  indeed,  to  suppose  that  he  is  here  opposing  Mr.  Edwards's 
notion  of  true  virtue,  as  essentially  wrong,  and  repeatedly  asserts  it  to  be  so ; 
but,  as  his  assertions  do  not  so  much  respect  the  essential  nature  of  true  vir- 
tue as  the  manner  in  which  it  takes  place  and  begins  in  men,  and  the  cause 
and  medium  by  which  it  is  produced,  and  as  he  says  nothing  here  on  this 
head  which  he  had  not  said  before,  and  has  been  considered,  and  since  he 
does  not  pretend  to  argue,  but  seems  to  expect  the  reader  will  believe  his 
bare  assertions  without  any  manner  of  proof,  they  are  not  worthy  of  any  fur- 
ther attention.  However,  it  may  be  proper  to  take  a  little  notice  of  two 
passages  in  this  chapter. 

Mr.  H.  having  asserted  that  "  God  himself  is  the  source  and  support  of 
virtue  in  us,  which  is  the  attraction  and  active  tendency  of  our  minds  towards 
him,  in  consequence  of  their  being  brought  under  the  attractive  influence  of 
his  blessed  character  and  gracious  love  to  us  in  Jesus  Christ,"  goes  on  to  say: 
"  To  talk  of  a  moral  change  in  the  mind,  forming  the  heart  to  a  virtuous 
temper,  as  preceding  this  attraction  of  God  upon  the  mind,  and  as  necessary 


96 


APPENDIX. 


to  render  that  effectual,  is  the  same  ahsurtlity  in  divinity,  or  moral  philosophy, 
as  it  would  be  in  natural,  to  assert  that  a  body  naturally  cold  must  first 
change  its  nature,  and  become  of  a  hot  nature,  like  the  sun,  before  it  can  be 
warmed  by  the  action  of  the  sun's  rays  upon  it,  however  near  the  sun  may 
approach  towards  it. 

Answer.  A  body  naturally  cold  must  be  of  such  a  nature  and  construc- 
tion as  to  receive  the  rays  of  light  and  heat  from  the  sun,  or  imbibe  them  so 
that  they  shall  be  in  a  sense  incorporated  with  it,  in  order  to  its  being  warmed 
by  them.  If  a  body  should  not  be  of  such  a  nature  and  construction,  but 
formed  so  as  to  repel  the  rays  of  the  sun,  no  degree  of  heat  from  the  sun 
would  impart  the  least  heat  to  that  till  the  nature  of  it  is  changed,  or  without 
the  exertion  of  a  power  upon  it  entirely  different  from  the  influence  of  the 
heat  of  the  sun.  Mr.  H.'s  instance  is,  therefore,  not  to  the  purpose ;  for  it 
does  not  appear  that  it  is  the  least  absurdity  in  natural  philosophy  to  assert 
that  a  body  perfectly  cold,  and  of  such  a  nature  as  to  repel  all  heat,  cannot  be 
warmed  by  the  action  of  the  sun's  rays  upon  it,  for,  by  the  supposition,  they 
cannot  act  upon  it  while  it  is  of  such  a  nature. 

The  other  passage  I  would  take  notice  of  is  in  the  following  words : 
"Virtue,  as  it  respects  our  neighbor,  summarily  consists  in  loving  him  as 
ourselves ;  which  implies  that  there  is  a  love  of  ourselves  which  is  virtuous 
and  approved  of  God ;  otherwise,  our  loving  our  neighbor  as  ourselves  could 
not  be  a  virtuous  love."  What  Mr.  H.  here  observes  is  doubtless  true,  and 
his  argument  just  and  conclusive.  There  is  a  love  of  ourselves  which  is 
virtuous ;  but  this  is  not  self-love,  for  this  is,  in  every  degree  of  it,  sinful,  but 
it  is  that  love  of  ourselves  which  is  implied  in  universal  benevolence.  This 
has  been  already  particularly  considered.*  Therefore,  if  Mr.  H.  by  "  a  love 
of  ourselves  "  meant  selfishness,  or  any  thing  different  from  universal  benev- 
olence, his  assertion  is  not  true. 


Mr.  Hart  has  a  chapter  on  "  that  defective  Sort  of  Virtue  which  is  found 
in  some  unregenerate  Men,"  to  which  I  shall  now  attend.  He  says  "  It  is, 
undoubtedly,  true  in  fact  that  many  men  who  are  not  truly  religious  practise 
many  duties.  Their  hearts,  in  many  instances,  concur,  in  some  degree,  with 
the  moral  sense  of  their  minds.  A  sense  of  equity,  of  moral  honor,  of  grati- 
tude, and  a  spirit  of  benevolence,  compassion,  and  some  kind  of  regard  to 
God,  influence  them  to  do  many  worthy  deeds,  worthy  in  some  respects :  so 
are,  in  a  great  degree,  inconsistent  with  themselves  in  their  dispositions  and 
conduct."  And  he  says  of  him  who  practises  these  duties,  "  The  action  he 
does  is  a  right  action,  in  respect  to  what  is  positive  in  it,  commanded  by 
God ;  and  the  motive  on  which  lie  acts  is  a  right  motive  —  one  of  the  motives 
God  wills  him  to  be  influenced  by."  He  says  this  is  not  true  virtue,  not 
because  it  is  not  in  itself  right  and  duty,  but  because  it  is  not  attended  with 
something  else  which  ought  to  take  place,  viz.,  an  effectually  governing  re- 
gard to  God. 

On  this  the  following  observations  may  be  made :  — 

1.  There  seems  to  be  a  great  absurdity  in  this,  viz.,  that  a  man's  heart 
should  concur,  in  some  degree,  with  his  enlightened  conscience,  or  moral 
sense,  and  he  have  a  spirit  of  true  benevolence,  and  some  kind  of  regard  to 
God,  under  the  influence  of  which  he  does  his  duty  —  what  God  requires  — 
from  the  motives  which  God  has  commanded  him  to  be  influenced  by,  and 
yet  not  exercise  the  least  degree  of  true  holiness.  This  is,  indeed,  a  great 
paradox,  and  seems  to  be  as  much  of  a  contradiction  as  to  say  a  man  may  be 
holy  and  yet  have  no  holiness.  If  a  person  may  do  his  duty,  and  liave  his 
heart  conformed  to  the  law  of  God  in  the  exercise  of  true  gratitude,  benevo- 

*  See  preceding  Inquiry,  Sect.  IV.  pp.  25,  26,  27. 


APPENDIX.  97 

lence,  and  compassion,  or  mercy,  and  yet  not  exercise  any  true  virtue,  it  is, 
doubtless,  impossible  to  tell  what  virtue  is.  If  it  does  not  consist  in  benevo- 
lence, in  duty,  and  obedience  to  the  law  of  God  and  confornuty  of  heart  to  it, 
we  may  despair  of  ever  finding  it  in  any  creature. 

Mr.  H.  says  this  is  not  true  virtue,  but  "  essentially  deficient,"  because 
there  is  no  governing  or  religious  regard  to  God.  But  this  is  so  far  from 
giving  a  rational  account  of  the  matter,  that  it  supposes  what  is  impossible, 
viz.,  that  the  former  may  be  without  the  latter.  There  is  no  such  character 
in  nature  as  Mr.  H.  here  gives.  He  whose  heart  is  opposed  to  a  religious 
regard  to  God  is  equally  opposed  to  every  thing  which  God  has  commanded. 
He  who  is  benevolent  and  merciful  knows  God  and  loves  him,  and  cannot 
but  have  a  religious  regard  to  him.  (Jer.  xxi.  15,  16.  Matt.  v.  7.)  Mr.  H. 
says,  "  It  is  undeniably  true  in  fact  that  there  is  such  a  character  ;"  but  he 
has  asserted  this  in  opposition  to  Scripture  and  reason ;  yea,  he  has  herein 
opposed  himself,  for,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  he  represents  love  to  our 
fellovv'-men,  and  all  equitable  regard  to  them,  as  the  fruit  of  love  to  God,  and 
flowing  from  it,  being  "  the  result  of  a  truly  pious  and  filial  regard  to  him." 
Here  he  asserts  that  this  equitable  regard  to  men  —  a  regard  to  justice,  be- 
nevolence, and  compassion  —  takes  place  when  there  is  no  religious  regard 
to  God  ;  and  that,  when  this  religious  regard  to  God  is  added  to  this  benevo- 
lence, it  is  sanctified  by  it,  and  forms  a  truly  virtuous  character.* 

2.  Since  Mr.  H.  has  only  asserted  these  things,  without  attempting  any 
proof  of  them,  I  have  none  of  his  arguments  to  answer.  He  has,  however, 
referred  to  two  passages  of  Scripture  as  an  illustration  of  what  he  asserts, 
which  perhaps  ought  to  be  considered.  He  observes,  when  the  Jews  had 
set  their  servants  free,  according  to  God's  command,  but  soon  brought  them 
into  bondage  again,  God,  reproving  them  for  their  last  conduct,  says,  with 
reference  to  their  dismissing  them,  "  Ye  had  done  right  in  my  sight."  (Jer. 
xxxiv.  15.)  This  he  mentions,  I  conclude,  to  prove  that  wicked  men,  who 
have  no  true  virtue,  may  do  that  which  is  right  in  God's  sight. 

Answer.  God  in  these  words  has  reference  to  their  external  conduct, 
and  not  to  their  hearts  and  the  motives  from  which  they  acted ;  and  speaks  to 
them  not  as  the  searcher  of  hearts,  but  as  looking  on  their  outward  conduct, 
and  treating  them  accordingly.  Mr.  H.  allows  that  all  the  actions  which 
spring  from  vicious  motives  and  lusts  of  heart  are  positively  vicious.  But  it 
is  pretty  evident  the  Jews  did  not  let  their  servants  go  free  from  any  higher 
or  less  vicious  motive  than  that  which  influenced  them  to  bring  them  inta 
bondage  again.  The  king  of  Babylon  had  laid  close  siege  to  the  city,  and 
they  feared  the  destruction  that  was  tlireatened.  The  prophets  told  them  to 
dismiss  their  servants,  as  one  way  to  obtain  deliverance  ;  but  when  their 
danger  seemed  to  be  over,  the  Chaldeans  having  raised  the  siege  in  order  to 
repel  Pharaoh's  army  which  was  coming  for  the  relief  of  the  Jews,  they 
brought  their  servants  into  bondage  again.  They  did  not  release  them  from 
any  regard  to  justice,  from  benevolence  and  compassion,  but  from  the  same 
sordid,  selfish  motive,  under  the  influence  of  which  they  forced  them  into 
their  service  again  when  they  thought  the  danger  of  the  evil  was  over,  from 
fears  of  which  they  let  them  go.  They  acted  from  the  same  motive  v>'hich 
induced  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptians  to  let  the  Israelites  go ;  and,  therefore, 
"when  their  fears  of  destruction  were  removed,  they  repented  as  Pharaoh  did. 

*  This  passage  is  agreeable  to  the  notion  that  all  men  have  some  degree  of 
that  love  to  God  and  their  neighbor  in  Avhich  true  holiness  consists  ;  but,  being 
defective,  i.  e.,  not  governi»<j  love,  it  cannot  be  called  holiness.  The  whole  of 
this  chapter  is  suited  to  such  a  notion,  as  is  most  Mr.  H.  says  elsewhere  of  his 
moral  taste,  though  he  has  some  expressions  which  seem  to  be  inconsistent 
■with  this.  (See  pp.  91,  92,  of  this  Appendix.) 
VOL.    III.  9 


98 


APPENDIX. 


And  I  concluiie  Mr.  H.  will  not  say  that  Pharaoh  exercised  even  his  "  defec- 
tive sort  of  virtue  "  in  letting  the  people  of  Israel  go,  and  even  thrusting 
them  out  of  Egypt. 

Mr.  H.  represents  this  defective  virtue  —  which  he  says  is  "  good,"  and 
"  doing  well,"  so  far  as  it  goes,  "  the  agent  being  faulted  only  for  that  which 
is  wanting  in  his  work"  —  by  what  he  says  is  called  historical  faith,  of  which 
St.  James  says,  "  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God  ;  thou  doest  well :  " 
but,  lest  men  should  rest  here,  he  adds,  "  the  devils  also  believe,  and  trem- 
ble." This  he  brings  as  a  proof  that  wicked  men  may  do  well,  and  supposes 
that,  to  encourage  them  to  do  better,  the  apostle  adds,  "the  devils  also 
believe,  and  tremble."  It  is  evident,  at  first  view,  that  he  tells  them  their 
doing  well  was  no  better  than  what  the  devils  do ;  yea,  he  represents  the 
devils  as  going  farther  than  they  did,  for  they  not  only  believe,  but  tremble. 
Can  any  one  seriously  think  the  apostle  meant  to  represent  the  devils  as 
doing  well  ?  This  is  shocking,  indeed  !  As  well  may  we  suppose  our  Savior 
commends  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  as  doing  well,  when  he  says,  "  Full 
well  ye  reject  the  commandment  of  God."  (Mark  vii.  9.)  The  sense  of  the 
apostle's  words  is  as  plain  and  natural  as  of  these  words  of  Christ,  and  they 
are  spoke  in  the  same  way :  as  if  he  hud  said,  "  You  believe  there  is  one 
God.  Well  done !  a  fine  attainment  this  !  This  is  to  do  as  well  as  the  devils, 
except  that  they  not  only  believe,  but  tremble  also."  It  is  to  be  observed 
that  the  word  used  by  Christ,  translated/w//  ivell,  is  the  same  that  the  apostle 
uses  here.  If  Mr.  H.'s  defective  sort  of  virtue  is  "  fitly  resembled  "  to  this 
faith,  as  he  says  it  is,  and  is  found  to  as  great  degree,  at  least,  among  the 
devils  as  "  in  some  unregenerate  men,"  it  turns  out  to  be  a  very  low,  "  de- 
fective sort  of  virtue  "  indeed,  by  which  they  who  have  it  are  not  much  dis- 
tinguished from  the  worst  of  men,  unless  they  are  much  worse  than  devils.* 

Mr.  H.  says,  "  There  are  certain  middle  principles  or  springs  of  action, 
wrought  into  the  mind  of  man  by  our  gracious  Creator,  which,  though  they 
are  not  virtuous,  and  do  not  necessarily  imply  a  principle  of  virtue  in  the 
heart,  yet  are  friendly  to  virtue,  and  espouse  its  cause  within  us,  suppose  the 
mind  duly  instructed.  Such  are  reason,  natural  conscience,  the  moral  sense 
or  taste,"  etc. 

Remark  1,  It  seems  to  be  a  contradiction  that  there  should  be  any  thing 
in  the  mind  of  man  which  is  friendly  to  virtue  which  is  not  virtue,  nor  implies 
any  principle  of  virtue  in  the  heart.  Can  there  be  any  thing  in  the  heart 
friendly  to  virtue,  which  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  virtue .'  If  a  man  is 
a  true  friend  to  virtue,  we  think  we  may  safely  pronounce  him  a  virtuous 
n^an. 

Remark  2.  What  Mr.  H.  instances  here  are  consistent  with  the  highest 
degree  of  wickedness,  as  they  take  place  in  a  higher  degree  in  devils  than 
in  men.  Reason  and  natural  conscience,  if  enlightened,  do,  in  a  sense, 
"  espouse  the  cause  of  virtue,"  i.  e.,  bear  testimony  in  its  favor.  But  this  is 
consistent  with  the  greatest  degree  of  vice,  and  serves  to  set  the  sinner  fur- 
ther from  all  virtue,  if  possible,  by  rendering  him  more  criminal  and  vile ; 
for  the  more  clear  this  testimony  is,  the  more  opposition  is  made  to  it  by  the 
sinner,  and  the  more  criminal  he  is  in  refusing  to  cornply  with  the  dictates 
of  his  conscience.  This  Mr.  H.  himself  allows.  He  says,  "These  have 
some  degree  of  influence  in  natural  men."  I  ask.  What  influence  ?  Do 
they  influence  them  in  the  least  degree  to  comply  with  that  whose  cause 
they  espouse  ?    This  Mr,  H.  denies,  for  this  would  make   them  virtuous. 

*  Mr.  H.  complains  of  Dr.  Whitaker  for  saying  "  man  is  turned  devil," 
and  says,  "  Before  he  gets  out  of  his  hands  he  makes  him  look  worse  than  a 
devil."  But  he  has  now  fallen  into  the  same  wickedness  himself,  while  he 
represents  those  men  who  do  not  believe  and  tremble  as  worse  than  devils. 


APPENDIX.  99 

All  the  influence  they  can  have,  then,  while  their  hearts  oppose  virtue,  is  to 
render  this  opposition  more  vile  and  criminal,  as  well  as  stronofer,  and  more 
directly  turned  against  that  in  which  true  virtue  consists.  Mr.  H.  allows 
that  if  men  resist  the  call  of  renson  and  conscience,  and  refuse  to  comply 
with  their  dictates,  they  hereby  becunic  mucli  worse,  and  that  herein  consists 
the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin ;  but  this  they  do  so  long  as  they  refuse  to 
become  truly  virtuous,  if  conscience  espouses  the  cause  of  virtue  in  them. 
What  room,  then,  is  there  left  for  Mr.  H.'s  "  defective  sort  of  virtue,"  by 
means  of  the  dictates  of  natural  conscience  ?  It  is  wholly  excluded,  or 
rather  is  nothing  but  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin. 

Renuirk  3.  If  we  should  grant  all  Mr.  Hart  says  here,  that  "  there  are 
principles  or  springs  of  action,  wrought  into  the  mind  of  man  by  our  gra- 
cious Creator,  wliich  are  friendly  to  virtue,"  why  may  not  a  principle  of 
true  virtue  be  wrought  into  the  mind  by  God,  as  well  as  tliese  principles 
wliich  are  friendly  to  virtue  ?  These  principles  of  action,  wliich  are  favora- 
ble to  virtue,  are  not  wrought  in  the  mind  by  moral  power,  or  the  power  of 
divine  truth,  or  love,  bat  by  creating  power,  I  conclude  Mr.  H.  will  allow. 
Why  may  not  the  principles  and  springs  of  virtuous  actions  themselves  be 
w^rought  into  the  mind  in  the  same  way  and  by  the  same  power  ?  Tlie  same 
power  that  can  form  in  the  mind  principles  friendly  to  virtue,  can,  doubtless, 
create  virtuous  principles  themselves  in  the  very  same  way. 

Mr.  H.,  speaking  of  his  defective  sort  of  virtue,  says,  "  There  is  an  essen- 
tial defect  in  the  agent,  which  renders  him  not  well  accepted.  His  action  is 
essentially  deficient,  and  cannot  be  accepted  as  an  instance  of  true,  divine 
virtue."  And  yet  he  says,  in  ttic  same  page,  "  There  is  something  in  them 
which  is  right,  and  required  by  God.  This  is  approved,  not  abhorred  and 
thrown  back  as  dung  in  the  faces  of  the  doers  of  them."  This  seems  to  be 
no  less  than  a  contradiction.  The  same  doings  are  not  well  accepted,  and 
cannot  be  accepted,  and  yet  they  are  approved,  i.  e.,  are  accepted ;  for  I  con- 
clude accepted  and  approved  mean  the  same  thing.  Besides,  is  it  not  very 
unreasonable,  and  even  daring  presumption,  to  say  that  the  infinitely  lioly 
God  approves  of  tliat  moral  exercise  and  conduct  which  is  confessed  not  to 
be  of  the  nature  of  holiness  ? 

On  the  whole,  Mr.  H.  in  this  chapter  censures  them  who  represent  all  the 
doings  of  the  unregenerate  as  having  nothing  in  their  nature  but  sin  and  an 
abomination  to  God,  and  their  best  moral  actions  as  altogether  vicious  and  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  spirit  and  law  of  God,  but  has  offered  no  matter  of 
conviction  from  Scripture  or  reason.  Any  judicious  person  who  reads  this 
chapter  must  be  sensible  how  empty  it  is  of  any  shadow  of  argument. 

This  middle  character,  this  sort  of  exercises  and  doings  which  are  neither 
sinful  nor  holy,  is  not  known  in  the  Bible,  and  is  a  mere  chimera,  full  of 
inconsistencies.  This,  I  trust,  will  appear  to  any  one  who  attends  to  the 
account  given  from  the  Scripture  of  holiness  and  sin,  in  the  foregoing 
Inquiry.  The  Scripture  representation  of  all  men  by  nature  is,  that  "  there 
is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one;"  (Rom.  iii.  12;) — that  the  mind, 
the  whole  heart,  of  every  one  who  has  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  is  enmity 
against  God  and  his  law.  (Rom.  viii.  7-9.)  And  Christ  says,  "He  that  is  not 
for  me  is  against  me.  Either  make  the  tree  good,  and  his  fruit  good,  or  else 
make  the  tree  corrupt,  and  his  fruit  corrupt."  Mr.  H.  has  not  taken  this 
advice,  but  has  made  the  fruit  of  a  tree,  which  he  acknowledges  to  be  cor- 
rupt, not  corrupt,  but  good,  even  so  good  as  to  be  approved  by  God  ! 


APPENDIX    II. 


REMARKS  ON  SOME  PASSAGES  IN  THE  PIECE,  ENTITLED,  "  THE 
VISIBLE  CHURCH  IN  COVENANT  WITH  GOD,  FURTHER  ILLUS- 
TRATED. CONTAINING,  ALSO,  A  BRIEF  REPRESENTATION  OF 
SOME  OTHER  GOSPEL  DOCTRINES  WHICH  AFFECT  THE  CONTRO- 
VERSY. INTERSPERSED  WITH  REMARKS  UPON  SOME  THINGS 
ADVANCED  BY  DR.  BELLAMY  AND  MR.  HOPKINS  IN  THESE 
IMPORTANT  POINTS.      BY  MOSES  MATHER,  A.  M." 


Mr.  Mather's  " representation  of  some  other  gospel  doctrines"  is  founded 
wholly  on  the  account  he  gives  of  self-love.  If  Avhat  he  says  of  this  is 
true,  he  has,  indeed,  made  some  new  discoveries,  upon  which  he  has  built  a 
system  of  doctrines.  He  says,  As  self-love  is  essential  to  man  as  a  moral 
agent,  Adam  was  possessed  of  it  in  a  state  of  perfect  holiness,  and  he  had 
this  same  self-love  when  he  had  turned  rebel  against  God ;  and  as  God  was 
now  become  his  enemy,  and  all  the  divine  perfections  were  against  him,  and 
stood  engaged  to  destroy  him,  to  love  God  in  this  situation  would  be  the 
same  with  loving  his  own  misery  and  total  destruction,  which  being  contrary 
to  his  self-love  which  God  had  implanted  in  him,  it  was  naturally  impossible 
he  should  love  God.  Nor  was  it  his  duty  to  love  him  in  these  circumstances, 
as  it  was  not  only  injpossible,  but  contrary  to  the  divine  command,  for  he 
was  commanded  to  love  himself.  And  all  Adam's  posterity  are  in  much  the 
same  state  he  was  in  after  the  fall,  so  that  it  is  neither  possible  for  them,  nor 
their  duty,  to  love  God  until  they  understand  and  believe  the  gospel,  which 
sets  the  divine  character  in  a  new  light,  and  opposite  to  that  in  which  it 
appears  in  the  law,  and  declares  his  love  and  kindness  to  them.  This  dis- 
covery and  belief  will  reconcile  their  hearts  to  God  so  that  they  cannot  but 
love  him,  and  embrace  the  gospel  from  this  same  principle  of  self-love,  from 
which  they,  before  this,  necessarily  hated  God  ;  and,  therefore,  need  no  new 
principle  in  their  hearts  in  order  to  turn  to  God  and  become  real  Christians.* 

*  !»Ir.  M.  does  not  expressly  say  it  is  the  duty  of  men  to  hate  God  before 
they  believe  the  report  of  the  gospel,  but  this  is  necessarily  implied  in  what  he 
says  ;  for  the  same  self-love  which  renders  it  impossible  to  love  God  renders 
it  equally  impossible  not  to  hate  hira,  while  he  is  considered  as  disposed  to 
destroy  them  ;  and  if  we  are  commanded  to  exercise  this  self-love  which  is 
opposed  to  God,  this  is  the  same  with  being  commanded  to  oppose  and  hate 
him  !  Mr.  M.  thinks  he  has  proved  this  self-love  is  commanded,  from  the 
words  of  the  command,  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  This  argu- 
ment has  been  confuted  in  the  preceding  Inquiry.    (^See  pp.  26,  27.) 


APPENDIX.  101 

All  this  Mr.  M.  thinks  he  has  demonstrated  by  the  help  of  self-love,  using  the 
word  without  any  fixed,  determinate  meaning,  and  in  different  senses. 

When  he  says  self-love  is  essential  to  man,  as  a  moral  agent,  he  means  a 
general  love  of  happiness ;  but  when  he  infers  from  this  that  Adam's  self- 
love,  after  he  had  sinned,  rendered  it  impossible  for  him  to  love  God,  he 
means  quite  a  different  thing  by  self-love,  viz.,  selfishness,  which  is  most 
properly  called  self-love.  Nothing  is,  therefore,  necessary,  in  order  to  see 
the  futility  of  all  he  says  on  this  head,  but  to  attend  to  what  has  been  said  on 
tills  subject  in  the  preceding  Inquiry,  pp.  22-27. 

When  Adam  saw  himself  condemned  by  the  law  of  God,  and  all  the  divine 
perfections  were  against  him,  had  he  been  a  benevolent  friend  to  the  greatest 
good  of  the  whole,  he  might,  with  the  greatest  gust  for  happiness,  have 
placed  his  happiness  in  the  honor  of  God,  as  the  greatest  good,  and  dreaded 
his  dishonor,  and  an  injury  done  to  his  government  and  kingdom,  as  the 
greatest  evil,  and  most  heartily  say,  "  Let  God  be  glorified ;  let  his  govern- 
ment be  maintained,  and  his  kingdom  flourish,  whatever  becomes  of  me,  or 
any  other  creature."  And  he  miglit  have  been  pleased  with  God's  perfec- 
tions and  law,  as  excellent  and  woilliy  to  be  loved  and  honored,  though  they 
were  against  him,  and  implied  his  destruction ;  for  their  excellence  appeared 
in  this  very  thing.  Nothing  was  inconsistent  with  this  but  that  selfishness 
in  which  all  his  rebellion  consisted.  In  short,  nothing  was  in  the  Avay  of 
Adam's  loving  God  in  this  state  but  liis  sin,  consisting  in  a  disposition  to 
love  himself  only,  and  exalt  himself  above  God,  which  was  implied  and  acted 
out  in  his  first  rebellion.  And  if  this  rendered  it  not  his  duty  to  love  God, 
and  made  hatred  of  him  no  crime,  th>^'n  his  first  rebellion  was  no  sin,  and 
there  never  was,  nor  will  be,  any  such  thing  as  sin ;  for  every  one  that  rebels 
against  God  does  it  in  the  exercise  of  that  self-love  which  is  contrary  to  lov- 
ing and  obeying  him. 

Mr.  M.,  by  the  help  of  his  "  self-love,"  also  undertakes  to  show  that  what 
I  have  published  concerning  the  state  and  character  of  the  unregenerate 
cannot  be  true.  I  have  represented  an  unregenerate  sinner,  Avho  is  awak- 
ened t(5  fearful  apprehensions  of  the  wrath  to  come,  and  has  a  painful  sense 
of  his  continual  exposedness  to  it,  and  is  convinced  in  his  conscience  that 
salvation  is  freely  offered  to  him,  and  that  it  is  his  duty  and  highest  interest 
to  embrace  the  offer  and  return  home  to  God,  that  in  this  way  and  no  other 
he  may  escape  the  evil  he  dreads,  and  be  eternally  happy,  —  under  all  this 
light  and  conviction  of  conscience  yet  obstinately  refusing  to  embrace  the 
gospel,  and  his  heart  rising  against  God,  more  directly  and  with  greater 
strength  than  it  did  before  he  had  this  conviction,  in  horrid  exercises  of 
hatred,  enmity,  and  fixed  opposition  to  God's  character  and  government.  Mr. 
Mather  says  this  is  impossible,  as  it  is  contrary  to  self-love ;  —  that  human 
nature  is  not  capable  of  acting  such  a  part,  as  this  would  be  disinterested 
malice  — yea,  more,  "  such  a  fixed,  inveterate  malice  as  overcomes  all  regard 
to  his  own  happiness  in  the  sinner's  lieart." 

Answer.  Upon  the  principle  on  which  Mr.  Mather  opposes  me  here,  the 
sinner  always  heartily  complies  with  what  his  judgment  and  conscience  are 
convinced  is  for  his  interest ;  for  if  his  heart  may,  in  any  instance,  refuse  to 
embrace  what  he  is  convinced  in  his  conscience  would  be  for  his  interest  to 
embrace,  he  may  do  so  in  any  instance,  evl'n  in  the  instance  before  us ;  and 
all  Mr.  M.  says  is  against  the  former  as  much  as  the  latter :  but  that  the 
former  is  true  none  will  deny.  Is  there  no  instance  in  our  world  of  a  per- 
son's refusing  to  comply  with  what  he  was  convinced,  in  his  conscience,  was 
his  duty,  and  for  his  own  interest  ?  Are  there  not  innumerable  instances  of 
this  every  day  ?  —  yea,  have  we  not  all  a  witness  in  our  own  breasts  that  our 
hearts  in  many  instances  have  not  conformed  to  the  dictates  of  our  con- 
sciences, but  have  refused  to  love  and  embrace  that  which  we  have  been 
convinced  in  our  consciences  would  be  for  our  highest  interest  to  love  and 
9* 


102  APPENDIX. 

embrace  ?  Mr.  M.  is  not  such  a  stranger  to  mankind  and  to  himself  as  to  be 
insensible  of  this,  I  conclude.  And  if  a  man's  heart  may  oppose  his  con- 
Bcience,  tellinrj  hiin  what  is  most  for  his  interest  in  one  instance,  it  may  in 
another,  and  in  any  supposable  case  -whatsoever.  Does  Mr.  M.  think  that 
nothin<T  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  conversion  of  a  sinner  but  to  convince 
his  judg-ment  and  conscience  that  it  is  for  his  interest  to  embrace  the  gospel, 
and  that  all  who  have  this  conviction  are  certainly  converted  and  saved  ? 
Surely  !ic'  does  not.  Why,  then,  has  he  supposed  it  in  his  opposition  to  the 
proposition  under  consideration  ? 

And  when  a  sinner's  heart  exercises  itself  as  in  the  case  before  us,  it  sup- 
poses no  disinterested  malice,  or  any  thing  contrary  to  the  greatest  degree 
of  self-love  ;  yea,  it  is  purely  from  self-love,  and  because  his  heart  is  under 
the  dominion  of  this,  that  he  thus  opposes  the  dictates  of  his  conscience,  and 
hates  God,  his  law  and  government,  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel ;  and  that 
because  all  these  are  contrary  to  self-love.  The  sinner's  heart  must  cease 
from  loving  himself  wholly,  and  love  God  supremely,  and  exercise  that  be- 
nevolence which  loves  and  seeks  the  glory  of  God  and  the  general  good,  in 
order  to  be  willing  to  embrace  the  gospel.  This  the  selfish  or  unregenerate 
heart  is  fixed  in  opposition  to ;  and  the  more  clear  conviction  he  has  in  his 
conscience  that  it  is  for  his  interest  to  love  God,  and  the  more  his  conscience 
is  convinced  of  the  truths  respecting  the  divine  character,  the  nature  and 
true  import  of  the  gospel,  the  more  fully  will  he  find  these  things  to  be  con- 
trary to  his  heart,  or  his  selfishness,  and,  consetjuently,  the  more  strong  and 
vigorous  will  be  the  opposition  of  his  heart  to  them. 

The  pride  of  a  man's  heart  may  oppose  true  humility,  and  be  the  only 
reason  of  his  obstinately  refusing  to  submit  to  it,  while  under  a  conviction 
of  conscience  that  to  be  humble  is  the  only  way  to  be  truly  happy  and  hon- 
orable. The  pride  of  a  man's  heart,  which,  at  bottom,  is  nothing  but  selfish- 
ness, se^ks  honor  and  happiness  which  are  not  the  honor  and  happiness  that 
attend  humility,  but  of  a  different  and  opposite  kind.  And  his  being  con- 
vinced in  conscience  that,  in  opposing  humility,  he  opposes  the  greatest 
good,  will  not  alter  the  taste  and  bent  of  his  heart,  or  render  the  honor  and 
happiness  that  attend  humility  any  more  agreeable  to  his  pride  than  they 
were  before.  The  proud  heart  will  oppose  humility  at  all  times,  and  under 
all  imaginable  convictions  of  conscience:  so  the  selfish  heart  will  oppose 
benevolence,  and  every  tiling  that  implies  it,  whatever  conviction  of  con- 
science there  may  be  that  selfishness  is  the  source  of  continual  misery,  and 
that  the  benevolent  are  only  happy.  You  may  convince  the  conscience  of 
the  covetous  miser  that  it  is  his  duty,  and  for  liis  interest,  to  be  charitable 
and  liberal,  as  with  such  a  disposition  he  would  enjoy  himself  more,  and 
have  more  comfort  in  what  he  possessed,  and  hereby  lay  up  immense,  eternal 
riches.  But  would  this  certainly  make  his  selfish,  covetous  heart  cliaritable 
and  liberal,  or  do  any  thing  towards  it?  It  might  induce  him  to  give  some- 
thing to  the  poor,  but,  so  far  as  he  is  influenced  to  this  by  mere  selfishness, 
it  would  be  as  far  from  charity,  and  as  really  opposite  to  it,  as  were  any  of 
his  former  exercises.  How,  then,  it  will  be  asked,  shall  this  selfish  churl 
become  liberal  ?  Answer.  Not  merely  by  being  convinced  in  his  judgment 
that  to  be  liberal  is  the  only  way  to  become  truly  rich  and  happy,  and  hence 
from  his  selfishness  desiring  and*^ttempting  to  be  liberal,  (for  all  such  desires 
are,  by  supposition,  selfish  desires  and  attempts,  and  as  opposite  to  liberality 
as  were  his  former  desires  and  attempts,)  but  by  having  a  new  heart  given 
him  —  a  truly  benevolent,  liberal,  bountiful  heart. 

Mr.  M.  says,  "  If  the  enmity  of  our  hearts  is  really  a  principle  of  disin- 
terested malice,  it  must  be  owned  that  tlie  more  it  is  opposed  by  the  light 
and  convictions  of  conscience,  it  will  work  in  our  hearts  after  the  manner 
here  described  ; "  —  i.  e.,  the  more  light  and  conviction  the  conscience  has, 
the  higher  will  the  fixed  hatred  and  opposition  of  the  heart  rise  against 


APPENDIX.  103 

God  ;  —  and  he  grants  that,  on  this  supposition,  "  no  light  and  conviction  of 
conscience  can  humble,  subdue,  and  convert  the  heart ; "  and  that,  "  there- 
fore, regeneration  is  the  effect  of  mere  and  immediate  divine  power." 

I  am  as  confident,  as  Mr.  M.  or  any  one  else  can  be,  that  there  is  no  such 
tiling  in  nature  as  "disinterested  malice  ;"  and  if  it  can  be  made  to  appear 
tliat  any  thing  I  have  asserted  concerning  the  unregenerate  implies  any  such 
thing,  I  am  ready  to  retract  it.  All  sinful  exercises  are  interested  and  sel- 
fish :  all  sin  consists  in  self-love,  and  those  aftections  that  are  implied  in  it 
and  flow  from  it.  There  is  properly  no  disinterested  affection  but  that  in 
which  holiness  consists.     Tliis  has  been  proved  in  the  foregoing  Inquiry. 

And  why  is  not  the  exertion  of  more  and  immediate  power  as  necessary 
to  subdue  the  heart  which  is  under  the  power  of  this  selfishness,  as  if  it  was 
full  of  disinterested  malice  ?  And  how  will  conviction  of  conscience  remove 
the  former,  and  turn  it  into  benevolence,  any  more  than  the  latter  ?  I  believe 
none  can  give  any  reason  for  this.  I  think,  therefore,  Mr.  Mather  has  really 
granted  the  whole  I  have  asserted,  by  his  concession  under  consideration. 
Selfishness  is  as  opposite  to  holiness,  or  disinterested  benevolence,  in  its 
whole  nature  and  all  its  exercises,  as  disinterested  malice  could  be,  if  any 
such  thing  Avere  possible,  and  the  former  is  as  strong  and  fixed  a  principle  as 
the  latter  could  be.  Let  any  one  give  a  good  reason  why  disinterested 
malice,  were  this  possible,  might  not  be  removed  by  light,  or  conviction  of 
conscience,  and  that  mere  and  immediate  divine  power  is  necessary  to  sub- 
due and  convert  such  a  heart,  and  it  will  be  as  good  a  reason  why  Jill  this 
must  be  true  of  a  heart  wholly  gnder  the  dominion  of  that  self-love  which  is 
most  opposite  to  holiness  of  any  thing  in  nature,  and,  indeed,  the  only  thing 
in  the  heart  that  can  oppose  it. 

This  brings  the  matter  in  dispute  to  a  point,  and  may  lead  us  to  see  what 
is  the  ground  of  our  difi'erence  on  this  head.  It  has  its  foundation  in  differ- 
ent notions  of  the  nature  of  true  holiness,  and  so  of  God's  moral  character, 
which  is  the  sum  and  pattern  of  all  true  holiness.  If  the  true  scriptural 
holiness  has  been  described  in  the  foregoing  Inquiry,  then  all  must  grant 
that  what  I  liave  advanced  about  the  state  and  character  of  the  unregenerate, 
and  the  necessity  of  "  mere  and  immediate  divine  power  "  to  change  the  sin- 
ner's heart,  must  be  true  and  agreeable  to  Scripture.  Mr.  Hart  acknowl- 
edges this,  and  Mr.  M.  implicitly  acknowledges  it  in  the  passage  now  under 
consideration.  Tlie  truth  is,  if  holiness  consists,  in  whole,  or  in  part,  in 
selfishness,  or  if  this  is,  in  any  degree,  friendly  to  true  holiness,  and  does  not 
oppose  it,  then  he  who  has  all  possible  depravity  may  be  recovered  to  holi- 
ness without  any  immediate  divine  power  exerted  to  change  his  heart. 
Nothing  is  needful  in  order  to  this,  but  to  have  his  conscience  enlightened  to 
see  what  holiness  is,  how  agreeable  it  is  to  his  selfishness,  and  suited  to  gratify 
it,  and  what  kindness  and  wonderful  love  God  exercises  towards  him,  which 
is  suited  to  affect  and  win  his  selfish  heart,  and  draw  forth  strong  exercises 
of  love  to  them  that  love  him,  while  God  requires  nothing  of  him  that  is  not 
perfectly  agreeable  to  self-love,  —  I  say,  on  this  supposition  nothing  is  need- 
ful in  order  to  conversion,  but  that  liglit  and  conviction  of  conscience  which 
shall  bring  these  things  into  clear  view. 

But  then  it  must  be  observed,  such  a  conversion  is  really  no  cliange  of 
heart  at  all.  It  is  supposed  that  the  perfectly  selfish  heart  is  disposed  to  love 
God  and  holiness,  and  embrace  the  gospel,  whenever  they  are  truly  and 
properly  set  before  it;  and  love  to  God  and  holiness,  and  embracing  the 
gospel,  are  nothing  but  selfishness  exercised  towards  these  things ;  and  all 
religion  and  holiness  is  nothing  but  self-love,  and  what  springs  from  this 
root;  and  that  disinterested  affection,  which  has  been  spoken  of  as  opposite 
to  selfishness,  and  as  that  in  which  all  true  holiness  consists,  is  no  part  of 
holiness,  but  a  mere  chimera,  being  as  contrary  and  impossible  to  human 
nature  as  disinterested  malice.    Here  lies  the  great  difference  between  us, 


104  APPENDIX. 

even  in  our  different  and  opposite  notions  of  the  nature  of  holiness,  and  of 
the  div^ine,  moral  character.  If  we  were  aofreed  in  this,  we  should  be  agreed 
in  oui  notions  about  total  depravity,  the  state  and  character  of  the  unregen- 
erate,  regeneration,  etc.  Mr.  M.  makes  the  total  depravity  of  fallen  man, 
primarily  and  radically,  to  consist  in  his  incapacity  of  loving-  God,  —  because 
this  was,  in  that  state,  contrary  to  self-love,  —  together  with  the  darkness 
that  was  on  his  mind.  But  this  cannot  properly  be  called  depravity,  as  it  is 
not  in  the  least  degree  sinful,  it  being  naturally  impossible,  and  so  not  his 
duty,  to  love  God  in  these  circumstances.  But,  if  it  were  allowed  to  be  sin- 
ful depravity  in  some  degree,  it  cannot  be  total  depravity,  according  to  Mr. 
Mather,  for  this,  his  self-love,  was  a  good  thing,  even  a  duty  which  was 
commanded  in  the  divine  law ;  and  it  was  ready  to  flow  out  in  love  to  God 
whenever  he  should  be  revealed  in  a  truly  amiable  light,  even  as  the  kind 
Savior  of  siimers.  According  to  this,  self-love  is  itself  holiness,  and  that  in 
which  it  radically  and  summarily  consists. 

I  have  said  [Sei-mon  on  Regeneration)  that  the  doctrines  of  the  total  cor- 
ruption of  man,  and  regeneration  by  light  in  the  understanding,  were  incon- 
sistent with  each  otlier,  and  no  one  has  yet  proved  the  contrary ;  but  the 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  this  assertion  rather  increases,  in  that  all  who  under- 
take to  vindicate  this  notion  of  regeneration  do,  in  order  to  do  it,  really  deny 
total  depravity.  If  self-love  is  so  friendly  to  holiness,  and  such  an  essential 
ingredient  in  it,  that,  when  the  conscience  is  properly  enlightened,  this  same 
self-love  will  grow  up,  and  act  out,  in  all  the  branches  of  holy  love,  then 
man  is  not  totally  depraved,  for  he  has  thig  good  principle  in  him,  which, 
being  cultivated,  will  grow  up  into  all  holiness.  But  if  self-love  is,  in  every 
degree  of  it,  opposed  to  holiness,  and  that  in  which  human  depravity  con- 
sists, and  fallen  man  is  wholly  under  the  power  of  this,  and  the  more  strongly 
this  is  exerted  the  more  he  opposes  God  and  holiness,  then  no  degree  of 
light  and  conviction  of  conscience  will  change  his  heart,  or  produce  new  and 
opposite  principles  there ;  but  the  more  light  and  conviction  is  in  the  con- 
science the  more  clearly  the  hateful  object,  holiness,  is  set  before  the  mind, 
the  more  directly  and  vigorously  will  self-love  hate  and  oppose  it.  This  all 
will  grant,  on  the  supposition  made ;  so  tliat  the  dispute  really  is,  whether 
man  is  totally  depraved,  and  what  true  holiness  is  —  whether  it  is  opposed  to 
selfishness,  or  whether  selfishness  itself  is  not  friendly  to  it.  The  dispute, 
therefore,  is  to  be  determined  by  determining  what  true  holiness  is.  if  the 
foregoing  is  a  true  and  scriptural  account  of  it,  the  controversy  is  decided 
by  tlie  confession  of  all.  I  hope,  therefore,  in  all  disputes  on  this  head,  for 
the  future,  that  which  at  bottom  is  in  question  will  be  kept  in  view,  viz., 
What  is  holiness  ?  What  is  the  divine  character  ?  What  is  God?  If  we  can 
be  agreed  in  this,  we  shall  agree  in  all  the  rest. 

Mr.  Mather  says,  "  But  Solomon  did  not  apprehend  that  natural  corruption 
"vould  rise  the  higher  the  more  it  is  opposed.  '  Foolishness  is  bound  in  the 
heart  of  a  child ;  but  the  rod  of  correction  shall  drive  it  far  from  him.'  (Pr. 
xxii.  15.)  If,  then,  this  corruption  does  not  necessarily  rise  the  higher  the 
more  it  is  opposed,  but  does  sometimes  yield,  why  may  we  not  suppose  that 
the  Father  of  our  spirits,  through  light  powerfully  impressed  on  the  con- 
science by  the  Holy  Spirit,  may  obtain  a  more  complete  victory  over  this 
corruption  than  ever  is  obtained  "by  human  correction,  even  so  as  that  it  may 
be  truly  mortified  ?  " 

In  answer  to  this  it  may  be  observed,  if  these  words  prove  any  thing 
against  the  doctrines  I  have  advanced,  they  prove  too  much  —  more  than 
Mr.  M.  himself  will  grant,  or  can  be  true,  consistent  with  the  whole  current 
of  Scripture.  If  foolishness  means  natural  corruption  in  general,  and  the  rod 
of  correction  will  drive  it  far  from  him,  then  it  is  overcome  and  mortified, 
and  there  is  no  need  of  any  thing  else  in  order  to  effect  it,  or  to  obtain  a 
jdore  complete  victory  over  this  corruption,  than  is  obtained  by  the  rod  of 


APPENDIX.  105 

» 

correction.  If  the  rod  of  correction  will  remove  and  subdue  tliis  corruption 
in  any  degree,  no  reason  can  be  given  why  it  may  not  wholly  remove  and 
subdue  it.  Therefore,  the  consequence  from  the  words  is  this  :  "  If,  then, 
the  natural  corruption  of  the  heart  does  yield,  and  will  submit,  under  the 
discipline  of  the  rod,  why  may  we  not  suppose,  yea,  be  certain,  that  the  rod 
of  correction,  properly  and  powerfully  applied,  will  obtain  a  complete  victory 
over  it?"     If  this  reasoning  is  not  just,  neither  is  Mr.  Mather's. 

These  words  may  be  taken  in  three  different  senses,  and  let  which  will 
be  the  right,  neither  of  them  are  to  Mr.  Mather's  purpose. 

1.  By  the  "  rod  of  correction  "  may  be  meant  the  whole  of  parental  disci- 
pline and  education.  This,  when  wisely  and  faithfully  administered  and 
practised,  may,  by  divine  constitution  and  promise,  be  connected  with  the 
deliverance  of  the  child  from  sin,  so  that  God's  blessing,  and  his  giving  a 
new  heart  to  a  child,  is  the  certain  attendant  or  fruit  of  such  education  and 
discipline.  In  this  sense  the  words  in  the  sixth  verse  of  this  chapter  may 
be  understood :  "  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is 
old  he  will  not  depart  from  it."  And  agreeably  to  this  it  is  expressly  said, 
"Withhold  not  correction  from  the  child.  Thou  shalt  beat  him  with  the 
rod,  and  shalt  deliver  his  soul  from  hell."  (Pr.  xxiii.  13,  14.)  If  God  has 
promised  to  the  child  which  is  faithfully  and  wisely  educated  under  parental 
discipline,  and  brought  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  deliv- 
erance from  sin  and  hell,  tliis  does  not  determine  any  thing  about  the  manner 
in  which  God  effects  this,  whether  he  gives  a  new  heart  by  light,  or  imme- 
diate divine  influence.  And  it  is  consistent  with  the  child's  being  more 
perverse,  and  his  corruption  rising  higlier  and  growing  stronger  under  disci- 
pline, if  God's  blessing  should  be  withlield. 

2.  If  these  words,  witli  the  others  just  mentioned,  only  import  that  this  is 
a  proper  means  and  tlie  likeliest  way  to  turn  a  child  from  sin,  and  promote 
his  salvation,  they  determine  nothing  with  regard  to  the  matter  in  dispute. 

3.  If  by  "  foolishness  "  is  here  meant,  not  corruption  of  heart  in  general, 
but  those  particular  exercises  and  outbreakings  of  it  in  which  children  are 
stubborn  and  rebellious  and  impatient  of  restraint,  —  by  which  they  show 
their  folly,  and  render  themselves  disagreeable  and  troublesome  to  all  who 
have  any  special  connection  with  them,  —  children  may,  by  a  wise  parental 
government,  be  cured  of  this  folly ;  it  may  be  driven  far  from  them,  and  they, 
as  to  their  external  appearance  and  conduct,  be  quite  different  from  those 
who  have  no  education,  or  a  bad  one.  The  many  examples  of  this  are  suffi- 
cient to  contirm  this  observation.  But  this  discipline,  by  which  children  are 
thus  formed,  does  not  eradicate  or  subdue  the  corrupt  principles  of  their 
hearts.  The  corruption  of  their  hearts  is  restrained  from  acting  out  in  that 
particular  way,  and  is  turned,  into  some  other  channel,  and  may  act  with  as 
much  strength  another  way,  and  more.  It  will  do  so,  unless  the  heart  be 
renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Mr.  M.  here  refers  to  President  Edwards's  book  on  freedom  of  will,  and 
says,  "The  whole  design  of  that  book  is  to  prove  that  the  will  is  as  the 
greatest  apparent  good  is.  All  the  arguments  there  offered  must  be  con- 
futed, before  this  character  here  given  of  the  sinner  can  be  established." 

Answer.  President  Edwards  does  not  attempt  to  prove,  nor  say,  that  the 
will  always  is  according  to  the  conviction  and  dictates  of  the  judgment  and 
conscience,  with  respect  to  what  is  best  and  most  for  a  person's  interest,  but 
he  says  directly  the  contrary ;  and  the  whole  that  he  says,  in  showing  that 
the  will  is  as  the  greatest  apparent  good,  shows  that  he  does  not  mean  the 
appearance  that  is  made  to  the  judgment  and  conscience  only,  but  to  "the 
whole  faculty  of  perception,  or  apprehension,  and  not  merely  what  is  called 
reason,  or  judgment."  He  supposes  the  heart  may  be  such  as  to  resist  the 
clearest  dictates  of  conscience,  so  that  what  this  dictates  to  be  most  for  his 
interest  shall  not  be  the  greatest  apparent  good,  but  something  directly 


106  APPENDIX. 

opposite.  If  President  Edwards  had  said  any  thing  inconsistent  with  this,  it 
would  be  contrary  to  known  fact  and  universal  experience. 

To  the  selfish  heart  that  which  selfishness  dictates  is  the  greatest  apparent 
good,  and  not  what  reason  and  conscience  dictate.  Therefore,  to  such  a 
heart  that  is  alwaj'^s  the  greatest  apparent  good  which  opposes  universal  dis- 
interested benevolence.  If  selfishness  is  agreeable  to  itself,  and  a  selfish 
good  is  to  this  the  greatest  apparent  good,  then  this  benevolence  is  disagree- 
able, and  it  opposes  and  hates  this  and  the  highest  good  which  it  seeks  as 
the  greatest  evil.  Mr.  M.,  speaking  of  Adam  in  his  fallen  state,  says,  "  He 
having  now  a  separate  interest  from  God,  there  was,  of  course,  contrariety  to 
the  divine  character,  so  far  forth  as  that  stood  in  opposition  to  his  own  sepa- 
rate interest."  The  selfish  man  always  has  a  separate  interest  from  God. 
This  is  the  very  nature  of  self-love  ;  it  consists  in  setting  up  a  separate 
interest  from  God,  and  therefore  is,  of  course,  in  its  nature,  contrariety  and 
enmity  to  the  divine  character,  for  this  always  did,  and  always  will,  stand  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  separate  interest  of  a  selfish  man ;  and  this  sejmrate 
interest  will  be  the  greatest  apparent  good  to  selfishness,  whatever  reason 
and  conscience  may  dictate  to  the  contrary. 

Mr.  M.  tliinks  the  doctrines  about  regeneration,  which  he  is  opposing, 
originated  from  what  President  Edwards  has  advanced  in  his  treatise  on 
religious  affections,  where  he  represents  holiness,  and  the  exercises  of  it,  as 
something  of  a  different  nature  from  any  thing  that  takes  place  in  unlioly 
men,  and  says  that,  in  these  holy  exercises  and  affections,  "  there  is  a  new 
inward  perception  or  sensation  of  the  minds  of  holy  persons,  entirely  different 
in  its  nature  and  kind  from  any  thing  that  ever  their  minds  were  the  subjects 
of  before  they  were  sanctified,"  which  he  calls  "a  new  spiritual  sense." 
This,  Mr.  M.  thinks,  is  a  great  error,  and  of  a  very  bad  tendency,  it  being 
the  source  of  a  set  of  doctrines  which  he  calls  "  new  divinity,"  which,  saya 
he,  "  are  surprisingly  spread  in  the  land  in  the  present  day." 

No  wonder  Mr.  M.  objects  against  this,  seeing,  if  it  is  true,  it  overthrows 
all  his  divinity  at  once.  According  to  him  the  same  self-love,  which  in  un- 
holy men  is  inconsistent  with  their  loving  God,  and  leads  them  to  hate  and 
oppose  him,  is  a  principle  of  holiness  in  the  saints,  and  is  really  exercised  in 
true  love  to  God,  when  their  eyes  are  opened  to  see  that  his  character  is 
favorable  to  their  own  dear  selves,  and  that  they  have  been  under  a  sad 
mistake  all  their  days  before ;  so  that  holiness  does  not  differ,  in  nature  and 
kind,  from  unholiness,  or  sin.  But  if  holiness  consists  in  benevolence  and 
the  affection  implied  in  it,  and  this  is,  in  its  nature,  different  from  selfishness, 
and  opposed  to  it,  what  Mr.  Edwards  says  of  holy  affections  must  be  true. 
So  that  we  still  see  the  dispute  is  about  the  nature  of  holiness,  or  what 
is  God's  moral  character.  If  we  were  agreed  about  this,  it  would  end  tlie 
controversy. 

Mr.  Mather  makes  three  objections  against  Mr.  Edwards's  doctrine  on  this 
head. 

First.  He  says,  "  If  regeneration  is  such  a  change  as  is  here  described,  it 
is  evidently  not  a  moral,  but  a  physical  change."  His  argument  is  this : 
Giving  this  new  spiritual  sense,  or  taste,  is  the  same  with  giving  a  new 
bodily  sense,  or  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind ;  but  this  would  be  a  physical 
change ;  therefore,  the  giving  this  taste  is  a  physical  change. 

Ans.  1.  The  Scriptures,  speaking  of  this  change,  represent  it  by  giving 
eyes  to  see  —  a  being  turned  from  darkness  to  marvellous  light  —  giving  a 
new  heart  —  the  new  creature,  or  new  creation  —  a  being  raised  from  death 
to  life,  etc.  These  expressions  as  strongly  import  a  physical  change  as  does 
Mr.  Edwards's  description  of  it,  and  are,  therefore,  as  liable  to  Mr.  Mather's 
objection.  Mr.  M.  thought  of  this,  and  said,  "  I  am  sensible  that  very  strong 
expressions  are  used  in  the  Scripture  about  this  change ;  it  is  styled  a  '  new 
creation,'  etc. ;  but,  if  regeneration  is  no  other  tlian  a  moral  change,  then 


APPENDIX.  107 

those  strong  Scripture  expressions  will  not  warrant  us  to  describe  it  as  a 
physical  chanofe."  These  Scripture  expressions  are  full  as  strong  as  Mr. 
Edwards's.  What  warrant,  then,  had  Mr.  M.  to  say  his  import  a  physical 
change,  when  he  owns  he  has  none  to  put  such  a  construction  on  the  Scrip- 
ture ?  He  has  not  offered  a  word  to  show  why  Mr.  Edwards's  description 
of  this  change  does  make  it  a  physical  change  which  will  not  equally  prove 
that  the  description  of  it  in  Scripture  makes  it  so. 

Ans.  2.  What  does  Mr.  M.  mean  by  a  physical  change  ?  I  think  he  has 
not  sufficiently  explained  himself.  Mr.  Edwards  expressly  says  he  does  not 
mean,  by  his  new  spiritual  sense,  or  taste,  any  thing  which  implies  any  new 
natural  faculties  of  the  soul,  of  understanding  and  will,  but  that  it  consists  in 
a  new  disposition  of  the  same  will,  or  affection  of  heart.  And  if  this  is  not 
a  moral  change,  and  nothing  else,  let  Mr.  M.  show  why  it  is  not,  and  tell  what 
a  moral  change  is,  and  what  he  means  by  it.  A  moral  change  is  a  change  of 
the  heart,  or  will,  in  which  it  is  disposed  to  hate  what  it  before  loved,  and  to 
love  and  choose  those  objects  to  which  it  before  had  an  aversion,  with  a  new 
kind  of  sensation,  or  love,  which  it  never  had  before.  And  will  not  Mr. 
Mather  allow  thit  men  pass  a  change  like  tliis  in  regeneration  and  conver- 
sion r  A  physical  change  is  a  change  of  the  natural  faculties  of  the  soul,  or 
giving  new  natural  faculties;  but  this  is  no  more  implied  in  the  change  Mr. 
Edwards  describes  than  in  that  which  Mr.  M.  supposes  takes  place  in  regen- 
eration ;  and  Mr.  E.  expressly  declares  he  does  not  mean  any  such  thing. 

Mr.  M.  says,  "  If  God  should  give  sight  to  one  that  was  born  blind,  we 
should  readily  agree  that  the  change  wrought  in  him  was  physical,  and  not  a 
moral  change;  and  it  is  equally  evident  that  it  is  a  real  physical  change 
which  is  here  described  by  Mr.  Edwards.  And  to  describe  regeneration 
as  a  proper  physical  change,  and  then  say.  We  do  not  mean  so,  is  only  to 
bewilder  ourselves  and  our  readers  about  that  important  cliange."  It  appears 
that  Mr.  M.  has  bewildered  himself  by  not  sufficiently  attending  to  the  mat- 
ter, and  not  distinguishing  between  a  change  of  the  heart,  in  which  a  new 
inclination  takes  place  there  which  was  not  there  before,  and  that  change  in 
Avhich  a  new  natural  faculty  is  given  in  which  the  heart  is  not  in  the  least 
concerned.  This  appears  by  the  instance  he  brings.  He  has  bewildered 
himself  in  not  distinguishing  between  a  spiritual  sense,  which  consists  in  the 
disposition  or  affection  of  the  heart,  and  our  bodily  senses.  If  a  man,  who 
has  always  been  wholly  contracted  and  selfish  in  all  his  views,  designs,  and 
pursuits,  becomes  benevolent  and  generous,  in  a  hearty  love  of  God  and  his 
neiglibor,  placing  all  his  happiness  in  the  glory  of  God  and  tlie  greatest  good 
of  the  creation,  he  is  turned  from  darkness  to  marvellous  light,  and  has  a  set 
of  sensations  that  are  quite  new  and  opposite  to  any  tiling  he  had  before. 
But  is  this,  therefore,  a  physical  change  ?  It  is  altogether  of  a  moral  kind, 
if  there  is  any  such  thing  as  moral  change.  Now  this  is  the  change  Mr. 
Edwards  describes. 

Ans.  3.  Mr.  Mather's  regeneration  has  much  more  of  the  appearance  of  a 
physical  change  than  that  which  Mr.  Edwards  describes,  and  will  be  found 
to  be  really  such,  I  believe,  if  examined.  He  supposes  the  change,  as 
wrought  by  God,  to  be  wholly  in  the  understanding,  considered  as  distinct 
from  the  will,  and  to  consist  in  giving  a  new  set  of  ideas,  in  which  the  will 
or  heart  is  not  concerned,  and  which  could  not  take  place,  however  well 
disposed  the  heart  is,  as  they  are  entirely  independent  of  any  disposition 
of  heart.  Now  this  is  no  more  a  moral  change  than  any  other  change 
whatsoever. 

Secondly.  Mr.  M.  says,  "If  regeneration  is  such  a  physical  change,  the 
sinner  is  so  far  from  being  to  blame  for  his  continuing  in  an  unregenerate 
state,  that  he  is  wholly  excused  from  all  blame." 

Ans.  1.  This  is  granted,  if  regeneration  is  a  physical  change,  i.  e.,  is 
a  change  not  of  the  disposition  of  heart,  but  of  something  else  independent 


108 


APPENDIX. 


of  this.  But  Mr.  Edwards  describes  no  sucli  chancre,  but  only  a  change  of 
heart,  which  consists  wholly  in  new  sensations  and  affections,  in  which  it 
turns  from  sin  to  God. 

Ans.  2.  This  objection  is  made  with  an  ill  grace  by  Mr.  M.,  for,  though 
it  is  groundless  as  made  against  Mr.  Edwards,  it  lies  with  full  force  against 
himself,  and  all  who  hold  that  men  are  regenerated  by  light,  and  not  by 
giving  a  new  taste  and  disposition  of  lieart ;  for,  according  to  them,  the  diffi- 
culty of  the  sinner's  forsaking  sin  and  turning  to  God  does  not  properly  lie  in 
the  heart,  or  will,  but  in  the  understanding,  which,  being  blinded,  does  not 
see  divine  objects  in  a  true  light.  This  is  the  only  cause  of  their  continuing 
unregenerate,  and  not  any  thing  wrong  or  blamable  in  the  will.  The  fault 
is  wholly  in  the  understanding ;  and  this  is  a  blameless  fault,  or  defect,  for 
the  will,  or  heart,  has  no  hand  in  it,  and  can  no  more  help  or  remove  it,  how- 
ever well  inclined,  than  a  blind  man  can  restore  himself  to  sight.  All  that 
hold  to  regeneration  by  light,  without  any  immediate  divine  influence  on  the 
will,  may  be  challenged  to  show  how  men  are  wholly  to  blame  for  continuing 
m  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  or  that  this  is  any  crime  at  all.  They  never  can 
do  it ;  nor  can  they  tell  how  this  is  consistent  with  total  depravity,  for  this  is 
always  implicitly,  if  not  expressly,  denied  in  all  they  say  in  vindication  of 
their  scheme. 

But  Mr.  M.  has  gone  beyond  all  others  on  this  head,  and  expressly  de- 
clared that  Adam  was,  in  his  fallen  state,  under  a  natural  impossibility  of 
loving  God,  and  that  his  total  depravity,  which  is  the  same  with  a  state  of 
unregeneracy,  primarily  and  radically  consisted  in  this,  together  with  the 
darkness  that  was  upon  his  mind,  and  tliat  this  is  the  case  with  his  posterity. 
How,  then,  can  tliey  be  to  blame  for  continuing  in  this  state,  which  is  wholly 
owing  to  their  external  circumstances,  and  a  natural  impossibility  they  are 
under  of  being  otherwise  ?  And  yet  this  same  Mr.  M.  thinks  it  is  a  sufficient 
objection  against  Mr.  Edwards's  scheme,  if  it  is  inconsistent  with  sinners' 
being  to  blame  for  continuing  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy ! 

Thirdly.  Mr.  M.  says,  "  If  regeneration  is  such  a  physical  change,  it  wUl 
follow  that  every  regenerate  person  must  have  the  most  certain  knowledge 
of  it." 

Answer.  It  is  not  a  physical  change.  But  if  it  were,  why  must  the 
subjects  of  it  be  more  certain  of  the  change  than  if  it  were  a  moral  change? 
The  exercises  and  affections  of  the  heart  are  as  perceptible  as  any  thing  that 
can  take  place  in  the  mind.  And  when,  in  this  respect,  all  old  things  are 
passed  away,  and  all  things  are  become  new,  and  a  person  is  called  out  of 
darkness  into  marvellous  light,  this  change  is,  in  its  own  nature,  as  perceiv- 
able, and  the  subject  may  be  as  sure  of  it,  if  called  moral,  as  if  it  were  called 
physical ;  and  its  being  really  a  moral  or  physical  change  alters  not  the  case 
with  respect  to  the  evidence,  or  certain  knowledge,  of  it. 

The  only  reason  that  can  be  given  why  every  person  that  is  possessed  of 
real  holiness  —  let  him  come  by  it  how  lie  will,  and  whatever  may  be  the 
change  that  brought  him  to  it  —  has  not  the  certain  knowledge  of  it,  is  that 
he  has  so  small  a  degree  of  it,  and  is  no  more  changed  and  conformed  to 
God,  and  so  much  darkness  and  sin  still  remain  in  his  heart.  But  it  is  need- 
less to  spend  time  to  answer  such  an  objection.  It  is  not  easy  to  say  by 
what  means  it  was  suggested  to  Mr.  Mather,  and  why  he  thought  it  worthy 
to  be  inserted. 


APPENDIX    III. 


AN  ANSWER  TO  THE  REV.  MR.  HEMMENWAY'S  "VINDICATION 
OF  THE  POWER,  OBLIGATION,  AND  ENCOURAGEMENT  OF  THE 
UNREGENERATE  TO  ATTEND  THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE,  AGAINST 
THE  EXCEPTIONS  OF  THE  REV.   SAMUEL  HOPKINS." 


INTRODUCTION. 

In  my  reply  to  Mr.  Mills  I  had  occasion  to  consider  tlie  duties  of  the  un- 
regenerate,  which  he  spoke  so  much  of,  as  required  of  them,  and  performed 
by  them,  while  unholy,  and  under  the  dominion  of  sin ;  and  I  undertook  to 
prove  that  such  do  not  do  any  duty,  or  comply  with  any  of  the  commands 
which  God  hath  given  to  men.  Mr.  Hemmenway  had,  not  long  before,  pub- 
lished seven  sermons,  which  wore  designed  to  prove  and  inculcate  the  con- 
trary doctrine,  and  were  wholly  confuted,  if  I  had  proved  the  point  I  had 
advanced.  This  was  probably  the  occasion  of  his  more  particularly  attend- 
ing to  what  I  had  said  in  this  part  of  my  reply,  and  undertaking  to  write 
against  me. 

As  I  am  far  from  being  convinced  that  what  he  pleads  for  is  agreeable  to 
divine  revelation,  and  look  upon  it  of  a  very  hurtful  tendency,  I  have  under- 
taken an  answer.  It  is  thrown  into  the  form  of  an  appendLx  to  the  foregoing 
Inquiry,  because  what  is  there  said  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  full  answer  to  the 
leading  sentiments  and  fundamental  principles  in  his  piece,  so  that,  by  refer- 
ring to  that,  the  answer  may  be  much  shortened. 

After  having  observed  that  I  had  not  given  a  right  representation  of  the 
question  in  dispute,  he  proceeds  to  state  it  in  the  following  words :  * 
Whether  any  actions  which  men  do,  or  can  perform,  while  unregenerate, 
are  required  of  them  in  and  by  any  divine  command.  He  asserts,  and  under- 
takes to  prove,  the  affirmative  of  this  question,  and  has  wrote  a  book  upon  it 


*  Though  Mr.  Hemmenway  did  not  choose  to  dispute  the  question  as  I  stated 
it,  I  yet  believe  it  was  stated  agreeably  to  the  sense  of  most  of  those  who  have 
assorted  that  duties  are  prescribed  in  the  Word  of  God,  to  be  done  by  those 
who  are  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy ;  and  it  will,  I  believe,  appear  to  be  his  own 
sense  of  the  matter,  before  we  have  done.  But  I  think  it  not  worth  while  to 
enter  into  a  dispute  about  this,  since  he  owns  "  the  whole  drift  of  my  reasoning 
is  to  oppose  and  confute  "  the  affirmative  of  the  question  as  ho  has  stated  it. 
VOL.    III.  10 


110  APPENDIX. 

of  two  hundred  and  twenty-seven  pajjes.  If  I  was  to  state  the  question  in 
my  own  words,  I  should  say  it  was,  whether  the  unreij^encrate  do  any  duty 
which  God  has  commanded.  But  as  Mr.  Ilemmenway  appears  to  mean 
nothing  different  from  this  by  the  words  he  has  used,  and  to  understand  the 
real  matter  in  dispute  between  us,  I  shall  make  no  exceptions  against  his 
statement  of  the  question,  but  proceed  to  consider  his  vindication.* 


SECTION  I. 

Tlie  Point  in  Controversi/  more  particularhf  stated  —  The  Method  Mr.  Hem- 
menway  takes  to  support  his  Cause  —  Its  Weakness  and  Fallacy  shown. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  agrees  with  me  that  the  divine  commands  require  holi- 
ness, and  nothing  but  holiness,  or,  "  nothing  but  what  is  some  Avay  included 
in  holiness  ; "  and  we  are  agreed  that  the  unregenerate  are  wholly  desti- 
tute of  holiness,  and  that  all  their  exercises  and  actions  are  unholy.  I  sup- 
posed the  plain  and  undeniable  consequence  from  these  premises  was,  that 
they  do  not  obey  the  divine  commands,  or  do  their  duty  in  any  degree.  Mr. 
Hemmenway  denies  this  to  be  a  just  consequence,  and  says,  "Though  no 
actions  of  the  unregenerate  are  so  fully  conformable  to  the  divine  command 
as  that  they  can  be  denominated  holy,  in  the  least  degree,  yet  some  actions 
are  conformable  to  the  divine  command  in  some  respects,  and,  therefore, 
comprehended  in  the  requirement  of  it."  To  vindicate  this,  and  answer 
what  has  been  said  in  opposition  to  it,  is  the  professed  design  of  his  book. 

In  order  to  this,  he  particularly  considers  the  nature  of  true  holiness,  and 
what  is  included  in  this.  He  says  holiness  is  a  very  complex  thing,  contain- 
ing many  parts,  all  which  are  necessary  to  make  up  that  compound,  holiness ; 
■ —  therefore,  the  commands  which  require  holiness,  require  every  part  which 
is  involved  in  the  whole ;  —  that  the  unregenerate  may  do  some  of  the  things 
contained  in  this  compound,  and  so  far  obey  the  command  requiring  holi- 
ness ;  though  it  being  but  a  part,  such  doings  being  so  defective,  have  no 
degree  of  true  holiness ;  yet  in  doing  this  they  do  their  duty,  and  so  far  obey 
the  divine  command. 

To  prove  that  there  are  some  parts  of  duty  and  holiness  which  the  unre- 
generate may  perform,  and  yet  be  unholy,  he  divides  holiness  into  principle, 

*  I  have  an  objection  against  the  title  he  has  given  his  book,  -viz.,  "A 
Vindication  of  the  Tower,  Obligation,  and  Encouragement  of  the  Unregenerate 
to  attend  the  Means  of  Grace,  against  the  Exceptions  of  the  Rov.  Mr.  Hopkins." 
This  is  not  a  just  title,  as  it  does  not  tend  to  give  the  reader,  who  casts  his  eye 
■upon  it,  a  right  idea  of  the  matter  in  dispute,  but  will  unavoidably  deceive  him, 
if  he  knows  no  more  about  it  than  what  is  said  here,  for  it  is  really  contrary 
to  the  truth.  I  have  not  made  any  "exceptions"  against  the  power,  obliga- 
tions, and  encouragement  of  the  unregenerate  to  attend  the  means  of  grace, 
that  I  know  of,  but  held  to  all  this  as  fully  as  he  does,  and  I  think  more  fully, 
for  he  does  not  pretend  they  have  power  to  do  this  in  the  manner  he  contends 
for,  unless  they  have  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  whereas  I  suppose 
the  secure  sinner  has  this  power  ;  and  he  acknowledges,  I  grant,  they  have 
enco^iragement  to  attend  on  means,  and  that  he  has  no  dispute  with  me  about 
this.  So  far,  therefore,  as  his  book  is  to  the  purpose,  the  title  is  a  very  im- 
proper one,  if  not  injurious. 


APPENDIX.  Ill 

end,  manner,  and  matter.*  "All  these,"  he  says,  "are  required,  and  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  render  an  action  truly  holy.  And  though  the  unregenerate 
do  nothing  from  a  holy  principle,  in  a  holy  manner,  and  to  a  holy  end,  yet 
they  may  do  the  tnalkr  of  dni'i ;  and,  in  coiii])lyin',5  with  this  part  of  holiness, 
they  so  f^ir  obey  the  coaiinand  requiring  holinr-ss,  and  do  their  duty."  As 
the  whole  dispute  now  turns  upon  "  the  matter  of  duty,"  it  is  necessary  we 
should  well  understand  what  is  meant  by  this,  in  order  to  judge  on  which 
side  the  truth  lies. 

Mr.  Ilemmenway  has  used  this  phrase  often  enougli,  and  said  a  great  deal 
about  "the  matter  of  duty ;"  but,  after  all,  (under  favor,)  I  must  thmk  he  hag 
not  given  a  clear,  consistent  account  of  it.  He  say^  it  does  not  mean  exter- 
nal actions,  aside  from  the  will  producing  them,  but  the  eirective  acts  of  the 
will,  choosing  and  producing  external  effects ;  —  that  by  the  substance  and 
matter  of  an  action  is  meant  the  action  as  abstracted  from  all  its  circum- 
stances, and  not  any  consequent  effects  distinct  from  it.  Matter  of  external 
duty,  according  to  him,  "is  the  act  of  the  will,  ah  extra,  productive  of  an 
external  work  required  in  the  divine  law ; "  and  this  action  is  to  be  consid- 
ered as  abstracted  from  all  its  circumstances,  viz.,  principle,  motive,  design, 
and  end. 

Upon  this  I  would  observe, — 

1.  There  is  in  nature  no  such  effective  act  of  the  will,  nor  can  any  such 
thing  be  conceived  of,  as  it  is  self-contradictory.  An  act  of  choice,  without 
any  motive  or  design,  is  just  as  impossible  as  an  act  of  choice  without  an  act 
of  choice.  Therefore,  we  may  be  sure  no  such  action  is  commanded,  or 
done  by  the  unregenerate  or  regenerate. 

2.  If  there  could  be  any  such  actions,  there  would  be  no  more  duty,  or 
any  thing  of  a  moral  nature,  in  them,  than  there  is  in  external  conduct  con- 
sidered as  abstracted  from  all  acts  of  choice,  or  in  themselves  considered.  An 
act  of  will,  abstracted  from  all  motive  and  design,  if  any  such  thing  could  be, 
would  have  no  more  morality  in  it  than  the  wind,  or  lire,  producing  effects, 
and  would  be  no  more  praiseworthy,  or  blamable.  Mr.  Hemmenway  is  con- 
fident that  no  one  "  ever  dreamed  that  the  mere  motion  of  matter,  separate 
from  the  agency  of  the  mind,  has  any  morality  in  it."  We  might,  with  as 
much  assurance,  assert  that  no  man  ever  dreamed  that  the  mere  motion  of 
the  mind,  separate  from  all  motive,  design,  and  end,  has  the  least  morality  in 
it,  had  he  not  furnished  us  Avith  an  instance.  He  is,  however,  perhaps,  the 
first,  and  I  hope  will  be  the  last. 

Bat  Mr.  Hemmenway  comes  out  of  the  clouds  before  he  has  done,  and 
appears  sensible  that  matter  of  duty,  done  without  any  motive  and  design, 
good  or  bad,  is  neither  duty  nor  sin ;  and  grants  that  any  action  done  with  a 
bad  end  is  "  materially  evil,"  that  is,  not  the  matter  of  duty,  but  the  matter 
of  sin.  Therefore,  it  was  not  the  matter  of  duty,  but  "  vile  treachery,  in 
Judas,  to  kiss  his  Lord  in  order  to  betray  him."  If  the  matter  of  duty  was 
the  effective  act  of  the  will,  abstracted  from  all  circumstances,  then  Judas 
did  the  matter  of  duty  as  much  as  any  one  can.  But,  if  his  end  and  design 
cannot  be  abstracted,  but  must  come  into  consideration  to  determine  whether 
he  did  the  matter  of  duty,  or  not,  and  his  evil  design  made  it  the  matter  of 
sin,  then  a  man  never  does  the  matter  of  duty  with  an  evil  design,  or  from  a 


*  Mr.  Hemmenway  makes  many  more  distinctions,  divisionf?,  and  subdivis- 
ions, in  what  he  says  about  the  nature  of  holiness,  and  says  a  number  of 
things  which  appear  to  me  very  exceptionable ;  but,  as  they  do  not  affect  the 
matter  in  dispute,  I  shall  make  no  remarks  upon  them.  Let  him  who  under- 
stands and  approves  avail  himself  of  the  edification.  Wherein  we  dlfi'er  in 
our  accounts  of  holiness  will,  in  some  measure,  appear  from  the  foregoing 
Inquiry. 


112  APPENDIX. 

wrong  motive ;  so  that  the  Avhole  comes  to  this  at  last  There  are  certain 
effective  acts  of  the  will,  producing  effects,  ab  extra,  which  are  either  good 
or  evil,  matter  of  duty,  or  matter  of  sin,  according  as  the  end  of  the  agent  is 
either  good  or  bad.  This  is  very  agreeable  to  common  sense.  When  the 
beloved  disciple  John  kissed  his  dear  Lord,  as  a  sincere  expression  of  love 
to  him,  it  was  a  good  action  —  the  matter  of  duty:  Avhen  Judas  kissed  him, 
with  a  traitorous  design,  it  was  a  vile  action,  and  the  matter  of  sin. 

Mr.  Hemmenway,  being  sensible  of  this,  notwithstanding  all  his  distinc- 
tions about  matter  of  duty,  undertakes  to  show  that  the  unregenerate  may 
act  from  a  good  end,  and  rests  his  whole  cause  on  this.  He  says.  Though 
they  do  not  act  from  the  highest  and  best  ends,  —  which  men  must  act  from 
in  order  to  denominate  their  actions  holy,  —  yet  they  may  act  from  self-love, 
which  is  not  forbidden,  but  an  innocent,  useful,  and  good  principle.  There- 
fore, when  they  do  things  externally  right,  from  this  principle,  and  seeking 
their  own  interest  as  their  end,  they  so  far  obey  the  divine  command,  and  do 
their  duty. 

He  does  not  expressly  say  that  I  have  observed  that  self-love  is  com- 
manded, and  so  a  duty.  But,  if  it  is  not  commanded,  and  so  a  duty  to  act 
from  this  end,  how  can  acting  from  self-love  make  an  action  a  duty,  or  the 
matter  of  duty  ?  or,  what  obedience  is  there  in  this  ?  I  do  not  find  that  he 
has  told  us. 

He  has  said  self-love  is  a  natural,  innocent,  and  good  principle ;  but  I  do 
not  find  that  he  has  offered  any  evidence  of  this,  or  that  there  is  any  thing  to 
support  it  but  his  bare  assertion.  This,  surely,  ought  not  to  be  taken  for 
granted,  since  he  builds  all  his  opposition  to  me  on  this  foundation.  If  self- 
love  is  not  a  good  or  innocent  affection,  but  forbidden  and  sinful  in  every 
degree  of  it,  all  his  building  falls  to  the  ground,  and  his  "  matter  of  duty," 
done  by  the  unregenerate,  turns  out  to  be  the  matter  of  sin.  This  I  have 
endeavored  to  make  evident  in  the  preceding  Inquiry ;  and  I  think  I  have  a 
right  to  consider  it  as  a  full  answer  to  the  whole  he  has  said  in  proof  of 
the  doctrines  he  has  advanced,  till  it  be  shown  that  I  have  not  given  a  right 
account  of  holiness  and  self-love.  I,  therefore,  refer  him  and  the  reader  to 
that,  hoping  it  may  be  the  means  of  such  light  to  him,  and  all  who  attend  to 
this  controversy,  as  shall  put  an  end  to  the  dispute.* 


SECTION  II. 

Remarks  on  Mr.  Hemvienway's  particular  Arguments  to  prove  his  Point. 

Our  author  attempts  a  particular  proof  of  his  positions  by  nine  arguments, 
which  are  so  enlarged  as  to  take  up  above  a  hundred  pages.  I  shall  not 
take  notice  of  many  particulars  in  these  pages,  which  I  think  might  be  easily 
shown  to  be  very  exceptionable ;  nor  is  there  need  of  a  particular  answer  to 


*  Mr.  Hemmenway's  dividing  and  splitting  up  holiness  into  so  many  parts, 
in  order  to  find  something  belonging  to  it  to  be  duty  for  the  unregenerate  to 
do,  has  brought  to  mind  the  following  similitude,  which  may  serve  to  illustrate 
it :  A  certain  debtor  owed  his  creditor  a  thousand  dollars  ;  but,  instead  of  pay- 
ing him  the  real  dollars,  which  he  was  able  to  do  at  any  hour,  had  he  been 
inclined,  he  brought  to  him  an  equal  number  of  counterfeit  dollars,  and  pleaded 
he  had  paid  the  debt,  and  answered  his  obligation,  in  part,  at  least,  as  there  are 
several  things  in  counterfeit  dollars  which  belong  to  true  dollars,  such  as  ex- 
ternal appearance,  shape,  etc.,  though  they  want  the  most  essential  thing,  and 
are  not  true  silver ;   and  though  he  had  no  regard  to  his  creditor  an(J  his 


APPENDIX.  113 

such  of  his  arguments  as  are  built  wholly  on  the  foundation  he  has  laid, 
whicli  has  been  particularly  considered  in  the  preceding  section,  and  shown 
not  to  have  anjr  sufficient  support. 

His  first  argument  is  expressly  built  wholly  on  this,  and  is  sufficiently  con- 
futed by  observing  the  unregenerate  do  not  the  matter  of  duty,  if  self-love 
is  not  a  good  thing,  but  sin,  and  that  so  far  as  men  act  from  this,  they  act  not 
for  a  good  end,  but  a  bad  one,  the  opposite  to  which  he  has  not  proved,  but 
rather  begged.      There    is  one  passage,  however,  in   these    pages  which 


interest,  yet  he  acted  from  the  iniwcent  principle  of  self-love,  as  he  did  it  in 
hopes  that  hereby  he  should  escape  being  cast  into  prison. 

Mr.  Hcmmenway  undertakes  to  confute  a  position,  — which  he  says  I  "often 
lay  down,  and  build  much  upon  it,  without  once  offering  any  thing  in  the 
shape  of  an  argument  to  prove  it,  —  that  the  uiiregeiierafe  act  wholly  from  self- 
love."  It  may  be  proper  to  take  some  notice  of  this.  I  grant  the  unregenerate 
have  appetites  and  tastes  which  are  not  seK-love,  but  quite  distinct  from  it, 
such  as  animal  appetites,  hunger,  thirst,  etc. ;  and  such  are  a  taste  for  natural 
beauty,  and  what  is  called  natural  allcction,  etc.  But  these  are  not  of  a  moral 
kind,  and,  therefore,  man's  moral  agency  does  not  consist  in  these ;  and  if  he 
had  no  other  affections  and  principles  of  action,  he  would  be  no  more  a  moral 
agent  than  the  beasts.  Therefore,  when  we  speak  of  man's  moral  actions,  it  is 
not  proper  to  say  he  acts  merely  from  these  appetites  and  instincts ;  but  must 
find  some  other  principles  of  action.  Zdr.  Hemmenway  says,  "  By  moral  ac- 
tions I  mean  such  as  are  commanded,  or  forbidden,  by  the  divine  law."  But 
these  instincts  and  appetites  are  neither  commanded  nor  forbidden  in  the  divine 
law ;  therefore,  there  is  no  moral  agency  in  them,  in  themselves  considered. 
Though  these  may  have  influence  in  moral  actions  many  ways,  yet  the  morality 
of  them  does  not  consist  in  these,  but  in  universal  benevolence,  or  self-love, 
one  of  which  is  implied  in  every  moral  action,  and  determines  it ;  and  in  this 
the  moral  good,  or  evil,  of  every  action  wholly  consists.  For  instance,  if  a  man 
determines  to  gratify  any  particular  bodily  appetite,  or  not  to  do  it,  as  a  moral 
agent,  he  does  this  in  the  exercise  of  self-love,  or  universal  benevolence; 
and,  therefore,  all  his  moral  actions  are  determined  by  benevolence,  or  self-love 
—  a  regard  to  others,  which  includes  a  regard  to  himself,  or  that  regard  to  him- 
self onlv,  which  is  selfishness. 

Mr.  Uemmenway  gives  a  different  account,  indeed.  lie  thinks  because 
"men  often,  in  their  actions,  follow  the  impulse  of  particular  instincts,  or  ap- 
petites, in  opposition  to  their  own  interest,  on  the  whole,  —  yea,  in  opposition 
to  M'hat  reason  declares  to  be  best,  or  most  for  their  happiness,  taking  in  the 
whole  of  their  duration,"  —  it  follows  that  they  not  only  do  not  act  from  self- 
love  in  such  instances,  but  directly  contrary  to  its  dictates.  The  fallacy  of  his 
argument  is  easily  detected.  Self-love  never  prompts  men  to  that  which  is, 
on  the  whole,  most  for  their  happiness,  but  to  the  contrary,  and,  therefore,  to 
choose  and  act  contrary  to  the  judgment,  and  determines  men  to  do  that  which 
their  reason  dictates  not  to  be  for  their  greatest  happiness,  the  whole  of  their 
duration  considered.  Heason  may  dictate  that  the  only  way  for  a  person  to 
be  truly  happy  is  to  be  benevolent,  and  devoted  to  the  greatest  good  of  the 
whole.  If  any  one  should  hence  infer  that  self-love  will  influence  such  a  per- 
son to  seek  the  general  good  in  a  disinterested  Avay,  and  that  not  to  do  this 
would  be  to  act  contrary  to  self-love,  he  would  argue  as  well  as  Mr.  Hemmen- 
way does.  But  I  need  say  nothing  to  show  the  weakness  and  self-contradiction 
of  such  an  argument,  tie  is  led,  by  his  way  of  arguing,  to  the  following 
conclusion  :  "The  disorders  and  miseries  which  abound  in  the  world,  through 
the  wickedness  of  men,  are  perhaps  chiefly  owing  to  the  inordinate  strength 
of  particular  appetites  and  inclinations,  ungoverned  by  a  regard  to  their  own 
general  good."  According  to  this,  self-love  is  so  far  from  being  sin,  or  tending 
to  it,  that  the  wickedness  of  men  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  want  of  self-love,  or 
the  weakness  of  it ;  and  if  this  took  place  to  a  sufficient  degree,  so  as  to 
govern  men,  there  would  be  very  little  wickedness  among  men,  if  any,  even 

10* 


114  APPENDIX. 

requires  particular  attention.  He  says,  "  When  he  (meaning'  myself)  says  that 
the  unregenerate  in  attending  the  externals  of  religion  do  nothing  that  is 
their  duty,  he  considers  these  things  as  enjoined  on  men  only  on  supposition 
that  they  are  regenerate,  and  have  a  holy  love  to  God  ;  for  he  says,  they  are 
required  only  as  expressions  of  love  to  God."  PVom  this  he  draws  four 
frightful  consequences,  and  says,  "1  could  easily  go  on  further,  but  I  forbear. 
Methinks  these  consequences  are  so  intolerable  that  no  principle  ought  to  be 
admitted,  from  which  they  are  fairly  deduced.  If  they  can  fairly  be  avoided 
on  Mr.  H.'s  plan,  let  it  be  shown." 


though  they  had  no  love  to  God  or  their  neighbor  !  How  different  this 
account  of  self-love  is  from  that  given  in  the  preceding  Inquiry,  (Sect.  IV. 
p.  22,  etc.,)  every  intelligent  reader  will  see,  and  will  judge  for  himself  which  is 
most  agreeable  to  Scripture,  reason,  and  experience. 

Mr.  Ilemmenway  has  attempted,  by  several  arguments,  to  prove  that  tho 
unregenerate  have  love  to  persons,  distinct  from  self-love,  which  may  influence 
them  to  wish  them  well,  do  them  good,  etc.  He  says,  "  K  the  unregenerate 
act  merely  from  self-love,  then  we  are  under  no  obligations  of  gratitude  to 
them  for  any  acts  of  kindness  they  may  do  us.  But  this  is  a  consequence 
not  to  be  endured,  which  at  one  stroke  cancels  all  obligations  of  gratitude  to 
parents,  friends,  and  benefactors,  for  all  favors  and  kindnesses,  if  they  are 
unregenerate.'' 

Ans.  1.  We  are  under  obligations  of  gratitude  to  others  for  the  kindness 
they  show  us,  so  far  as  thei-e  is  an  appearance  of  kindness,  which  ought  to 
affect  us  as  such.  Where  there  is  an  apjiearance  of  kindness,  we  ought  to  be 
affected  with  it  as  such,  unless  there  be  as  great  and  sensible  appearance  of 
something  to  the  contrary,  or  of  no  kindness  intended,  sufficient  to  counter- 
balance it.  And  in  such  a  case  there  is,  on  the  whole,  no  appearance  of  kind- 
ness. When  an  unregenerate  man  shows  us  kindness,  there  is  commonly  a 
more  sensible  appearance  of  kindness  than  of  any  thing  to  the  contrary.  The 
act  of  kindness  is  generally,  if  not  always,  more  apparent  and  certain  than  Iris 
unregeneracy.  And  if  we  could  be  as  certain  he  is  unregenerate,  —  yet  that 
this  is  the  character  of  all  the  unregenerate,  —  and,  therefore,  this  is  really 
his  character,  and  he  has  no  real  disinterested  good  will  to  us,  consequently  it 
is  not  really  an  act  of  kindness,  however  kind  he  may  appear  to  be,  we  get 
the  evidence  of  all  this  by  a  course  of  reasoning,  and  a  number  of  deductions, 
which  cannot  affect  our  minds  so  much  as  the  appearance  of  good  will  in  the 
kindness  shown,  therefore  the  latter  ought  to  preponderate  in  our  minds,  and 
affect  us  most,  and  produce  feelings  and  exercises  answerable.  Therefore 
there  is  in  such  cases  an  obligation  to  gratitude.  If  Mr.  Hcmmenway,  or  any 
other  person,  is  not  satisfied  with  this  solution,  let  him  account  for  our  Savior's 
weeping  over  Jerusalem  in  any  other  way,  or  the  child's  being  grieved  at  the 
pain  and  trouble  of  his  parent,  while  he  verily  believes  it  will  all  work  for  his 
good,  and  that  he  will  be  unspeakably  more  happy,  on  the  whole,  than  he 
could  be  without  it. 

Ans.  2.  Let  it  be  remembered  the  unregenerate  have  no  true  gratitude 
to  benefactors.  They  are  not  pleased  with  disinterested  good  will  for  its  own 
sake.  All  their  gratitude  consists  in  self-love,  and  a  consequent  love  of  those 
who  appear  to  love  them.  Whatever  obligations  they  are  under  to  gratitude 
for  disinterested  kindness,  they  never  fulfil  them,  nor  are  influenced  by  them, 
more  than  if  they  did  not  exist. 

The  regenerate  or  benevolent  are  thankful  to  God  for  all  the  benefits  they 
receive  by  the  hands  of  men ;  and  if  they  have  the  most  clear  and  sensible 
evidence  that  these  act  wholly  from  self-love,  they  will  love  them,  and  do  them 
all  the  good  they  can.  In  this  view,  the  conseqvience  which  Mr.  Ilemmenway 
dreads  does  not  appear  so  intolerable. 

Mr.  Ilemmenway  further  says,  "That  love  the  unregenerate  have  sometimes 
to  others  cannot  possibly  be  educed  from  self-love.  It  is  evident  that  the  un- 
regenerate have  sometimes  such  a  love  to  others  as  causes  them  to  have  a  real 


APPENDIX.  115 

Answer.  This  is  all  a  misrepresentation.  I  do  not  say  that  the  attending'  on 
the  externals  of  religion,  or  any  thing  else,  is  enjoined  on  men,  only  on  sup- 
position they  have  a  holy  love  to  God.  I  say  God  requires  all  men  to  love 
him  with  all  their  hearts,  which  they  do  not,  unless  they  express  it  in  all 
proper  ways,  in  a  proper  attendance  on  the  externals  of  religion.  This  com- 
mand is  absohite,  without  any  supposition  that  they  are  regenerate.  I  say, 
they  who  have  no  love  to  God  really  do  no  duty  when  they  attend  on  the 
externals  of  religion.  And  if  they  cannot  do  this  without  a  pretence  and 
profession  of  doing  duty,  and  of  love  to  God,  then  his  consequences  will 


pleasure  in,  and  concern  for,  their  welfare,  separate  from  all  hopes  or  prospects 
of  being  benctited  by  them,"  which  could  not  bo  if  they  loved  others  only  for 
their  own  sakes,  or  wholly  from  self-love.  He  instances  in  one  dying,  and  yet 
manifesting  concern  for  the  welfare  of  his  friends  after  he  is  dead,  which  can  be 
of  no  benefit  to  him. 

Answer.  There  is  not  the  least  difficulty  in  accounting  for  this  from  self- 
love.  Self-love  will  lead  men  to  love  others  and  ■s\-ish  them  well,  for  the  good 
they  have  done  to  them,  as  well  as  for  the  good  they  expect  they  will  do  to  them 
Therefore  this  will  influence  a  man  to  wish  well  to  another  who  has  been,  and 
is  now,  his  friend,  though,  because  he  is  now  going  out  of  the  world,  he  docs 
not  expect  to  receive  any  future  benefit  from  him.  Self-love  does  in  a  sense 
unite  us  to  them  who  love  us,  and  do  us  good,  and  leads  us  by  a  necessary  associ- 
ation of  ideas  to  look  on  them  as  belonging  to  us,  and  as  part  of  ourselves. 
Hence  there  is  a  desire  in  selfish  men,  which  arises  from  self-love,  to  exist  after 
they  are  dead,  in  their  surviving  friend  or  relations,  which  they  look  upon  in 
some  sense  as  themselves.  And  hence  they  are  disposed  to  wish  and  pro^dde 
for  tlieir  existence  and  comfort  after  they  themselves  shall  be  dead,  for  the  same 
reason  they  would  do  this  for  themselves,  if  they  were  to  live,  viz.,  from  love  to 
themselves. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  says,  "  More  arguments  might  be  offered  to  the  same  pur- 
pose." If  they  are  no  more  to  the  purpose  than  those  he  has  mentioned,  it  is 
to  be  hoped  he  Avill  never  be  at  the  pains.  However,  it  is  to  be  observed,  if  he 
had  proved  that  the  unregenerate  do  not  act  wholly  from  self-love,  it  would 
answer  no  end  in  his  dispute  with  me,  for  he  does  not  make  use  of  this  at  all  to 
prove  Iris  point,  but,  as  has  been  observed,  does  this  wholly  by  seU'-love.  Indeed, 
he  does  not  pretend  that  the  love  to  others  in  the  unregenerate,  which  he  con- 
tends does  not  spring  from  self-love,  is  more  virtuous,  or  in  any  respect  better, 
than  self-love,  and  says,  "  It  will  not  follow  from  any  thing  that  has  been  plead- 
ed for,  that  mankind  have  naturally  a  principle  of  true  holiness."  He  will, 
however,  be  put  to  difficulty  to  jn-ove  this,  I  believe.  If  disinterested  benevo- 
lence to  our  fellow-men  is  not  of  the  nature  of  holiness,  and  in  its  nature  uni- 
versal benevolence,  and  does  not  imply  a  friendly  regard  to  God,  and  supreme 
love  to  him,  it  will  be  impossible  to  tell,  I  believe,  what  holiness  is.  Therefore  Mr. 
Edwards,  to  whom  Mr.  Hemmenway  had  reference  here,  did,  with  good  reason, 
suppose  if  it  could  be  made  evident  that  men  naturally  have  disinterested  be- 
nevolence to  others,  it  must  be  granted  they  are  are  naturally  virtuous  and 
holy.  See  his  Nature  of  True  Virtue,  Chap.  IV.  Mr.  Hemmenway  adds,  "  Nor 
does  it  enervate  the  proofs  of  man's  natural  depravitj-^  from  Scripture  and  ex- 
perience." This,  with  the  whole  of  his  scheme,  is  doubtless  inconsistent  with 
man's  total  depravity,  which  the  Scripture  asserts,  and  in  this  view  is  not 
only  false,  but  of  a  most  destructive  tendency.  The  Scripture  represents  the 
natural  depravity  of  men  as  rendering  them  hateful  and'  hating  one  another, 
(Titus  iii.  3,)  and  says  love  and  good  will  to  others  is  of  God,  and  none  have 
this  but  they  who  are  born  of  God.  (1  John  iv.  7.)  Moreover,  the  Scripture 
says  of  men,  in  their  natural  state,  "  They  are  altogether  become  unprofitable  ; 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one."  (Uom.  iii.  12.)  Their  "  mind  is 
enmity  against  God;  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God.  nor  indeed  can  be."  (Rom. 
viii.  7.)  That  "  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  their  heart  is  only  evil 
continually."     (Gen.  vi.  5.) 


116  APPENDIX. 

follow.  But  till  he  shall  prove  this,  tlioy  can  be  as  fairly  avoided  and  aa 
safely  denied  on  my  plan  as  on  his  own. 

His  second  arj^nniont  is  taken  from  a  passage  in  Mark,  parallel  to  that  m 
Matthew,  Avhere  our  Savior  gives  a  summary  of  the  divine  law,  from  which  I 
thought  1  had  proved  that  they  who  do  not  love  God  or  their  neighbors  do  no 
duty.  As  what  he  says  liere  is  chiefly  to  obviate  and  confute  the  sense  in 
which  I  understood  these  words  of  Christ,  I  shall  leave  the  particular  consid- 
eration of  this  argument  to  another  place.* 

Mr.  llemmenway's  third  argument  is  taken  from  Rom.  ii.  14.  "  For  when 
the  Gentiles  which  have  not  the  law  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the 
law,  these,  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves."  Here  the  Gen- 
tiles, whom  he  concludes  all  will  allow  to  be  unregenerate,  are  expressly 
said  to  do  the  things  contained  in  the  law  ;  therefore  the  unregenerate  may 
obey  the  law  and  do  their  duty  in  some  instances. 

•  Ans.  1.  If  the  apostle  is  speaking  of  the  heathen,  the  words  taken  in  their 
connection  will  prove  that  the  heathen  by  nature  do  those  things  by  which 
they  shall  be  justified.  This  will  suit  the  gross  Pelagians,  and  they  have 
improved  them  to  this  purpose,  as  Mr.  Hemmenway  observes,  but  this  will 
prove  too  much  for  liim,  I  conclude.  Tlie  apostle,  in  the  verse  immediately 
preceding,  says  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified,  and  then  these  words 
come  in,  "  for  when  the  Gentiles  do  the  things  contained  in  the  law,"  that 
is,  are  doers  of  the  law.  It  would  be  doing  violence  to  these  words  to  sup- 
pose that  doing  the  law  in  the  former  clause  means  one  thing,  and  doing  the 
things  of  the  law  in  the  next,  which  is  connected  with  the  former  by  the 
illative  particle  ybr,  means  quite  another  thing.  Therefore,  if  the  doers  of 
the  law  shall  be,  justified,  and  the  heathen  do  the  law,  they  shall  be  justified 
and  saved,  whether  they  are  regenerate,  or  ever  hear  of  Christ  and  the  gospel, 
or  not.  Mr.  Hemmenway  argues  that,  since  the  same  word  is  used  in  each 
of  these  verses,  it  must  mean  the  same  thing;  and  this,  I  think,  is  the  most 
weighty  reason  he  gives  against  Mr.  Glass's  sense  of  the  words.f  He  says, 
"  It  ought  not  to  be  supposed,  without  evident  reason,  that  the  apostle  should 
immediately  use  the  same  word,  in  eflcct,  to  express  a  meaning  entirely  di- 
verse." If  he  does  not,  he  speaks  of  such  a  doing  of  the  things  contained 
in  the  law,  which  is  connected  with  justification  and  salvation,  for  of  such 
doings  he  speaks  in  the  sentence  immediately  before. 

Ans.  2.  Some  have  supposed  the  apostle  is  here  and  in  the  preceding 
verses  speaking  of  that  doing  the  things  of  the  law  by  which  they  who  did 
them  should  live,  and  is  explaining  what  he  afterwards  says  is  the  tenor  of 


*  I  -would,  howcA'cr,  just  observe  that,  under  this  argument,  he  asserts,  and 
thinks  he  proves,  "  that  an  attendance  on  religious  ordinances  is  enjoined  on 
men  by  other  commands  than  those  which  enjoin  holy  love."  This  is  a  differ- 
ent and  contrary  strain  from  that  in  which  he  sets  out ;  for,  in  the  beginning 
of  his  book,  he  is  ready  to  allow  there  is  no  command  that  does  not  re- 
quire holiness,  and  says  I  have  stated  the  question  wrong  in  saying  it  is, 
"  whether  there  are  any  commands  given  to  the  unregenerate,  Avhich  do  not 
reijuire  any  thing  truly  holy,  but  only  require  such  exercises  as  have  not  the 
nature  of  true  holiness."  But  ho  seems  to  have  forgotten  all  this  now,  and  as- 
serts the  affirmative  of  this  question,  and  what  is  directly  contrary  to  what  he 
had  granted.  For  if  there  are  "  other  commands  than  those  which  enjoin  holy 
love,"  then  there  are  commands  which  do  not  enjoin  holiness,  or  any  thing 
truly  holy,  since  he  grants  thei-e  is  nothing  truly  holy,  where  there  is  no  holy 
love. 

t  Mr.  Glass  observes  that  the  words  in  the  original,  rendered,  do  the  things 
of  the  laic,  might  more  properly  be  rendered,  do  the  offices  of  the  law;  i.  e., 
their  own  consciences  dictate  to  them  what  is  right,  and  condemn  or  justify,  by 
■which  they  are  a  law  unto  themselves. 


APPENDIX.  117 

law.  "  For  Moses  describeth  the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  that  the 
man  which  doth  those  things  shall  live  by  them."  That  he  speaks  of 
keeping  the  law  in  tlie  sense  in  which  the  Jews  generally  understood  it,  as 
the  way  to  life,  and  observes  that  on  this  footing  the  Gentiles  stood  as  fair  a 
chance  for  life  as  the  Jews,  if  they  were  doers  of  the  law,  by  a  patient  con- 
tinuance in  well  doing.  Yea,  while  such  Gentiles  were  saved,  the  Jew  who 
heard  the  law,  and  did  not  keep  it,  would  certainly  perish.  That  he  says 
this  only  to  convince  the  Jews  of  their  error,  without  supposing  that  any  one, 
Jew  or  Gentile,  ever  did  or  will  do  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  which  if 
a  man  do,  he  shall  live  in  tliem.  This  sense  is  much  preferable  to  that  which 
represents  the  heathen  as  actually  doing  those  things  by  which  they  shall  be 
saved,  without  any  knowledge  of  Christ  and  the  gospel.  But  tliere  are  ob- 
jections against  this  sense,  which  I  stay  not  now  to  mention,  but  proceed  to 
another,  which  to  me  is  the  most  natural  and  easy. 

Ans.  3.  The  apostle  is  not  here  speaking  of  unconverted  heathens,  but  of 
such  doing  the  things  contained  in  the  law  as  is  implied  in  embracing  the 
gospel,  or  in  the  character  of  a  Christian,  which,  in  tlie  preceding  context,  he 
calls  a  patient  continuing  in  well  doing  and  working  good.  And  tliis  is 
agreeable  to  our  Savior's  account  of  the  matter.  (Matt.  vii.  21,  and  on.)  And 
St.  James  describes  the  true  Christian  in  the  same  manner :  "  But  whoso 
looketh  into  the  perfect  law  of  liberty,  and  continueth  therein,  he  being  not 
a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of  the  work,  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in  his 
deed."     (James  i.  25.) 

The  words  following  confirm  this  sense,  in  which  these  Gentiles  are  said 
to  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  i.  e.,  discover,  by  their 
precession  and  conduct,  tlie  law  written  on  their  hearts.  But  this  is  spoken 
of  as  the  character  of  God's  people,  as  the  effect  of  God's  power,  and  a  bless- 
ing peculiar  to  the  covenant  of  grace.    (Jer.  xxxi,  33.     Heb.  viii.  10.) 

The  passage  under  consideration  might,  consistent  with  the  original,  be 
rendered  thus  :  "  For  when  the  Gentiles,  who  by  nature  have  not  the  law,  do 
the  things  contained  in  the  law."  The  word  translated  by  nature  being  used 
to  denote  their  natural  state,  by  birth  and  education,  by  which  they  are  dis- 
tinguished from  the  Jews,  and  not  what  they  did  by  the  force  of  mere  nature. 
We  have  an  expression  parallel  to  this  in  the  twenty-seventh  verse,  where 
the  same  word  is  used  :  "  And  shall  not  uncircumcision,  which  is  by  nature, 
if  it  fulfil  the  law,"  etc.  This  phrase  means  the  same  with  that  under  con- 
sideration,— "  The  Gentiles,  who  by  nature  are  without  law."  *  And  he  is  here 
evidently  speaking  of  the  same  thing :  to  fulfil  the  law  is  the  same  with  doing 
the  things  contained  in  the  law.  And  he  goes  on  to  show  what  this  is,  to 
tlie  end  of  the  chapter,  viz.,  that  it  is  nothing  merely  external,  but  belongs  to 
the  heart.  But  none  will  suppose  this  character  belongs  to  the  unconverted 
Gentiles.  He  speaks  of  the  same  Gentiles  in  the  following  parts  of  this 
epistle:  "  Even  us  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but  also  of  the 
Gentiles.  What  shall  we  say  then  ?  That  the  Gentiles,  which  followed  not 
after  righteousness,  have  attained  to  righteousness."  (Rom.  ix,  24-30  ;  see 
also  x.  12,  etc. ;  xv.  18.) 

The  Jews  were  greatly  prejudiced  against  the  Gentiles  being  received  as 
the  people  of  God,  without  being  circumcised,  and  becoming  Jews  by  sub- 
mitting to  tlieir  law  in  every  particular.  They  said  to  the  Gentiles,  "  Except 
ye  be  circumcised,  afler  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved ;  that  it  was 
needful  to  circumcise  them,  and  to  command  them  to  keep  the  law  of 
Moses."  (Acts  xv.  1-5.)  The  apostles  themselves  had  the  same  prejudices 
at  first.     And  when  Peter  came  to  understand  the  truth,  he  said,  "  Of  a  truth, 

•  When  St.  Paul  distinguishes  the  Jews  from  the  Gentiles,  he  uses  the  same 
word  —  '<  We  who  are  Jews  by  nature."  (Gal.  ii.  15.)  In  opposition  to  this, 
the  Gentiles  were  by  nature  distinguished  from  the  Jews. 


118  APPENDIX. 

I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  but  in  every  nation,  he  that 
feareth  him,  and  workcth  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him."  (Acts  x.  34- 
38.)  This  is  the  truth  Paul  is  vindicating  in  this  chapter,  and  laboring  to 
convince  and  confute  the  opposing  Jews.  This  might  be  more  fully  shown, 
had  I  room. 

It  will  perhaps  be  objected,  that  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  seems  incon- 
sistent with  the  Gentiles  here  spoken  of  being  Christians  :  "  These  having 
not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves."  Gentile  converts  had  the  law  as 
much  as  the  Jews. 

A.xswER.  They  had  not  the  law  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Jews  had  it.  It 
was  not  given  to  them  as  it  was  to  the  Jews,  nor  in  this  sense  binding  on  them. 
Therefore,  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Jew  had  the  law,  as  a  Jew,  the  Gentile 
had  it  not,  but  was  without  law,  and  continued  so  after  he  was  converted  to 
Christianity.  And  by  voluntarily  improving  the  revelation  of  the  moral  law, 
made  to  the  Jews,  being  approved  by  his  own  reason  and  conscience,  for 
his  own  instruction,  conviction,  and  practice,  he  was  a  law  unto  himself  This 
sense  of  the  words  has  been  mentioned  by  Augustine  and  others,  as  may  be 
seen  in  Poli  Sijn.,  in  loc,  though  Mr.  Hemmenway  thouglit  not  fit  to  take  any 
notice  of  it.  This  sense  is  consistent  with  the  whole  Bible,  and  particularly 
with  its  being  said  of  all  men  by  nature,  "  There  is  none  that  doeth  good, 
no,  not  one," — which  cannot  be  easily  reconciled  with  their  doing  by  nature  the 
things  contained  in  the  law,  and  being  such  doers  of  the  law  as  shall  be  jus- 
tified. Mr.  Hemmenway  must  prove  this  cannot  be  the  sense  of  tlie  text 
before  his  argument  from  it  will  be  of  any  service  to  him. 

His  three  next  arguments,  viz.,  from  its  being  said  of  Herod,  that  when  he 
heard  John,  he  did  many  things,  (Mark  vi.  20  ; )  from  Paul's  exhorting  the 
Christians  at  Philippi  to  practise  whatever  things  are  true,  honest,  etc.,  (Phil.  iv. 
8 ; )  and  "  from  divers  testimonies  from  the  Old  Testament,  manifesting  God's 
approbation  or  favorable  notice  of  the  actions  of  unsanctified  men,  when  for 
the  substance  conformable  to  his  will,"  are  not  so  different  as  to  require  a 
distinct  answer  to  each  of  them. 

The  general  answer  is,  whatever  men  do  from  an  evil  principle,  or  for  a 
forbidden  end,  is  not  duty  in  any  sense,  but  sin.  "  No  man  may  do  any  acts 
of  religious  obedience  for  such  ends  as  are  simply  and  absolutely  unlawful. 
Such  sacrifices"  are  in  a  peculiar  sense  an  abomination  to  the  Lord."  *  Mr. 
Hemmenway  grants  the  unregenerate  act  from  no  higher  or  better  principle 
than  self-love,  and  have  no  better  end  than  this  sets  up.  But  this  is  a  sinful 
principle,  and  always  pursues  a  wrong  and  bad  end.  Consequently,  such 
really  do  no  duty.  Therefore,  if  he  cannot  prove  that  self-love  is  an  innocent 
and  good  affection,  there  must  be  some  fallacy  in  all  his  arguments  from  these 
Scriptures,  or  any  others  in  favor  of  the  unregenerate  doing  any  part  of  their 
duty  ;  especially  their  doing  that  which  is  worthy  of  God's  approbation  and 
favorable  notice. 

It  is  said,  that  Herod  did  many  things  ;  but  not  that  he  did  any  duty,  or  one 
thing,  as  John  directed  him  to  do  it.  John  directed  him  to  repent,  and  express 
his  repentance  by  acts  of  righteousness  and  mercy ;  and  if  he  had  two  coats, 
to  give  one  to  him  that  had  none.  (Luke  iii.  8-14.)  If  Herod  gave  a  coat  to 
the  poor  from  self-love,  he  acted  from  no  better  principle  or  higher  end  than 
he  did  in  depriving  his  brother  of  his  wife,  and  ordering  John  to  be  put  to 
deatli.  Selfishness  and  pride  governed  him  in  the  former,  as  well  as  in  the 
latter.  He  was  the  same  man,  acted  from  the  same  principle,  and  had  the 
same  end  in  view,  in  each  of  these  actions. 

His  argument  from  Paul's  directing  Christians  to  practise  whatsoever  things 
are  true,  etc.,  is  indeed  somewhat  remarkable.  He  says,  "  I  have  not  cited 
it  because  straitened  for  proofs."     None  will  imagine  he  can  be  straitened 

*  Hemmenway's   Sermon. 


APPENDIX.  119 

for  proofs,  who  thinks  this  text  to  be  one.  Every  command  in  the  Bible 
might  be  as  "  pertinently  cited  "  as  this.  Christ's  command  to  his  disciples, 
"  Bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefully  use  you,"  is  full  as  pertinent ;  for  the  unregenerate  can  do 
this,  so  far  as  it  consists  in  externals,  as  well  as  speak  the  truth,  and  do  what- 
soever things  are  lovely.  And,  indeed,  this  implies  what  our  Savior  enjoins ; 
for  a  kind  behavior  towards  our  enemies  is  one  of  these  lovely  things.  But  I 
believe  Mr.  Hemmenway  will  not  say  tliat  they  whose  character  is  hating  one 
another  —  hating  those  that  hate  them  —  do  ever  bless  their  enemies,  according 
to  the  command  of  Christ.  For  when  they  bless  with  their  mouth,  their  heart 
is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness.  And  he  insists,  as  has  been  observed,  that 
whatever  is  done  for  a  bad  end,  is  not  duty.  Men  may  bless  their  enemies  to 
gratify  their  ill  will  against  them  ;  but  this  is  not  doing  the  matter  of  duty,  he 
grants.  And  they  who  bless  them  from  no  higher  principle  than  self-love, 
always  do  it  from  ill  M'ill ;  for  self-love  is  always  and  necessarily  ill  will  to 
enemies.  In  a  word,  Mr.  Hemmenwny's  argument  from  this  text  takes  its 
fair  appearance  wholly  from  a  jingle  of  words,  and  a  supposition  that  the  un- 
regenerate may  speak  the  truth,  not  for  a  bad,  but  a  good  end,  which  he  has 
not  yet  proved. 

The  truth  of  the  matter  is  plainly  this :  There  are  certain  external  actions 
in  words  and  conduct,  which  are  the  fruit  of  volition,  or  an  expression  of  the 
heart,  acting  out  in  these  ways.  Such  of  these  as  are  the'proper  expression 
of  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  or  universal  benevolence,  are  put  for  the 
whole  ;  the  external  sign  or  effect,  which  alone  is  seen  by  men,  is  mentioned 
and  spoken  of  as  including  the  whole.  Therefore,  those  are  mentioned  in  the 
command,  and  are  commanded,  as  comprehending  the  whole.  And  when 
these  effects  are  produced  by  men,  they  are  said  to  do  the  things  that  were 
commanded,  the  whole  being  implied,  unless  there  be  an  express  exception. 
Therefore,  when  only  something  external  is  mentioned  in  the  command,  and 
this  is  complied  with  and  done,  men  are  said  to  do  as  they  are  commanded  in 
Scripture,  and  in  common  language  among  men,  where  none  imagine  that 
nothing  is  intended  but  the  external  thing  which  is  mentioned.  This  I  take  to 
be  a  full  solution  of  all  the  seeming  ditficulty  in  all  the  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture Mr.  Hemmenwaj^  mentions,  or  that  can  be  found,  where  only  external 
actions  are  mentioned  in  the  command,  and  men  are  said  to  do  as  they  were 
commanded,  when  they  did  the  external  thing  mentioned  in  the  command. 
Mr.  Hemmenway  supposes  the  effective  act  of  tlie  will  is  implied,  when  only 
something  external  is  mentioned  ;  and  we  have  as  good  authority  to  say  the 
motives  and  design  of  the  agent  are  implied  ;  for  these  are  as  essential  to 
every  effective  act  of  the  will  as  is  this  effective  act  to  the  external  effect, 
and  more  so  ;  for  the  externa]  effect  may  take  place  where  there  is  no  act  of 
the  will,  whereas  there  can  be  no  effective  act  of  the  will  without  motive  and 
design. 

The  whole,  therefore,  comes  to  this :  There  are  certain  external  things 
which  are  the  proper  expression  of  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  and  by  which 
the  greatest  good  of  the  whole  is  promoted.     These  are  therefore  commanded,* 

*  Our  author  says.  "  The  highest  good  of  the  universe  is  the  original  reason  and 
foundation  of  the  divine  law."  This,  therefore,  must  be  the  design  of  every  partic- 
nhir  command.  And  when  any  particular  external  action  is  commanded,  it  is  sup- 
posed it  must  be  done  with  a  design  to  answer  this  end,  which  is  the  great  end  of 
all  laws.  And  if  the  external  action  mentioned  in  the  command  is  done  with  a 
contrary  view  and  design,  there  is  no  obedience  to  the  command,  but  it  is  nothing 
but  disobedience.  But  tliis  is  true  of  all  who  act  wholly  from  self-love.  No  affec- 
tion but  universal  benevolence  agrees  to  the  highest  good  of  the'  universe.  Self- 
love  does  always  necessarily  oppose  it.  Therefore,  he  does  not  obey  any  command 
who  has  no  universal  benevolence.    See  the  preceding  Inquiry. 


120  APPENDIX. 

And  when  the  command  is  complied  with,  and  the  external  thing  is  done  with 
a  right  view  and  design,  i.  e.,  with  a  disposition  to  promote  the  general  good, 
it  is  matter  of  duty ;  but  if  it  be  done  with  a  bad  design,  and  from  a  contrary 
motive,  viz.,  to  set  up  self  in  opposition  to  the  general  good,  it  is  not  matter 
of  duty,  but  matter  of  sin. 

With  respect  to  what  is  said  of  God's  manifesting  his  approbation  of  the 
doings  of  wicked  men,  and  taking  a  favorable  notice  of  them,  out  of  respect 
to  what  they  did,  in  the  case  of  Ahab,  Jehu,  etc.,  I  said,  in  my  reply  to  Mr. 
Mills,  God  did  not  conduct  in  these  instances  as  a  searcher  of  hearts,  but  in 
what  he  said  of  them,  and  his  conduct  towards  them,  had  respect  to  their 
present  external  appearance,  profession,  and  conduct,  i.  e.,  as  if  they  really  were 
what  they  professed  to  be,  true  penitents. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  demands  "  direct  and  positive  Scripture  evidence  of  this 
hypothesis,"  and  says,  "  Of  this,  according  to  my  best  observation,  his  book 
affords  nothing."  Answer.  I  mentioned  two  passages  of  Scripture,  —  Isa. 
Ixiii.  8-10 ;  Ps.  Ixxviii.  36,  —  which  I  thought  amounted  to  a  full  proof  of 
this.  How  this  paragraph  came  to  escape  his  observation,  I  cannot  tell.  If  he 
observed  it,  and  saw  it  was  not  to  the  purpose,  why  was  he  not  so  kind  as  to 
help  our  ignorance?  He  adds,  "Nor  has  he  told  us  how  it  could  properly 
be  said  of  any  one,  without  any  respect  to  his  heart,  that  his  heart  was  or  was 
not  perfect  and  upright,  when  his  behavior  was  externally  right." 

Answer.  There  is  no  such  instance.  It  is  said  of  Amaziah,  that  he  did 
that  which  was  right,  but  not  with  a  perfect  heart.  (2  Chron.  xxv.  2.)  But 
this  has  reference  to  what  appeared  in  his  external  conduct.  This  was  not  alto- 
gether right,  and  this  discovered  that  his  heart  was  not  perfect.  This  would 
not  have  been  said  of  him  if  his  behavior  had  been  externally  right. 

I  also  said,  if  God  granted  favors  to  Ahab,  Jehu,  etc.,  out  of  respect  to  their 
repentance  and  good  deeds,  and  manifested  hereby  his  approbation  of  their 
doings,  and  took  this  favorable  notice  of  what  they  did,  and  favored  them  be- 
cause they  did  so  well,  while  they  were  considered  as  having  no  connection 
with  Christ,  and  enemies  to  him,  then  he  might  bestow  the  greatest  favors 
on  men,  out  of  respect  to  their  own  goodness ;  and  consequently  they  may  be 
justified  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  which  overthrows  the  gospel,  and  represents 
Christ  as  dead  in  vain. 

To  this  he  says,  in  the  first  place,  God  does  in  fact  grant  favors  to  men  who 
are  not  believers  in  Christ,  and  therefore,  if  my  position  is  true,  he  might  grant 
the  greatest  favors  as  well,  even  eternal  salvation,  had  there  been  no  Media- 
tor; so  that,  according  to  my  way  of  arguing,  a  Mediator  was  not  necessary 
in  order  to  the  salvation  of  men,  etc. 

Answer.  He  has  wholly  overlooked  the  argument.  I  do  not  say  it  is  in- 
consistent with  the  gospel  for  God  to  grant  favors  to  men,  antecedent  to  their 
believing  in  Christ ;  but  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  need  of  atonement  for 
sin  by  Christ,  if  men,  while  unbelievers  and  enemies  to  Christ  and  the  atone- 
ment, may  do  those  works,  by  which  they  obtain  God's  approbation  and  favor- 
able notice  ;  for  this  implies  pardon  and  acceptance,  out  of  respect  to  their 
works,  and  purely  for  their  works'  sake ;  which  is  the  same  with  being  justi- 
fied by  their  works.  If  a  man  can  be  approved  and  accepted  of  God  in  his 
person  and  works,  while  he  has  no  union  to  Christ  or  faith  in  him,  then  he  is 
so  far  accepted  and  favored,  purely  out  of  respect  to  his  good  deeds,  and  not 
in  the  least  out  of  respect  to  the  righteousness  and  worthiness  of  Christ.  The 
necessity  of  Christ's  atonement  is  grounded  in  man's  being  in  such  a  state  by 
sin  that  he  cannot  have  God's  approbation  and  favorable  notice,  on  account 
of  any  thing  he  can  do,  even  though  he  should  become  perfectly  holy.  If  he 
could,  Clirist's  atonement  would  be  needless.  There  is  a  wide  difference  be- 
tween God's  exercising  benevolence  to  men,  and  his  approving  and  accepting 
them  and  their  doings,  and  taking  a  favorable  notice  of  them  because  they 
have  done  so  well.    The  former  is  exercised  towards  men  antecedent  to  their 


APPENDIX.  121 

union  to  Christ ;  the  latter  cannot  take  place,  unless  they  are  actually  united 
to  Christ,  and  interested  in  his  worthiness  and  righteousness,  which  alone 
recommends  men  to  the  divine  approbation  and  acceptance  in  their  persons 
and  works ;  for  tlicy  are  accepted  in  the  beloved.  Antecedent  to  their  be- 
lieving in  Christ,  they  are  condemned  and  accursed,  which  is  inconsistent 
with  their  having  God's  approbation,  and  his  taking  a  favorable  notice  of  their 
doings.  If  men  could  be  thus  delivered  from  the  curse  by  their  own  doings 
and  righteousness,  there  was  no  necessity  of  Christ's  being  made  a  curse,  to 
deliver  them  from  it ;  therefore,  as  to  such,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.  (Gal.  ii.  21.) 
Mr.  Hemmenway  has  not  said  a  word  to  show  tlie  defect  of  tliis  argument, 
that  I  have  observed. 

But  he  goes  on  to  make  another  mistake,  and  upon  tliis  says,  the  very  same 
objections  lie  against  the  sense  I  put  on  these  passages.  For  if  God  treated 
them  as  if  their  conduct  was  right  and  acceptable  to  him,  having  respect  only 
to  their  external  conduct,  without  searcliing  their  hearts,  he  did  this  either  on 
account  of  Christ's  mediation,  or  not.  If  not,  tlien  all  the  consequences  follow 
from  this  which  I  have  mentioned  as  following  from  his  interpretation.  If  he 
in  this  has  respect  to  Christ's  mediation,  his  doctrine  is  as  vindicable  on  tliis 
principle  as  mine.  He  concludes  thus :  "  Plainly,  then,  when  he  will  tell 
us  how  it  can  be  reconciled  with  the  divine  purity  to  speak  of,  and  conduct 
towards  sinners,  not  as  the  searcher  of  hearts,  but  merely  according  to  their 
visible  behavior,  and  clear  his  own  hypothesis  from  the  consequences  he 
draws  from  the  doctrine  he  opposes,  then  I  suppose  a  man  of  his  discern- 
ment, or  even  half  an  eye,  will  easily  see  that  the  doctrine  he  opposes  may  in 
the  same  way  be  as  well  vindicated." 

Answer.  God,  in  treating  them,  not  as  the  searcher  of  hearts,  but  accord- 
ing to  their  visible  profession  and  conduct,  had  respect  to  them,  and  expressed 
his  approbation  of  tliem,  considered  as  interested  in  tlio  atonement,  or  as  his 
servants  truly  devoted  to  him ;  whicli  was  true,  if  their  hearts  were  answer- 
able to  their  external  appearance.  Since  he  really  accepts  and  approves  of 
all  true  penitents,  purely  for  Christ's  sake,  he  visibly  approved  of  them  who 
were  visibly  penitents,  and  devoted  to  him,  or  appeared  to  be  interested  in  the 
atonement. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  has  got  to  show,  it  will  follow  from  hence,  that  God  may 
as  well  manifest  his  approbation  of  men's  characters  and  doings,  considered 
as  impenitents,  and  not  united  to  Christ.  At  present,  I  believe  he  who  has 
not  so  much  as  half  an  eye  is  most  likely  to  attempt  it.  While  we  treat  men 
according  to  their  visible  appearance,  we  are  obliged  to  take  a  favorable  notice 
of  and  love  him  who  professes  subjection  to  Christ,  purely  for  his  sake,  with- 
out knowing  his  jieart,  but  treating  him  as  if  it  was  answerable  to  liis  pro- 
fession. If  any  one  should  hence  infer  that  we  may,  with  as  great  propriety, 
manifest  the  same  approbation  and  love  to  those  who  are  visibly  unbelievers, 
and  bear  no  particular  relation  to  Christ,  he  would  argue  as  Mr.  Hemmenway 
does,  if  he  understands  my  argument.  The  way  is  now  prepared  to  see  with 
how  much  propriety  lie  introduces  the  following  words:  "Methinks  it  is 
somewhat  odd,  first  to  deny  and  dispute  against  the  fact,  viz.,  that  God  ex- 
presses his  approbation  of  some  actions  of  sinners,  and  grants  temporal  rewards 
to  them  because  of  such  actions,  and  then  immediately  suppose  the  same  fact, 
and  introduce  a  scheme  to  account  for  it,  or  sliow  it  to  be  consistent  with  the 
divine  perfections  and  the  truth  of  the  gospel,"  I  at  present  think  it  some- 
what more  than  odd  that  a  gentleman  of  his  abilities  should  be  so  much  in  the 
dark  in  so  plain  a  case. 

I  shall  finish  tliis  head  by  observing,  that  in  the  passages  under  considera- 
tion, and  others  of  the  like  kind,  there  is  as  much  evidence  from  the  expres- 
sions themselves,  that  they  did  the  whole  of  their  duty,  as  that  they  really  did 
any  part  of  it.  And  Mr.  Hemmenway  is  very  arbitrary,  having  nothing  in 
these  expressions  or  any  where  else  to  warrant  him  in  asserting  the  raeaningr 
VOL.  III.  11 


122  APPENDIX. 

is,  that  tliey  did  the  matter  of  duty.  Yea,  we  are  as  certain  they  did  not 
the  matter  of  duty,  as  he  explains  it,  as  that  tliey  did  not  tlie  whole  of  their 
duty,  when  they  are  said  to  do  as  the  Lord  commanded ;  for  in  order  to  this, 
according  to  him,  they  must  do  it  in  a  serious,  conscientious  manner,  witli  a  re- 
gard to  their  duty,  and  under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  for  ends 
that  are  innocent  and  good.  But  we  have  no  more  reason  to  tliink  that  all  the 
Israelites,  or  the  bigger  part,  had  all  this,  than  that  they  were  all  holy.  But 
we  are  sure  they  did  right,  and  as  the  Lord  commanded,  in  appearance,  and  so 
far  as  their  external  conduct  is  concerned.  Why,  then,  should  we  not  be  con- 
tent with  the  plain,  obvious  sense,  though  this  be  consistent  with  their  really 
doing  no  duty,  but,  as  their  act,  may  be  an  act  of  rebellion  ? 

His  seventh  argument  is  taken  from  sinners  having  encouragement  to  attend 
on  means  in  order  to  their  salvation,  lie  says,  it  hence  follows  that  this  is 
their  duty ;  for  "  God  never  encouraged  any  one  to  do  that  which  was  not 
his  duty." 

Ans.  L  It  has  been  shown  that  the  unregenerate  do  no  duty,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  account,  if  self-love  is  not  an  innocent  and  good  thing,  but  is 
sin,  and  so  far  as  men  act  for  the  end  that  proposes,  they  act  wrong.  But  this 
we  shall  conclude  to  be  true,  till  some  evidence  that  it  is  not  so  be  produced. 
Therefore,  till  he  has  done  this,  his  own  scheme  must  be  considered  as  in- 
volved in  all  the  difficulties  he  finds  in  mine.  He  says,  "  No  one  must  be 
encouraged  to  perform  duties  for  such  ends  as  ought  not  to  be  proposed, 
or  cannot  be  attained."  But  they  who  act  from  self-love  only,  always  act 
for  such  ends ;  therefore  ought  not  to  act  from  self-love.  He  also  says, 
"  God's  design  in  giving  these  commands  (i.  e.,  commands  to  the  unre- 
generate) are  indeed  different  from  theirs  in  obeying  them;"  and  represents 
every  unconverted  man  "  held  by  Satan  under  his  dominion,"  and  "  walking 
upon  enchanted  ground."  Consequently,  they  act  for  ends  which  ought  not 
to  be  proposed,  and  cannot  be  obtained,  according  to  his  own  account.  To 
what,  then,  are  they  to  be  encouraged  ?  What  duty  do  they  do,  while  acting 
from  those  ends,  which  ought  not  to  be  proposed,  by  which  tliey  are  held  under 
the  dominion  of  Satan,  and  walk  upon  enchanted  ground  ?  If  we  strip  their  ac- 
tions of  all  ends,  and  consider  them  as  doing  duty  without  motive  and  design, 
as  he  sometimes  seems  to  affect  to  do,  we  strip  them  of  every  thing  that  is 
either  duty  or  sin,  as  has  been  observed  ;  and  that  only  remains,  to  which  there 
can  be  no  encouragement ;  for  to  talk  of  encouraging  men  to  do  that  which  in- 
volves no  motive  and  design,  is  a  contradiction.  When  Mr.  Hemmenway  wUl 
make  his  own  scheme  consistent  with  itself,  and  with  his  doctrine  of  encourage- 
ment, I  trust  all  the  difficulties  he  has  attempted  to  fasten  on  mine  will  be  easily 
removed. 

Ajvs.  2.  If  it  appears  from  Scripture  history  and  experience  that  they 
are  most  likely  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  and  be  saved  with  whom 
most  means  are  used,  and  who  are  most  engaged  to  attend,  in  a  sense  of  their 
undone,  miserable  case,  and  have  the  clearest  conviction  of  their  true  state,  etc., 
then  this  is  a  motive  and  encouragement  to  men  to  attend  on  these  means,  so 
far  as  future  misery  is  an  evil,  and  eternal  happiness  is  a  good,  in  their  view, 
whatever  may  be  tJieir  ends  in  other  respects.  And  if  this  is  all  that  is  meant 
by  encouragement  to  attend  on  means,  may  not  a  man  take  this  encourage- 
ment, and  act  upi  n  it,  without  doing  any  duty?  The  encouragement  in  tliis 
case  does  not  turn  upon  the  ends  he  has  in  view,  or  the  goodness  or  badness 
of  his  exercises  and  conduct ;  but  upon  this  plain  fact,  that  persons  in  such  a 
situation  are  more  likely  to  be  saved  than  those  in  another.  One  takes  the 
encouragement,  and  is  induced  to  attend,  from  bad  motives  and  for  a  wrong 
end,  and  does  nothing  but  sin  ;  another  is  influenced  by  this  fact  from  the  best 
motives,  and  does  his  duty ;  yet  it  is  encouragement  to  both  of  them.  It  is 
certain,  from  experience,  this  fact  affords  encouragement  to  the  sinner,  who 
dreads  damnation,  to  attend,  though  he  is  conscious  he  attends  as  a  rebel,  with 


APPENDIX.  123 

a  heart  wholly  opposed  to  God  and  all  his  commands.  And  will  it  follow 
that  God  encourages  him  in  liis  rebellion  ? 

Mr.  Hemmenway  says,  "  It  will  be  impossible  to  convince  those,  who  view 
things  in  any  measure  as  they  are,  that  such  a  conduct  as  is  not  their  duty 
has  any  probable  tendency  to  promote  their  tinal  interest."  It  is  granted, 
such  conduct  has  no  tendency  in  itself  to  promote  their  salvation.  The 
ground  of  hope,  in  this  case,  is  entirely  in  what  God  does,  many  times  over- 
ruling it  so  as  to  issue  in  their  salvation.  It  is  impossible  for  Mr.  Hemmen- 
way to  prove  that  a  person,  sensible  that  he  does  no  duty,  wliether  he  attends 
on  means  or  not,  may  not  be  induced  to  attend,  as  the  only  hopeful  way  of 
escaping  the  evil  he  dreads ;  for  tliis  is  not  only  contrary  to  reason,  but  to 
many  known  facts.  Many  who  are  convinced  they  do  no  duty,  but  that  all 
the  exercises  of  their  hearts  are  a  constant  series  of  horrid  rebellion  against 
God,  are  engaged  to  attend  on  means  as  the  most  likely  way  to  escape  the 
damnation  they  dread.  And  it  appears  from  fact,  tliat  the  more  fully  a  sin- 
ner is  convinced  that  his  heart  constantly  opposes  God,  and  the  more  he  feels 
the  misery  of  his  case,  the  more  engaged  he  will  be  in  attending  on  means. 
And  if  such  could  be  made  to  believe  that  there  was  no  liope  for  them,  but 
in  the  way  of  doing  duty,  they  would  sit  down  in  absolute  despair. 

His  eighth  argument,  which  he  says  is  an  important  one,  now  offers  itself. 
This  is  taken  from  "  the  ends  for  which  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  were 
instituted."  He  says,  "  Such  an  attendance  to  duties  as  unregenerate  sinners 
are  capable  of,  may  and  does  answer  some  of  those  ends  for  which  these  du- 
ties were  enjoined.     Therefore,  such  obedience  is  enjoined  in  and  by  them." 

Ans.  1.  Though  God's  ends  are  answered  by  his  commands,  and  the 
sinner's  attendance  on  means,  and  it  is  sometimes  made  the  occasion  of  good 
to  him,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  the  sinner  does  any  duty.  He  says  the 
sinner  is  under  the  dominion  of  Satan  in  all  he  does,  and  his  ends  are  differ- 
ent from  God's  in  his  institutions  and  commands.  The  sinner's  exercises  and 
exertions  have  no  tendency,  in  themselves,  to  answer  any  good  end.  They 
are  all  evil,  and  tend  to  evil,  being  opposition  to  the  divine  autliority  and 
command.  When  they  issue  in  saving  good  to  the  sinner,  it  is  wholly  owing 
to  the  interposing,  overruling  hand  of  God.  The  sinner,  in  all  his  exertions 
under  awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience,  while  under  the  dominion 
of  Satan,  is  more  like  a  wild  bull  in  a  net  than  a  submissive,  obedient  child ; 
and  would  get  out  of  the  hands  of  God  if  he  could,  and  all  his  strivings  are 
really  strivings  against  God,  as  they  are  utterly  opposed  to  submission  to  him ; 
like  the  exertions  of  a  wild  beast,  untamed,  unsubdued,  in  the  hands  of  him 
who  is  taking  methods  to  bring  him  to  submission.  God  uses  means  with 
the  sinner  suited  to  bring  him  to  submission,  and  is  pleased  to  cause 
them  to  be  successful  in  some  instances ;  but  till  the  sinner  submits  he  does 
not  comply  with  God's  design,  but  acts  like  a  rebel  in  all  his  exertions.  This 
is  the  Scripture  account  of  the  matter.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God.  Every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light."  (John  iii.  20.)  "  He  that 
is  not  with  me  is  against  me  ;  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth 
abroad."     (Matt.  xii.  30.)* 

Ans.   2.    It  is   granted  that  God's  institutions   and  commands  have   a 


Mr.  Hemmenway  speaks  of  the  sinner's  waiting  on  God  in  the  way  of  his 
blessing,  and  of  his  endeavors  of  obedience.  But  surely  the  Scripture  will  not 
warrant  him  to  apply  these  expressions  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate.  They 
on.y  tend  to  blind  and  deceive.  Endeavors  of  obedience  suppose  the  heart  is 
gained,  and  friendly  to  God  and  his  commands.  And  to  wait  on  God,  does  in 
Scripture  denote  faith  and  trust  in  him,  and  promises  are  made  to  this.  Does 
the  unsubdued  rebel  —  the  carnal  mind  which  is  enmity  against  God  —  ever 
do  this  ? 


124  APPENDIX. 

tendency  to  influence  the  unregenerate,  and  are  designed  and  used  to  pro- 
mote what  is  called  a  preparatory  work  in  them ;  but  it  does  not  follow  that 
they,  while  unregenerate,  obey  any  of  these  injunctions  and  commands.  Our 
author  says,  "  The  hearers  of  the  gospel  are  to  be  immediately  called  to 
believe  and  repent ;  and  tliese  commands  and  exhortations  are  to  be  enforced 
with  a  promise  of  pardon  and  salvation  if  they  comply,  and  a  threatening 
of  damnation  if  they  remain  impenitent."  And  he  adds,  "  The  inculcation 
of  it,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  is  a  means  of  good  to  sinners.  The  work  of 
conviction  and  humiliation  may,  through  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  be 
promoted  in  them.  Hereby  they  are  led  into  a  just  view  of  the  misery  and 
danger  of  a  state  of  sin  ;  and  are  excited  earnestly  to  implore  the  mercy  of 
God,  and  diligently  to  attend  on  all  the  appointed  means  of  conversion."  If 
this  is  the  tendency  of  inculcating  these  commands,  what  need  is  there  of 
preaching  up  any  other  duty  short  of  repentance  to  promote  a  work  of  con- 
viction, and  lead  sinners  diligently  to  attend  on  means  ?  This  will  answer  all 
these  ends  to  all  intents  as  well ;  and,  I  must  add,  much  better  than  preaching 
up  duties  to  be  done  by  them  while  in  a  state  of  enmity  with  God ;  for  this 
has  no  tendency  to  convince  the  sinner  of  his  true  state,  of  his  sin,  misery, 
and  danger,  or  thoroughly  to  awaken  him  to  an  engagedness  in  this  matter, 
but  the  contrary.  I  appeal  to  fact  and  experience.  Wliat  persons  have 
appeared  to  have  the  most  just  view  of  their  misery  and  danger,  and  to  be 
most  in  earnest  in  attendance  on  means  ?  Are  they  not  such  as  have  been 
convinced  that  they  are  wholly  rebels ;  that  they  are  so  far  from  doing  any 
duty,  that  all  they  do  is  sin  ;  and  their  hearts  constantly  rise  in  rebellion 
against  God  ?  When  sinners  come  to  this  conviction,  you  cannot  persuade 
them  that  they  do  any  duty,  or  keep  them  from  a  constant  attendance  on 
means.  And  where  these  doctrines  are  preached,  and  sinners  are  called  upon 
to  repent,  and  taught  that  they  do  no  duty  while  they  refuse  this,  they  are  as 
much  disposed  to  be  in  the  use  of  means  as  they,  at  least,  who  have  the  con- 
trary doctrine  preached  to  them. 

But  what  is  most  to  the  purpose  to  observe  here  is,  that  Mr.  Hemmenway 
has,  in  this  concession,  given  up  the  whole  of  this  argument.  His  argument 
is,  that  because  the  divine  commands  and  institutions  are  designed  to  answer 
ends  with  respect  to  the  unregenerate,  to  promote  a  preparatory  work,  etc., 
therefore  they  must  enjoin  duty  to  be  done  by  them  while  unregenerate.  But 
he  here  says,  all  these  ends  may  be  answered  by  calling  on  them  to  repent 
and  believe  immediately,  on  pain  of  damnation ;  and  by  this  has  sapped  the 
whole  foundation  of  his  own  argument. 

Ans.  3.  Mr.  Hemmenway  allows  they  do  no  duty,  and  have  not  " a 
next  power  "  to  do  any  of  the  duties  he  pleads  for,  who  have  not  "  the  inward 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God."  But  the  institutions  and  commands  of  God 
respect  these,  as  well  as  those  who  have  the  inward  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
and  are  designed  to  answer  ends  with  respect  to  them  ;  and  such  attendance 
on  means,  as  they  are  capable  of,  may  and  does  sometimes  answer  these  ends, 
and  proves  the  means  of  their  awakening  and  salvation.  Therefore,  such 
obedience  is  enjoined  in  and  by  gospel  institutions.  This  argument  is  built 
on  the  same  ground  on  which  his  stands,  but  he  will  not  allow  it  to  be 
good ;  consequently  must  allow  us,  and  ought  himself,  to  have  as  poor  an 
opinion  of  his  own. 

There  is  something  to  be  done  with  a  sinner,  antecedent  to  his  receiving 
"  the  inward  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,"  and  as  a  means  of  it ;  and  he 
may  do  something,  viz.,  read  the  Bible,  and  hear  the  gospel  preached.  And 
why  is  not  this  as  much  duty  as  any  thing  the  sinner  does,  who  has  the  inward 
influences  of  the  Spirit,  according  to  his  argument  ?  Therefore,  it  proves  too 
much  ;  even  what  he  says  is  not  true ;  and  so  proves  nothing  at  all. 

He  probably  made  this  distinction,  and  expressly  excluded  all  who  have 
not  the  inward  influences  of  the  Spirit  from  doing  any  duty,  because  it  would 


APPENDIX.  125 

be  not  a  little  shocking  to  represent  the  openly  profane  person  as  doing  the 
matter  of  duty,  when  he  puts  on  a  serious  face  for  an  hour  in  hearing  a  ser- 
mon, Avhile  liis  heart  is  as  much  given  to  profaneness  as  ever,  and  his  desicrn 
is  to  improve  what  he  hears  to  the  vilest  purposes.  But  they  who  judge  not 
according  to  the  appearance,  but  righteous  judgment,  according  to  the  stan- 
dard of  truth,  and  look  on  every  unregenerate  heart  full  of  notliing  but  tlioughts 
and  imaginations  which  are  wholly  evil  continually ;  of  cursing  and  bitter- 
ness ;  of  enmity  against  God ;  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked ;  will  be  as  far  from  admitting  that  such  do  any  duty,  as  he  is  that 
any  duty  is  done  by  the  secure  and  profane.  And  though  he  may  think  it 
very  uncliaritable,  I  am  confident  that  if  he  had  constantly  viewed  the  unre- 
generate in  this  scriptural  light,  his  two  books,  wrote  to  prove  and  inculcate 
unregenerate  duties,  never  would  have  existed.  But  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
he  often  forgets  this  distinction,  as  well  he  might,  since  it  is  so  arbitrary,  and 
represents  those  as  doing  duty  who  can  have  no  pretence  to  the  Spirit  of  God, 
more  than  all  men  on  earth,  even  tlie  whole  host  of  Israel,  and  tlie  mixed 
multitude  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness ;  though  he  says  God  at  the 
same  time  "knew  that  they  were  a  rebellious  generation."  And  he  says  the 
multitude  of  the  Jews  did  their  duty  in  sitting  down  to  cat,  though  they  were 
a  stupid,  carnal  generation,  and  followed  Christ  only  for  the  loaves.  And  his 
description  of  the  matter  of  duty  in  many  places  is  suited  to  the  doings  of 
the  most  profligate  wretch  in  the  kingdom,  though  at  other  times,  in  contra- 
diction to  himself,  he  expressly  excludes  such  from  doing  any  duty. 

"  This  leads  me  to  observe,"  he  says,  "  when  Christ  directed  the  Jews  to 
search  the  Scriptures,  he  must  mean  a  study  of  the  Scriptures  by  the  unregen- 
erate, in  order  to  conversion,  or  their  receiving  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  sancti- 
fying influences,  because  they  were  tlien  unregenerate.  But  upon  the  same 
ground,  I  may  say,  he  means  a  search  of  the  Scriptures  which  men  may  prac- 
tise before  they  have  "  the  inward  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,"  for  these 
Jews  had  not  the  Spirit  in  this  sense ;  and  must  they  wait  and  do  nothing  till 
the  Spirit  came  upon  them  ?  Was  it  not  their  duty  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
in  order  to  obtain  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  ?  And  did  Christ  direct  them 
to  study  the  Scriptures  only  on  supposition  they  had  the  Spirit  ?  If  he  directed 
them  to  that  search  of  the  Scriptures,  which  they  could  not  perform  till  they 
had  the  inward  influences  of  the  Spirit,  Avhich  they  were  then  wholly  without, 
why  might  he  not  as  well  mean  such  a  study  of  them  as  implied  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  his  sanctifying  influences  ?  Was  not  the  latter  as  much  in  their 
reach  as  the  former  ?  And  are  not  God's  institutions  and  commands  as  much 
calculated  and  designed  to  bring  men  to  the  former  as  to  the  latter?  When 
he  will  solve  these  difficulties,  and  answer  these  questions,  on  his  own  princi- 
ples, we  may  safely  promise  a  full  answer  to  all  he  says  on  this  head,  from 
this  passage  of  Scripture,  or  any  other.  This,  we  trust,  has  been  made 
already.* 

*  Mr.  Hemmenway  frequently  represents  that,  upon  our  plan,  the  unregen- 
erate are  not  to  be  exhorted  to  do  any  duty,  but  only  on  supposition  they  are 
regenerated ;  and  that  nothing  is  their  duty  in  present  circumstances.  In  this 
view,  he  says,  "Why  do  any  seek  to  persuade  unregenerate  sinners  that  these 
things  are  not  their  duty?"  This  is  a  groundless  misrepresentation.  While 
we  tell  them  they  do  no  duty  so  long  as  they  are  impenitent,  we  have  duty 
enough  to  urge  upon  them,  and  that  without  making  any  supposition,  and 
■which  he  himself  grants  is  their  immediate  duty. 

But  if  this  representation  were  just,  it  might  be  equally  applied  to  him,  and 
it  might  be  said,  he  finds  no  duty  for  them  to  do  who  have  not  received  the  in- 
ward influences  of  the  Spirit ;  and  they  cannot  be  exhorted  to  any,  only  on 
supposition  they  have  these  influences.  How  they  shall  know  when  they  have 
these  influences  he  has  not  told ;  and  perhaps,  if  he  should  try,  he  would  find  it 

11* 


126  APPENDIX. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  makes  great  use  of  imperfect  holiness  being  prescribed 
as  the  means  of  salvation ;  and  seems  to  think  this  quite  sufficient  to  prove 
his  point,  and  stop  the  month  of  most  objections  against  him.  His  argument 
seems  to  be  this :  If  the  best  of  men  are  imperfect,  and  do  but  part  of  their 
duty  in  this  world,  and  true  repentance  and  faith,  however  imperfect,  are  the 
appointed  means  of  eternal  life,  then  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate  are 
appointed  duties,  as  means  of  their  conversion. 

AiNS.  1.  Real  holiness  is  duty;  and  he  who  exerciseth  this,  though  in 
an  imperfect  degree,  so  far  does  his  duty,  and  no  further.  But  how  does  it 
follow  from  hence  that  the  unregenerate  do  any  duty  ?  or  that  unholiness  is 
prescribed  as  duty,  or  means  of  any  thing .''  He  has  not  yet  made  out  this 
consequence,  and  never  will. 

Ans.  2.  They  are  required  to  be  perfect  in  all  things ;  nor  is  imperfect 
holiness  prescribed  by  any  command.  It  is,  through  the  grace  of  the  gospel, 
made  a  means  of  salvation,  and  interests  in  all  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of 
grace;  but  every  injunction  and  command  requires  perfect  holiness,  as  much 
as  any  degree  of  it.  The  lowest  degree  of  holiness  is  in  some  degree  obe- 
dience to  tlie  command,  though  it  is  not  required  as  thus  imperfect ;  and 
divine  grace  pardons  the  imperfection  and  sin  for  Christ's  sake,  to  whom  the 
lowest  degree  of  true  faith  in  him  unites  the  believer.  But  still,  how  does  it 
follow  from  this  that  what  has  no  degree  of  holiness  is  any  part  of  duty,  or 
prescribed  as  a  means  of  conversion. 

Under  this  argument  he  undertakes  to  correct  "  a  notable  mistake,"  which 
he  says  I  have  made  in  representing  that  some  suppose,  and  argue  from  it,  as 
an  undeniable  maxim,  "  that  whatsoever  is  said  to  an  impenitent,  unregenerate 
sinner,  by  way  of  exhortation  or  command,  can  require  or  propose  nothing 
but  what  he  may  do,  and  yet  continue  impenitent  and  unregenerate."  *  He 
says,  he  knows  of  none  to  whom  this  is  apjdicable.  And  as,  from  some  of 
my  words  on  this  head,  he  has  reason  to  conclude  I  had  reference  to  his  ser- 
mons, he  says,  "  I  have  mistook  his  meaning,  and  concludes  I  have  also  mis- 
took the  meaning  of  others." 

Ans.  1.  I  own  that  when  I  wrote  what  he  refers  to,  I  did  suppose  he  had 
taken  this  for  an  undoubted  maxim  in  some  things  he  said  in  his  sermons,  as 
well  as  others  in  their  writings ;  and  I  was  not  alone  in  this.  I  was  led  to 
this  conclusion  from  his  building  an  argument,  for  the  duties  he  was  pleading 
for,  wholly  on  this  supposition,  as  I  thought.  He  tmdcrtakes  to  prove 
that  the  things  Avhich  the  unregenerate  may  do,  while  such,  are  required 
of  them.  And  he  does  this  principally  by  citing  a  number  of  Scriptures,  in 
which  there  are  commands  to  hear,  search  the  Scriptures,  pray,  etc.  And 
all  he  says  to  prove  these  Scriptures  are  to  his  purpose,  and  require  the 
doings  of  the  unregenerate,  is  to  observe  they  were  spoken  to  such.  Now, 
if  it  is  not  true  that  nothing  but  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  or  what  they 
may  do,  while  such,  is  required  of  them,  then  these  commands,  given  to  the 
unregenerate,  may  require  not  Avhat  they  do,  while  such,  but  what  the  regen- 
erate only  do ;  so  his  argument  comes  to  nothing.  If  I  should  undertake  to 
prove  from  Scripture  that  a  profane  drunkard  was  required  to  pray,  while  in 
the  midst  of  his  profaneness  and  cups,  and  in  order  to  this  should  produce  a 
Scripture  requiring  prayer,  and  only  observe  this  Scripture  was  addressed  to 
profane  drunkards  ;  would  not  every  one  see  I  had  not  proved  my  point,  unless 
it  was  certain  that  nothing  is  in  Scripture  required  of  such  men  but  what 
they  may  do  while  such  ?  And  would  they  not  have  a  right  to  conclude  I 
built  on  this  as  an  undeniable  maxim? 

much  easier  to  tell,  from  the  Bible,  how  persons  may  know  whether  thej'  have 
the  Spirit  in  his  saving  influences,  than  that  they  have  his  influences  which  are 
abort  of  it. 

*  See  reply  to  Mr.  Mills. 


APPENDIX.  127 

I  knew  Mr.  Hemmenway  offered  other  arguments,  and  said  many  thinf^s 
inconsistent  with  what  I  supposed  he  took  for  granted  here,  as  the  foundation 
of  his  argument ;  yet  this  was  no  evidence  that  he  did  not  liere  build  wholly 
on  the  maxim  mentioned,  nor  am  I  able  yet  to  make  any  thing  of  liis  argument 
on  any  other  supposition.  But  since  he  says  this  was  not  his  meaning,  it 
must  be  left  to  the  public  to  judge,  who  has  made  the  greatest  mistake,  he, 
in  writing  as  he  has  done,  or  I,  in  understanding  him  as  I  did. 

Ans.  2.  Though  he  has  undertaken  now  to  "state  the  matter  plainly, as  he 
understands  it,"  I  confess  it  is  not  very  plain  to  me,  though  it  may  be  to 
others. 

1.  His  argument,  as  he  now  states  it,  proves  nothing.  The  argument  is 
this,  if  I  now  understand  him.  There  are  certain  instrumental  duties  to  be 
done  by  tlie  unregenerate,  and  means  to  be  attended  upon,  in  order  to  con- 
version. Therefore  the  Scriptures  commanding  these  things,  as  what  they 
have  a  next  power  to  do,  bind  these  duties  upon  them.  Here  the  whole  thing 
to  be  proved  is  still  taken  for  granted,  viz.,  that  there  are  instrumental  duties 
for  the  unregenerate  to  do. 

2.  If  his  argument  proves  any  thing,  it  proves  too  much  for  himself.  If 
commands  to  the  unregenerate  respect  all  they  may  do,  while  such,  in  attend- 
ance on  means,  and  make  all  this  their  duty,  as  they  may  do  it,  then  thej' 
who  have  not  "the  inward  influences  of  the  Spirit  "are  hereby  bound  to  duty, 
which  they  may  do,  while  in  this  state,  and  the  argument  is  as  strong  for 
these  duties  as  any  other.  But  he  himself  grants  such  do  no  duty.  If  his 
way  of  arguing  does  not  prove  they  do,  it  proves  nothing. 

3.  He,  in  explaining  his  argument,  gives  it  all  up,  as  has  been  observed. 
For  if,  as  he  asserts,  connnands  which  the  unregenerate  never  obey,  while 
such,  are  suited  to  excite  them  to  all  those  exertions  and  attendance  on  means, 
and  produce  all  those  effects,  necessary  to  take  place  in  order  to  conversion, 
and  always  do  this,  where  they  take  effect,  then  the  necessity  of  their  at- 
tending on  means  does  not  infer  any  command  of  these  things,  as  they  do 
them,  for  there  is  no  need  of  any  such  command  in  order  to  their  doing 
them. 

4.  He  has,  I  think,  in  stating  this  matter  plainly,  said  other  things  plainly 
inconsistent  with  themselves.  He  says  repeatedly,  it  is  the  present,  the  im- 
mediate duty  of  the  unregenerate  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel.  And  yet, 
in  the  midst  of  all  this,  he  asserts  "  God  has  not  enjoined  on  any  the  imprac- 
ticable task  of  exercising  supernatural  powers  or  principles,  before  they  are 
furnished  with  them,  as  the  means  of  obtaining  any  blessings,  temporal  or 
spiritual.  To  prescribe  impossible  means  would  be  the  same  thing  as  to  pre- 
scribe none.  Faith  and  repentance  are  means  of  salvation  only  to  those  who 
are  enabled  to  believe  and  repent."  * 

Perhaps  I  have  made  another  notable  mistake  for  Mr.  Hemmenway  to  cor- 
rect. But  if  I  have  not,  these  are  not  only  inconsistencies,  but  he  has  here  as- 
serted the  very  doctrine  I  had  said  some  held,  and  was  implied  in  the  argument 
above  mentioned,  which  he  represents  to  be  a  notable  mistake.  For  accord- 
ing to  this,  God  does  not  enjoin  any  thing  on  the  unregenerate  in  order  to 
their  salvation,  which  they  may  not  do  while  unregenerate.  Upon  this 
ground  liis  argument,  from  the  Scriptures  above  mentioned,  stands  good  ;  and 
we  may  be  sure  that  whatever  the  Scripture  directs  sinners  to,  in  order  to 
salvation,  it  is  something  they  may  do  while  unregenerate  ;  and  I  am  yet 
persuaded  he  in  his  own  mind  built  on  this  as  an  undeniable  maxim,  when 

*  Agreeably  to  this,  he  in  his  sermons  quotes  with  approbation  the  following 
sentence  :  "  God  does  not  command  impossibilities  ;  but  in  commanding,  di- 
rects sinners  to  do  what  they  can,  and  to  seek  and  endeavor  to  do  what  they 
cannot :  "  i.  e.,  God  does  not  command  the  unregenerate  to  do  any  thing  which 
they  cannot  do  while  such.. 


128 


APPENDIX. 


he  wrote  his  sermons,  though  he  may  now  think  he  did  not.  His  argument 
is  conclusive,  on  this  supposition.  And  why  should  he  not  suppose  then 
what  he  has  asserted  now,  and  that  even  while  he  is  declaring  he  holds  no 
such  thing  ? 

5.  He  here  asserts  a  certain  connection  between  what  the  unregenerate 
may  do,  and  salvation  ;  which  he  had  repeatedly  said  wo  have  no  warrant  to 
assert  from  Scripture,  and  has  declared  his  belief  of  the  contrary.  His 
words  are,  "  God's  denying  special  and  effectual  grace  to  those  who  are  fa- 
vored with  the  outward  means,  is  a  penal  consequence  of  their  neglecting  to  do 
what  they  had  a  next  power  to  do  in  a  way  of  attendance  on  means."  If  so, 
then  none  perish  who  attend  on  the  means  as  the  unregenerate  may  do.  But 
how  does  he  know  this,  unless  he  finds  it  asserted  in  the  Bible  ?  But  if  it  is 
asserted  there,  it  is  the  same  with  a  divine  promise  of  salvation  to  all  who 
thus  attend  the  means.  How  then  can  he  say,  as  he  does  repeatedly,  it  can- 
not be  proved  there  are  any  promises  of  salvation  to  the  doings  of  the 
unregenerate  ?  * 

He  concludes  by  saying,  "  These  observations,  it  is  hoped,  may  help  Mr. 
Hopkins  to  understand  the  principles  on  which  our  argument  proceeds 
better  than  he  appears  to  have  done."  I  confess  I  am  not  helped,  nor  does  it 
appear  to  me  that  he  well  understands  himself.  But  perhaps  it  will  be  plain 
to  others. 

His  last  argument  is  this  :  "  The  hearers  of  the  gospel  are  commanded  to 
repent  and  be  converted,  that  they  may  be  saved  ;  and  this  infers  an  obligation 
oti  all  to  attend  the  means  of  conversion.  Such  commands  implicitly  require 
whatever  is  necessary  to  be  done  by  us,  in  order  to  a  compliance  with 
them." 

Answer.  The  command  to  repent  does  not  infer  an  obligation  to  attend 
on  the  means  of  conversion  in  an  impenitent  way,  or  with  a  heart  wholly 
opjjosed  to  repentance  ;  nor  is  this  necessary  in  order  to  a  compliance  with 
tiie  command,  unless  opposition  to  the  command  is  implied  in  the  command, 
and  is  the  means  of  obedience  to  it.  But  the  doings  of  the  impenitent  are 
impenitent  doings,  and  wholly  opposed  to  repentance  and  conversion;  there- 
fore, are  not  implied  in  the  command  to  repent ;  so  far  from  this,  that  they  are 
altogether  disobedience  to  the  command."  f 

I  know  Mr.  Hemmenway  will  come  in  here  with  his  divideis,  and  say,  im- 
penitence and  unbelief  "are  not  required  as  adjuncts  or  qualifications  of 
men's  attendance  on  means,  but  tlie  attendance  itself  is  absolutely  required 
of  men."  But  when  he  has  separated  the  adjuncts  and  qualifications  of  their 
doings  from  the  attendance  itself,  there  remains  nothing  to  be  required  or 
forbidden,  that  is  duty  or  sin,  as  has  been  shown. 


*  Mr.  Hemmenway  in  his  sermons  says,  "  I  do  not  plead  for  a  promise  of 
regeneration  to  the  endeavors  of  the  unconverted."  Yet  at  the  same  time  says 
the  unconverted,  "  by  improving  diligently  the  grace  they  have  received,  shall 
obtain  further  degrees."  And  to  this  purpose  applies  the  words  of  Christ: 
"  Whosoever  hath,  (i.  e.,  holds  or  improves  what  he  hath,)  to  him  shall  be  given." 
This  is  an  absolute  promise  to  that  improvement  here  intended.  Therefore,  if 
it  intends  what  the  unregenerate  do,  there  are  promises  to  the  doings  of  the 
unregenerate.  Moreover,  he  applies  one  of  the  most  express  promises  in  the 
l?ible  to  the  unregenerate. '  (Matt.  vii.  7—10.)  How  these  things  can  be  made 
consistent,  I  know  not. 

t  This  is,  I  think,  sufficient  to  show  I  was  not  guilty  of  the  inconsistence  he 
thinks  he  finds  in  what  I  have  wrote  on  this  head.     But  this  is  left  to  the  reader. 


APPENDIX.  129 


SECTION  III. 

A  brief  Reply  to  Mr.  Hemtnenwaifs  Answer  to  my  Arguments,  proving  the 
Unregenerate  do   no  Duty. 

My  first  and  chief  argument  to  prove  the  unregenerate  do  no  duty  was 
taken  from  Matt.  xxii.  37-40,  and  Rom.  xiii.  8-10.  Christ,  mentioning  love 
to  God  and  our  neighbor  as  required  in  the  first  and  second  commands,  says, 
"  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets."  I 
thought  it  hence  followed  that  all  required  in  the  law  and  prophets  is  love ; 
and  Uiat  this  inference  was  supported  and  fully  asserted  by  Paul,  when  he 
says,  "  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law  ; "  and  then  enumerates  a  number  of 
commands  of  the  second  table,  and  says,  all  these,  and  every  other  command, 
are  briefly  comprehended  in  this  saying,  Thou  shnlt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 
self. Therefore,  since  the  unregenerate  do  not  love  God  or  their  neighbor, 
they  do  no  part  of  their  duty,  nor  yield  the  least  true  obedience  to  any 
command. 

Mr.  Hcmmenway  is  so  far  from  admitting  this  argument  to  be  conclusive, 
that  he  takes  much  pains  to  overthrow  it,  and  says  these  passages  will  prove 
directly  the  contrary.  His  opposition  to  the  sense  I  put  upon  the  words  of 
Christ  is  grounded  on  the  words  Mark  mentions,  as  spoken  by  our  Lord  with 
respect  to  these  two  commands,  viz.,  "  There  is  none  other  commandment 
greater  than  these."  He  says  this  necessarily  implies  there  were  other  com- 
mands besides  those  which  require  love. 

Answer.  Ho  has  not  proved,  nor  will  he  ever  do  it, that  these  words  imply 
there  are  any  other  commands.  Both  may  be  true,  that  there  is  no  other 
command  greater  than  these,  and  that  there  is  no  other  command  which  is 
not  comprehended  in  these.  If  there  is  no  T)ther  command,  but  these  imply  the 
whole,  then  certainly  there  is  none  greater.  And  it  appears,  from  comparing  the 
evangelists,  that  our  Lord  asserted  both.  First,  that  there  is  none  greater ; 
and  secondly,  that  in  truth  these  comprehend  the  whole  that  is  required  of 
man.  "  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets."  As 
if  he  had  said,  "  There  is  no  other  commandment  greater  than  these ;  and 
indeed  these  are  the  whole  of  the  law  and  the  prophets  ;  all  depend  on  these, 
and  they  comprise  the  whole."  * 

But  he  further  says,  "  There  is  nothing  in  tlie  expression  used  by  our  Sa- 
.  viour,  '  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets,'  that 
so  much  as  intimates  that  every  command  in  divine  revelation  really  requires 
nothing  but  true  love." 

*  It  is  said,  "The  Lord  is  greater  than  all  gods."  (Ex.  xviii.  2.)  But  who 
ever  supposed  this  implied  that  there  were  other  gods  besides  Jehovah?  or 
that  this  expression  is  meonsistent  with  its  being  said,  "  There  is  no  God  besides 
me ;  we  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing  in  the  world  "  ?  Both  these  assertions 
are  true,  though  more  is  asserted  in  the  latter  than  in  the  former. 

He  says,  "  A  part  of  any  thing  cannot  be  called  another  thing  than  that  in 
which  it  is  contained."  Answer.  This  is  a  contradiction  to  his  whole  scheme. 
For  he  says  holiness  is  a  compound  made  up  of  many  parts ;  and  that  the  mat- 
ter of  duty  is  a  part  of  holiness  ;  and  yet  asserts  this  is  another  thing  than  that 
in  which  it  is  contained,  viz.,  unholiness.  But  it  seems  he  has  now  altered  his 
■  plan  on  which  he  first  set  out.  Then  he  allowed  there  was  no  command  that 
did  not  require  holiness,  and  corrected  me  for  stating  the  question  as  if  this  was 
denied.  But  now  he  is  proving  there  are  other  commands  than  those  which 
require  holiness.  "  Here  I  must  refresh  our  author's  memory,  which  seems 
(not)  a  Uttle  to  have  failed  him." 


130  APPENDIX. 

Ans.  1.  If  there  is  any  command  which  does  not  require  love,  and  is  not 
fulfilled  by  love,  it  cannot  be  said  to  hang  or  depend  on  these  two  commands, 
which  require  nothing  but  love.  Whatever  depends  wholly  on  these  com- 
mands, would  be  wholly  abolished,  or  cease  to  be  a  command,  if  these  com- 
mands should  cease.  But  if  love,  and  nothing  else,  is  the  fulfilling  of  every 
thing  required  in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  these  words  are  suited  to  express 
this.  Therefore,  this  is  the  sense  in  which  they  must  be  taken,  especially  as 
the  same  thing  is  asserted  in  other  passages  of  Scripture,  and  appears  every 
way  reasonable.  When  Christ  says,  "  Therefore,  all  things  whatsoever  ye 
would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them  ;  for  this  is  the  law 
and  the  prophets,"  (Matt.  vii.  12,)  he  expresses  the  same  thing  with  reference 
only  to  the  second  command  of  love  to  our  neighbor.  What  is  here  com- 
manded, all  grant,  is  to  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  And  how  is  this  the 
law  and  the  prophets,  unless  it  be  that  this  is  the  thing  inculcated  in  the  law 
and  prophets  ;  so  that  he  who  comes  up  to  this  does  all  required  in  them,  so 
far  as  they  respect  our  duty  to  our  neighbor  ? 

And  when  Paul  says,  "If  I  have  no  love,  I  am  nothing,"  (1  Cor.  xiii.  2,)  he 
expresses  the  same  thing ;  for  how  could  this  be  true,  if  the  law  and  the 
prophets  were  any  thing  aside  from  love  ?  When  Christ  says,  "  He  that  lov- 
eth  me  not,  keepeth  not  my  sayings,"  (John  xiv.  24,)  what  could  be  a  more 
express  declaration,  that  there  is  no  obedience  where  there  is  no  love  ?  Mr. 
Hemmenway,  in  order  to  support  his  scheme,  must  prove  that  he  who  loveth 
not  Christ  may  keep  his  sayings.  I  know  that  he  can  easily  do  this,  in  the 
way  he  proves  almost  any  thing,  by  his  sensu  composito  and  seiisu  diviso.  But 
whether  he  can  do  it  consistently  with  common  sense,  let  them  judge  who  are 
willing  to  make  use  of  it. 

Ans.  2.  Mr.  Hemmenway  says,  "The  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor  is 
spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  a  kind  of  summary  of  the  duty  of  man."  He  also 
says,  "  We  do  indeed  allow  that  nothing  is  required  as  duty,  but  what  is  either 
implied  in  the  affection  of  love,  or  is  a  fit  way  of  exercising  and  expressing 
it ;  nothing  which  may  not  be  considered  as  comprehended  in  love."  *  In 
these  words,  I  think,  he  grants  the  whole  he  is  disputing  against.  For  if  love 
is  a  summary  of  the  duty  of  man,  then  this  comprises  the  whole  of  his  duty, 
and  he  who  does  not  love  does  no  duty.  And  if  nothing  is  required  as  duty 
but  what  is  implied  in  love,  or  a  fit  way  of  expressing  it,  or  comprehended  in 
it,  then  that  which  does  not  imply  love,  and  is  not  an  expression  of  it,  is  not 
required,  and  is  no  duty. 

Ans.  3.  The  apostle's  words  are  so  plain  and  express,  that  they  cannot  be 
evaded.  He  says  love  fulfils  the  law  ;  which  could  not  be  true  if  the  law  re- 
quired any  thing  besides  love.  He  enumerates  a  number  of  commands,  and 
says  all  these,  and  every  other  command,  is  comprehended  in  that,  thou  shalt 
love  ;  therefore  love  fulfils  the  law,  does  all  that  is  commanded. 

I  have  such  an  opinion  of  our  author's  abilities  that  I  do  not  think  he  has 
pleased  himself  in  his  attempt  to  evade  the  force  of  this  passage.  To  me  it 
appears  so  futile  and  frivolous,  as  neither  to  need  or  deserve  an  answer. 
And  the  boasting  flourish  he  makes  in  the  conclusion,  seems  rather  to  be  the 
effect  of  the  weakness  of  his  argument,  tlian  the  contrary.  But  of  this,  "  let 
such  as  exercise  their  reason  judge."  f 

*  Our  author  says,  "  Had  our  Lord  thought  that  those  two  commandments 
contained  all,  he  would  have  said.  There  is  no  other  commandments  besides 
these."  He  here  grants  they  do  in  truth  contain  all ;  and  I  conclude  he  will 
not  deny  our  Lord  thought  this  to  be  truth.  And  doubtless  he  expressed  him- 
self perfectly  agreeable  to  this  truth,  though  Mr.  Hemmenway  thinks  it  "  a 
gross  impropriety  of  language." 

t  He  says,  it  plainly  appears  that  there  are  other  duties  we  owe  to  our 
neighbor  besides  love,  from  the  apostle's  own  words,  "  Owe  no  man  any  thing. 


APPENDIX.  131 

He  says,  "  It  does  not  appear  that  love  is  ever  used  in  so  extensive  a  sense 
in  the  Scriptures  as  to  include  all  those  acts  of  external  obedience  which 
flow  from  it." 

A.xswER.  Paul  says  it  includes  all  that  is  commanded  in  the  divine  law, 
as  this  is  all  fulfilled  by  love  ;  and  none,  I  suppose,  will  deny  that  acts  of  ex- 
ternal obedience  are  commanded.  Yea,  he  particularly  mentions  a  number 
of  commands  requiring'  external  obedience,  and  expressly  says,  love  includes 
all  this  obedience.  And  does  not  John  speak  of  love  as  including  external 
acts  when  lie  says,  "  Lot  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed, 
and  in  truth  "  ?  (1  John  iii.  18.)  Is  not  to  love  in  deed,  to  love  in  external  ac- 
tion, i.  e.,  in  doing  acts  of  love  and  mercy  ?  Again,  he  says,  "  This  is  the 
love  of  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments."   (Chap.  v.  3.) 

As  a  further  evidence  that  he  who  does  not  love  does  no  duty,  nothing 
that  is  commanded,  I  observed,  that  when  the  people  of  Israel  appeared  by 
their  openly  wicked  conduct  to  have  no  true  love  to  God,  they  are  represented 
as  doing  nothing  that  was  required  of  them,  while  they  attended  the  temple 
service,  otfered  sacrifices,  etc.  God  calls  all  their  offerings  vain  oblations, 
and  says,  "  Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand,  to  tread  my  courts  ? " 
(Isa.  i.  12,  13.)  ^ 

To  this,  Mr.  Hemmenway  says,  "  We  have  no  reason  to  think  that  their 
attendance  on  the  externals  of  religious  worship  is  here  called  an  abomina- 
tion, and  what  was  not  required  of  them,  merely  or  principally  because  they 
"were  unregenerate." 

Answeu.  We  have  reason  to  be  certain  this  was  because  they  appeared 
to  have  no  love  to  God  or  their  neighbor,  and  discovored  themselves  to  be  his 
enemies,  which  is  true  of  all  the  unregenerate,  and  of  no  other.  To  support 
his  obseiTation,  he  says,  "  At  other  times,  when  the  Israelites  attended  the 
ordinances  of  divine  worship,  there  is  no  hint  that  what  tliey  did  was  not  re- 
quired of  them,  but  the  contrary,  it  is  repeatedly  said,  they  did  according  to 
the  commandment  of  the  Lord,  though  they  acted  not  from  a  principle  of  trae 
holiness." 

Answer.  At  these  other  times,  they  put  on  the  appearance  and  profession 
of  God's  people  and  servants,  and  were  visibly  holy ;  for  though  they  were 
guilty  of  gross,  open  sins,  they  professed  repentance,  and  reformed,  and  were 
again  restored  to  good  standing,  as  in  the  case  of  making  and  worshipping 
the  golden  calf.  But  the  people  to  whom  Isaiah  speaks  refused  to  reform, 
though  God  had  been  using  means  with  them  to  this  end ;  therefore  appeared 
to  be  impenitent  enemies  to  God. 

He  thinks  I  have  here  fallen  into  a  contradiction  to  myself.  I  had  said, 
"  God,  in  his  conduct  towards  the  people  of  Israel,  and  in  what  he  says  of 
them,  acted  not  as  the  searcher  of  hearts  ;  but  has  respect  only  to  their  exter- 
nal appearance  and  conduct."  Upon  this  he  observes,  "  If  so,  it  was  not  the 
want  of  inward  holiness  tliat  was  the  cause  why  their  religious  performances 


but  to  love  one  another."  Since  "the  apostle  here  distinguishes  between  ren- 
dering to  all  their  due,  and  loving  one  another,  he  compares  and  opposes 
these  different  duties  to  each  other."  I  believe  none  ever  before  hoard  of  duties 
■which  oppose  each  other.  If  there  are  any  such,  it  is  certainly  impossible  to  do 
them  both  at  the  same  time ;  as  the  one  must  be  a  holy  duty,  and  its  opposite 
a  sinful  duty.  The  apostle  says,  the  command.  Thou  shalt  not  steal,  is  fulfilled 
by  love.  If  by  this  we  are  commanded  to  pay  our  just  debts,  then  it  requires 
us  to  owe  no  man  any  thing  ;  consequently,  this  is  fulfilled  by  love.  How  then 
can  these  be  distinguished  as  difi"erent  and  opposite  duties  ?  This  I  mention  as 
a  specimen  of  his  way  of  arguing  on  this  head.  I  think  we  may  borrow  his 
language  with  propriety  here:  "Such  metaphysical  flights  are,  I  believe, 
beyond  the  reach  of  most." 


132 


APPENDIX. 


are  declared  to  be  an  abomination,  and  not  required  at  their  hands,  but  it  was 
the  irregularity  of  their  outward  behavior." 

Answer.  God  spake  of  them  and  treated  them  as  being  his  friends  or  his 
enemies,  i.  e.,  regenerate  or  unregenerate,  according  as  they  appeared  in 
their  external  conduct.  Their  outward  behavior  was  not  an  abomination  any 
further  than  it  proceeded  from  a  wicked  heart.  Their  attendance  on  religious 
worship  would  not  have  been  represented  as  an  abomination,  and  what  God 
did  not  require  of  them,  had  they  not  by  their  wicked  works  appeared  to  have 
no  love  to  God,  and  to  be  his  enemies,  i.  e.,  unregenerate.  Had  Mr,  Hem- 
menway  understood  me,  or  the  text  under  consideration,  would  he  have 
tliouglit  of  finding  a  contradiction  here  ? 

But  he  himself  does  not  seem  to  be  satisfied  with  what  he  has  yet  said ; 
and  therefore  proceeds  to  observe,  that  tlie  sacrifices  and  offerings  which  are 
said  not  to  be  required  were  free-will  offerings,  which  were  not  commanded. 
With  these  they  "  overcharged  God's  altars,"  and  for  this  tiiey  were  reproved. 

Answer.  This  is  a  mere  conjecture,  for  which  there  is  not  the  least  foun- 
dation in  the  whole  passage  ;  but  much  to  the  contrary,  as  any  one  may  see 
who  will  read  it.  Would  any  one  think  of  such  an  expedient  to  get  rid  of  the 
text,  were  he  not  driven  to  a  strait  ? 

Mr.  Hemmenway  has  an  answer  to  my  other  arguments ;  but  as  most  he 
says  consists  in  making  and  keeping  up  his  favorite  distinction  between  mat- 
ter of  duty,  and  the  manner,  end,  and  design,  and  duty  in  a  compound  sense 
and  in  a  divided  sense,  —  Avhich  distinctions  are,  I  think,  at  best  unintelligible, 
and  tend  to  darken,  rather  than  give  light,  to  the  subject,  —  and  if  this  were 
not  true,  they  are  not  to.  the  purpose,  if  self-love  is  opposed  to  duty,  as  has 
been  observed :  I  say,  since  this  is  the  case,  I  shall  not  trouble  myself  or  the 
reader  with  a  particular  reply,  concluding  that  every  one  who  will  attend  will 
see  that  what  I  have  said  is  a  full  reply  to  all  he  has  offered  in  answer  to 
these  arguments. 


SECTION   IV. 

Brief  Remarks  on  what  Mr.  Hemmenway  says  of  the  Inability  of  the  Unre- 

generate. 

He  says,  "  I  agree  with  our  author  that  the  inability  of  tlie  unregenerate  is 
a  sinful  defect,  nor  have  I  the  remotest  view  or  desire  to  weaken  the  founda- 
tion of  this  important  truth,  but  rather  to  confirm  it."  I  have  no  disposition 
to  call  in  question  his  sincerity  in  this  declaration ;  but  I  must  take  leave  to 
think,  however,  that  he  has  not  made  it  understandingly,  and  is  so  far  from 
establishing  this  important  truth,  that  he  has  not  only  weakened  the  founda- 
tion of  it,  but  taken  it  wholly  away,  if  what  he  advances  be  just.  Did  it  not 
appear  in  this  light,  it  would  not  in  the  least  affect  the  matter  in  dispute  be- 
tween us,  nor  should  I  think  it  worth  while  to  take  any  notice  of  it  in  any 
other  view.  And  it  is  difficult,  yea,  impossible,  to  conceive  how  he  should 
think  his  representation  of  this  matter  Avas  any  thing  to  his  purpose  ;  and  that 
he  should  make  the  use  of  it  he  does,  through  his  whole  book,  unless  he 
thought  the  inability  of  the  unregenerate  did  excuse  them,  in  some  measure 
at  least,  from  obligations  to  holy  exercises,  and  rendered  them  less  sinful  than 
if  they  were  not  the  subjects  of  this  defect.* 

*  He  indeed  declares  he  cannot  tell  or  conceive  how  or  why  this  should  be  a 
sinful  defect,  and  that  the  unregenerate  should,  notwithstanding  theh*  inability, 
be  held  bound  to  do  the  duty  they  are  unable  to  do,  "  is  a  point  attended  with 
vast  difficulty,  and  is  perhaps  the  Gordian  knot  in  revealed  religion."     How- 


APPENDIX.  133 

He  says  the  unregenerate  are  under  a  natural  inability  to  embrace  the  gos- 
pel and  be  holy,  in  distinction  from  a  moral  inability,  it  being  much  more 
properly  called  natural  than  moral.  That  it  is  an  inability  of  a  different  kind 
from  that  which  consists  only  in  the  want  of  a  willingness  to  do  a  thing,  or 
opposition  of  will  to  it,  wlien  this  may  be  removed  without  putting  any  new 
principle  into  the  heart,  as  in  the  case  of  the  reformation  of  a  profligate ; 
tlrough  he  is  now  unwilling  to  reform,  he  may  be  made  willing  by  persuasion, 
applying  to  the  principles  which  he  now  acts  from.  Whereas  the  unregen- 
erate must  have  a  new  principle  put  into  their  heart,  in  order  to  their  loving 
God,  embracing  the  gospel,  etc.,  and  their  inability  consists  in  their  want  of 
this  principle,  and  not  properly  in  the  want  of  a  will,  and  the  opposition  of 
their  heart  to  holiness. 

I  take  leave  to  make  the  following  observations  upon  this  :  — 

1.  If  we  consult  common  sense,  and  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  man- 
kind in  general,  we  shall  find  they  make  no  such  distinction  between  want  of 
a  principle  or  disposition,  by  which  they  are  prepared  and  prompted  to  will 
and  do  any  thing,  and  their  unwillingness,  or  opposition  of  will  to  it.  If  per- 
sons have  natural  capacity  for  any  thing  which  is  looked  upon  in  itself  right 
and  reasonable,  and  nothing  is  wanting  but  a  will,  or  a  compliance  of  heart, 
they  are  always  looked  upon  bound  to  do  it,  or  to  have  such  a  will  and  choice, 
and  wholly  inexcusable  for  all  defects  of  this  kind.  And  the  farther  they  are 
from  such  a  choice,  and  from  having  any  thing  in  their  mind  that  will  be  in- 
fluenced by  the  motives  set  before  them,  the  more  they  are  blamed.  Nor  are 
mankind  wont  to  form  any  notion  of  two  different  kinds  of  difficulty  or  ina- 
bility in  such  cases ;  one  consisting  in  not  being  willing,  while  there  is  a 
promptitude  or  an  habitual  readiness  to  will,  or  a  good  principle ;  the  other, 
in  being  wholly  without  any  principle  or  promptitude  to  the  thing  proposed. 
But  when  the  difficulty  lies  not  in  the  want  of  a  will,  but  is  such  as  cannot 
be  removed  by  any  good  inclination  or  choice,  and  is  consistent  with  having 
a  good  will,  it  is  always  looked  upon  to  be  of  quite  a  different  kind,  and  oppo- 
site to  the  other,  as  it  wholly  excuses  a  person,  so  far  as  he  is  under  this  ina- 
bility. Therefore,  to  call  them  by  the  same  name  would  be  highly  improper, 
and  contrary  to  common  sense.* 

2.  We  do  not  find  the  least  hint  of  any  such  distinction  in  divine  revela- 
tion, but  this  matter  is  there  represented  agreeeble  to  the  common  notions 
and  sense  of  mankind.  There,  as  he  allows,  the  unregenerate  are  repre- 
sented as  being  as  much  bound  to  perfect  holiness  as  others.  Every  thing  is 
required  of  them  that  is  required  of  others,  without  making  the  least  allowance 
for  any  inability  they  are  under  ;  which  could  not  be,  if  they  were  under  any 
natural  inability  to  holiness,  or  if  any  thing  was  wanting  but  a  willing  heart. 

And  the  Scripture  represents  the  wicked  as  under  no  kind  of  inability  to 
repent,  obey  God  and  embrace  the  gospel,  different  from  that  which  they  are 
under  to  do  the  common  actions  of  life,  when  their  hearts  are  opposed  to 
them.  Therefore,  their  readiness  to  do  the  latter  is  often  mentioned  to  show 
their  utter  inexcusableness  and  crime  in  opposition  of  heart  to  the  former. 

ever,  since  God  in  his  word  declares  it  to  be  so,  his  faith  "  rests  satisfied  upon 
this  testimony,  without  pretending  to  see  through  those  difficulties."  If  this 
declaration,  is  not,  in  some  measure  at  least,  opposed  to  that  mentioned  above,  I 
am  much  mistaken.  And  how  he,  or  any  one  else,  can,  in  this  view  and  sense 
of  this  matter,  feel  guilty,  and  justly  condemned  to  destruction,  for  not  obeying 
God's  law  perfectly,  and  heartily  repent  of  all  such  defect,  as  utterly  vile  and 
inexcusable,  is  quite  inconceivable.     But  of  this  more  hereafter. 

*  He  says  this  inabiUty  "is  termed    by  divines,  and  has    not  unfitly  been 
called,  ethico-physical."     But  he  has  given  no  instruction  by  this  hard  name,  as 
he  has  not  attempted  to  explain  it.     lie  will  not  surely  pretend  it  is  more  scrip- 
tural or  intelligible  than  the  word  moral. 
VOL.    III.  12 


134  APPENDIX. 

God  sets  before  the  Jews  the  Rechabites'  obedience  to  the  command  of  their 
father,  to  ilhistrate  and  convince  them  of  their  great  and  inexcusable  folly  and 
wickedness  in  not  obeyinir  him.  (Jer.  xxxv.)  And  our  Lord  says  to  them, 
"  The  queen  of  the  south  shall  rise  in  judgment  with  this  generation,  and  con- 
demn them ;  for  she  came  from  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  to  hear  the 
wisdom  of  Solomon,  and,  behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is  here."  "  Ye 
hypocrites,  ye  can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky,  and  of  the  earth  ;  but  how  is  it 
that  ye  do  not  discern  this  time  ?  "  (Luke  xi.  31 ;  xii.  56.)  If  they  were  under 
a  different  kind  of  inability  to  obey  God,  repent,  and  believe  tlie  gospel,  from 
that  which  men  are  under  to  obey  men,  when  they  have  no  will  to  it,  how 
could  these  similitudes  and  representations  be  just  ?  Might  not  they  who 
were  reproved  justly  reply,  "  The  cases  are  not  similar  ;  the  Rechabites  had 
natural  principles,  which  being  applied  to  they  might  be  induced  to  obey 
their  father  ;  and  the  queen  of  the  south  acted  from  principles  she  had  ;  and 
men  discern  the  face  of  the  sky  without  having  any  new  principles  given  to 
them.  But  we  are  wholly  without  any  principles  by  which  we  can  discern 
spiritual  things  and  obey  the  gospel,  which  must  first  be  implanted  in  us  be- 
fore we  can  feel  any  motive  to  this.  They  needed  nothing  but  a  will  in  order 
to  do  these  things  ;  but  we  want  a  power  to  repent,  etc.,  being  under  a  natural 
inability.  Were  it  not  for  this,  we  would  as  readily  believe  and  embrace  tlie 
gospel  as  men  pursue  the  affairs  of  this  world  "  ?  * 

3.  As  Mr.  Hemmenway  grounds  all  he  says,  on  this  head,  on  the  supposi- 
tion that  there  is  a  holy  principle,  distinct  from  all  exercise  of  the  heart,  and 
necessary  in  order  to  all  holy  acts  of  the  will,  and  the  cause  or  ground  of 
them,  and  that  unregeneracy,  and  the  inability  of  sinners  to  holy  acts  of  will, 
consist  wholly  in  the  want  of  this  inactive,  dormant,  holy  principle,  lie  ought 
to  have  offered  some  proof  of  this,  on  Avhich  his  argument  wholly  turns,  and 
which  he  has  taken  for  granted.  Though  we  should  not  dare  to  deny  this 
doctrine  of  principle,  we  must  not  be  blamed  for  not  admitting  the  force  of  an 
argument  which  is  built  wholly  on  this,  Avithout  some  positive  proof  of  the 
existence  of  such  principle,  which  he  has  not  yet  produced,  f 

*  ISIr.  Hemmenway  says,  to  represent  the  inability  the  unregenerate  are  un- 
der to  holiness,  as  consisting  in  nothing  but  the  want  of  a  will,  or  to  be  of  the 
same  kind  Avith  that  which  consists  only  in  the  want  of  a  will,  when  they  have 
principles  in  their  hearts,  by  application  to  which  they  may  be  made  willing,  is 
contrary  to  the  language  of  Scripture  ;  that  "  the  inspired  writers  assert  not  only 
the  want  of  a  will,  but  of  power  to  that  which  is  holy,"  which  is  denoted  by 
cannot.  Christ  says,  "  No  man  can  come  to  me."  And  he  does  not  remember 
that  the  mere  want  of  willingness  is  ever  signified  by  such  words. 

Answer.  Peter  and  John  said,  "  We  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which  we 
have  seen  and  heard,"  when  they  mean  nothing  more  than  want  of  will,  or  the 
opposition  of  their  will  to  the  contrary.  Solomon  speaks  of  men  to  whom  God 
hath  given  riches,  etc.,  but  hath  not  given  them  power  to  eat  thereof,  meaning, 
by  want  of  power,  nothing  but  want  of  a  will.  If  he  had  remembered  such 
passages  as  these,  he  must  have  been  sensible  that  it  is  agreeable  to  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture  to  speak  of  want  of  a  will,  and  want  of  power,  as  the  same 
thing  ;  and  that  cannot  means  no  more  than  a  strong  and  fixed  opposition  of  will 
to  a  thing,  when  nothing  is  wanting  but  the  consent  of  the  heart.  The  Scrip- 
ture constantly  speaks  of  sinners'  destruction  as  owing  to  their  will,  or  not 
willing.     "  Why  ivill  ye  die  !  "    "  Whosoever  will,  let  him  come." 

t  Perhaps  it  wiU  be  thought  he  has  proved  the  necessity  of  such  a  principle  in 
order  to  holy  acts  in  the  following  words  :  "  The  words  power  and  inability 
have  relation  to  acts.  And  in  order  of  nature,  power  is  necessary  in  order  to 
all  acts  flowing  from  it,  even  as  the  cause  is  necessary  prior  to  the  effect.  To 
talk  of  power  or  inability,  whether  natural  or  moral,  in  any  other  sense,  is  un- 
intelligible jargon."  In  answer  to  this,  and  all  he  says  about  power,  I  refer  him 
and  the  reader  to  Mr.  West's  late  Essay  on  Moral  Agency,  sec.  2.     Perhaps,  when 


APPENDIX.  135 

It  seems  to  be  impossible  to  have  any  conception  of  such  a  principle.  And 
we  seem  to  run  into  contradictions  in  our  attempts  to  describe  it.  Thus  he 
speaks  of  it  as  that  by  which  the  mind  is  biased  to  act  wisely  ;  and  ho  calls 
it  a  propensity  and  promptitude  to  holy  action  and  the  cause  of  it.  At  the 
same  time  it  is  to  be  distiutruished  from  all  acts  or  exercises  of  the  mind,  as 
being'  perfectly  inactive.  But  how  that  which  does  not  act  can  be  the  cause 
of  action,  and  how  there  can  be  propensity  and  promptitude  to  act,  while 
there  is  not  the  least  activity  or  inclination  one  way  or  the  other,  cannot  be 
told,  it  is  likely,  by  any  divine  or  philosopher ;  and  will,  after  all  that  can  be 
said,  look  like  a  contradiction. 

And  if  the  Holy  Scripture,  when  examined  with  this  view,  shall  be  found 
wholly  silent  about  tliis  principle,  nothing  being  there  said  that  expresses  or 
implies  any  such  thing,  it  is  thought  it  will  be  difficult  to  find  any  good 
medium  of  proof.  * 

4.  Mr.  Hemmenway's  account  of  the  nature  and  kind  of  man's  natural  ina- 
bility to  exercise  holiness  and  embrace  the  gospel  is  not  consistent  with  his 
being  under  any  obligations  to  this,  or  in  the  least  blamable  for  not  being' 
holy.  How  can  he  be  obliged  to  do  that  which  he  is  under  a  natural  inability 
to  do ;  which  defect  is  not  properly  a  want  of  will,  or  opposition  of  will  to 
holiness,  but  is  what  the  will  has  no  concern  in  ?  He  says  it  is  most  properly 
called  natural  inability.  That  it  is  blamable  because  man  has  brought  this 
inability  on  himself  by  his  sin ;  i.  e.,  Adam  had  ability  to  be  holy,  but  lost  it 
for  himself  and  his  children  ;  and  because  he  had  it,  and  lost  it,  they  ought  to 
have  it,  and  are  now  as  much  to  blame  for  not  being  holy,  as  if  they  had  this 
natural  power.  But  it  is  impossible  to  reconcile  the  reason  of  a  man  to 
this,  or  to  make  him  feel  himself  blamable  for  not  doing  that  for  which  he  has 
no  natural  power,  even  though  Adam,  or  he  himself,  once  had  it  All  the 
blame  there  can  be  in  this  case  lies  in  doing  that  by  which  this  power  was 
lost,  and  not  in  not  being  holy,  after  he  lost  his  natural  power  to  be  so,  Mr. 
Hemmenway  owns  he  cannot  account  for  it  that  it  should  be  so,  an  1  speaks 
of  it  as  one  of  the  greatest  mysteries  in  all  the  Bible,  but  thinks  he  is  obliged 
to  believe  it  because  it  is  revealed.  But  this  is  a  mystery  of  his  own  making. 
Blessed  be  God !  there  is  no  such  thing  revealed  in  the  Bible.  Men  are  there 
blamed  only  for  that  which  natural  conscience  will  make  them  feel  they  are 
wholly  blamable  for,  when  properly  awakened.  And  there  is  no  mystery  in  it. 
Persons  of  the  lowest  capacity,  and  children,  may  understand  it,  condemn 
themselves,  and  repent.  But  a  person  never  repents  of  neglect  of  that  which 
he  thinks  he  had  no  natural  power  to  do,  and  while  he  can  have  no  conception 
how  or  why  he  should  be  blamable.  While  he  views  things  in  this  light,  and 
his  heart  is  answerable  to  his  speculations,  he  will  not,  he  cannot,  feel  himself 
guilty,  even  though  he  thinks  divine  revelation  declares  him  to  be  so,  and  he 
says  he  therefore  believes  it.f 

he  has  well  considered  this,  he  will  give  his  own  "  talk  of  power  "  as  hard  an 
epithet  as  he  has  here  used. 

*  I  am  sensible  I  shall,  by  calling  in  question  Mr.  Hemmenway's  doctrine 
about  principle,  expose  myself  to  his  censure,  as  denying  original  righteousness 
and  sin.  But  if  it  cannot  be  proved  to  be  inconsistent  with  Scripture  and  rea- 
son to  believe  that  Adam's  holiness  first  began  in  holy  exercise,  and  that  cor- 
rupt exercises  take  place  in  his  children  as  soon  as  they  exist  as  his  posterity, 
of  the  same  nature  with  those  which  took  place  in  him  when  he  first  sinned, 
though  differing  in  circumstances,  he  will  not  be  able  to  support  his  charge. 

t  Our  author  will  perhaps  think  this  an  uncharitable  censure  of  him.  It 
■would  be  so,  I  confess,  if  his  heart  necessarily  agreed  with  liis  doctrine ;  but  as 
liis  heart  may  be,  in  this  respect,  better  than  his  head,  nothing  is  censured  but 
his  doctrine. 

This  leads  me  to  take  notice  of  a  remarkable  instance  of  my  uncharitableness, 


136  APPENDIX. 

Mr.  Hemmenway,  being  sensible  that  the  account  President  Edwards  gives 
of  natural  and  moral  inability,  in  his  Treatise  on  the  Will,  is  opposed  to  his 
scheme,  attempts  to  confute  this  great  author. 

He  professes  to  give  Mr.  Edwards's  definition  of  natural  and  moral  inability, 

mentioned  by  him.  I  had  said,  in  my  reply  to  Mr.  Mills,  "  The  only  reason,  I 
conceive,  why  any  have  run  into  this  notion  of  God's  appointing  duties  to  the 
iinregenerate,  to  be  done  by  them  while  such,  and  have  not  rather  been  shocked 
at  it,  is,  that  they  look  on  them  as  in  some  measure,  at  least,  excusable  for  not 
loving  God  and  embracing  the  gospel ;  this  being  above  their  power,  and  what 
they  cannot  do  while  unregenerate."  And  I  had  before  published  a  sermon,  in 
•which  I  said,  they  who  have  not  been  brought  to  see  and  feel  themselves  wholly 
inexcusable  for  not  being  perfectly  holy,  have  not  been  convinced  of  sin,  as 
God's  people  are.  These  two  passages  put  together,  he  says,  condemn  all  with- 
out exception  as  unconverted  who  think  God  has  appointed  duties  to  be  done 
by  the  unregenerate,  while  such. 

Answer.  In  my  sermon  I  address  myself  to  my  hearers  in  a  use  of  examina- 
tion, desiring  them  to  consider  what  are  the  exercises  and  feelings  of  their  own 
hearts  ;  whether  they  have  been  brought  to  feel  themselves  wholly  to  blame 
for  the  neglect  of  every  thing  God's  law  requires  ;  or  whether  they  are  wont  to 
excuse  themselves  as  not  wholly  blamable.  And  I  represent  the  former,  not 
the  latter,  the  character  of  the  Christian.  In  my  reply,  I  am  not  attending  to  a 
person's  sense  and  feelings  of  heart  of  his  own  blamableness  for  not  loving  God, 
etc.,  but  the  views  he  has  of  others  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy.  He  maj',  by  the 
influence  of  education,  imbibe  wrong  notions  respecting  the  blamableness  of  the 
unregenerate,  and  hold  principles  inconsistent  with  their  being  in  the  least 
blamable  for  not  being  holy,  and  be  led  by  this  to  think  and  talk  of  the  unre- 
generate as  in  some  measure  excusable  for  not  loving  God,  and  yet,  when  he 
consults  his  own  heart,  and  his  views  and  exercises  with  respect  to  himself,  may 
find  he  has  no  excuse  for  himself  that  he  is  not  perfectly  holy.  This,  I  charita- 
bly believe,  is  the  case  in  many  instances ;  and  in  how  many,  I  do  not  pretend  to 
say.  I  hope,  therefore,  to  be  acquitted  from  the  charge  Mr.  Hemmenway  has 
laid  against  me  here  of  the  "  uncharitable  judgment  expressed  concerning  aU 
differing  from  me  in  sentiments  on  this  point,"  of  which  he  says,  "  I  do  not  re- 
member ever  to  have  met  with  so  hard  and  extensive  a  censure."  And  adds, 
*'  This  is  a  sample  of  the  spirit  he  shows  towards  all  differing  from  his  opinion. 
The  lump  is  thoroughly  fermented  with  the  same  sour  leaven."  Hard,  severe, 
extensive  censure,  not  of  my  sentiments,  but  of  my  spirit. 

He  says,  "  That  there  are  some  who  hold  to  this  notion  on  reasons  different 
from  what  is  here  assigned,  he  may  now  inform  himself."  Where  shall  I  go 
for  infoi-mation  ?  Not  to  Mr.  Hemmenway  ;  for  he  declares  he  cannot  see  how 
the  unregenerate  are  blamable  for  not  loving  God ;  as  they  cannot,  being 
tinder  a  natural  inability  ;  of  which  sentiment  he  makes  great  use  through  his 
whole  book. 

He  does  not  conclude  his  note  without  expressing  his  charity,  as  a  contrast 
to  my  uncharitableness,  in  the  following  words  :  "  I  can  say,  with  sincerity  con- 
cerning him,  (though  he  may  hereafter  twit  me  with  it,  as  he  has  done  by  Mr. 
Mills  in  the  like  case,)  I  charitably  hope  that  he  is  a  true  servant  of  Christ; 
though  I  must  add,  that  Christians  would  regard  him  with  more  complacency, 
if  his  discourses  savored  more  of  that  meekness  of  wisdom  recommended  by  the 
apostle.     I  may  not  imitate  him  in  his  hard  censures,  for  I  fear  God." 

I  hope  I  shall  be  acquitted  from  this  charge  of  hard  censures  by  the  reader  ; 
or,  at  least,  that  what  I  have  said  will  not  be  looked  upon  to  be  inconsistent 
with  my  having  the  fear  of  God  before  my  eyes,  though  Mr.  Hemmenway,  it 
seems,  thinks  it  to  be  so. 

The  following  observations  offer  themselves  upon  reading  this  sentence :  A 
true  servant  of  Christ,  who  does  not  fear  God,  if  this  were  possible,  is  not  a 
character  very  honorable  to  him  or  his  master.  If  it  is  a  hard  censure  to  rank 
a  person  among  those  who  do  not  fear  God,  and  such  censures  are  inconsistent 
with  fearing  God,  then  Mr.  Hemmenway,  while  he  is  expressing  his  charity, 


APPENDIX.  12'7 

but  has  not  done  it  fairly.  He  says  the  first  is  defined  to  be  "  an  inability  to 
do  a  thing,  because  Avhat  is  most  commonly  called  nature  does  not  allow  of 
it,  or  because  of  some  defect  or  obstacle  that  is  extrinsic  to  the  will."  This 
he  cannot  understand,  because  he  is  "  utterly  at  a  loss  what  is  commonly  called 
nature,  a  word  which  is  observed  by  a  philosopher  to  bear  about  a  dozen 
diiferent  significations."  If,  mstead  of  consulting  his  philosopher,  he  had 
read  the  page  preceding  Mr.  Edwards's  definition,  where  he  particularly  shows 
what  is  commonly  meant  by  nature,  he  could  have  been  at  no  loss  about  the 
meaning.  This  looks  like  perfect  quibbling.  Besides,  he  has  left  out  of 
the  definition  the  words  of  Mr.  Edwards,  which  are  most  plain,  and  serve  to 
fix  the  meaning  beyond  dispute.  Mr.  Edwards's  words  are,  "  We  are  said  to 
be  naturally  unable  to  do  any  thing,  when  we  cannot  do  it  if  we  will,  be- 
cause what  is  most  commonly  called  nature  does  not  allow  of  it,"  etc.,  i.  e., 
when  the  difficulty  does  not  lie  in  the  heart  or  will,  but  in  something  else  ;  so 
that  if  there  was  a  willing  mind,  the  difficulty  would  not  be  removed.  What 
can  be  plainer  than  this  ?  And  as  plain  is  the  following  definition  of  moral 
inability  :  "  It  consists  in  the  opposition  or  want  of  inclination  ; "  i.  e.,  all  the 
difficulty  or  inability  lies  in  this,  and  nothing  is  wanting  but  a  willing  mind. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  accuses  Mr.  Edwards  of  rejisoning  about  moral  impotency 
in  a  dark  manner ;  but  I  humbly  conceive  no  more  need  be  said  in  order  to 
the  judicious  reader's  having  full  evidence  that  the  darkness  lies  wholly  with 
him,  and  that  his  inability  to  understand  Mr.  Edwards  is  of  the  moral  kind. 
I  therefore  think  it  needless  to  attempt  a  more  particular  answer.  * 

does  pronounce  a  hard  censure  on  him  towards  whom  he  is  so  charitable  ;  and 
while  he  is  declaring  that  he  fears  God,  is  doing  that  Avhich  he  at  the  same 
time  intimates  is  inconsistent  with  it.  liut  all  this  is  left  to  the  reader,  wishing 
there  had  been  no  occasion  for  any  thing  which  is  in  sxich  a  degree  personal. 

I  acknowledge  myself  greatly  defective  in  meekness  of  wisdom,  and  doubt 
not  my  discourses  would  savor  more  of  this  had  I  more  of  it.  Where  this  de- 
fect appears,  or  that  which  is  contrary  to  -vvisdom  and  humility,  as  it  doubtless 
does,  in  some  instances  at  least,  I  ask  the  candor  and  forgiveness  of  the 
offended  Christian  reader.  With  how  much  meekness  of  A^-isdom  Mr.  Hem- 
menway has  corrected  niy  pride  I  cheerfully  leave  to  every  reader's  judgment, 
as  others  arc  better  judges  of  this  than  I  am,  and  this  saves  me  the  trouble  of 
remarking  on  any  thing  of  this  kind ;  and  if  I  should,  diiferent  readers  will, 
after  all,  judge  differently.  And  the  pouit  in  dispute  turns  not  at  all  upon 
this. 

*  Our  authors  treatment  of  what  Mr.  Edwards  says  on  this  head  leads  me 
to  take  notice  of  something  of  the  same  kind  in  his  remarks  on  a  passage  ia  my 
sermon  on  Horn.  vii.  7.  I  had  said,  "  The  authority  of  a  legislator  is  exercised, 
and  expressed  in  the  threatening  to  the  disobedient,  and  cannot  possibly  be  ex- 
pressed in  any  thing  else,  or  any  other  way."  And  in  the  next  paragraph  say, 
"  The  authority  of  a  law  lies  wholly  in  the  threatening,  or  appears  and  is  ex- 
pressed only  in  that,  as  has  been  just  observed."  Mr.  Hemmenway,  to  answer 
his  end  the  better,  puts  together  part  of  two  sentences,  taken  from  two 
different  paragraphs  ;  and  then  understands  the  words,  "  The  authority  of  a 
laAV  lies  wholly  in  the  threatening,"  as  meaning  that  the  threatening  of  the  law 
is  all  that  obliges  the  subject  to  obedience,  and  consequently,  if  the  threatened 
punishment  could  be  avoided,  it  would  no  longer  be  our  duty  to  obey  the  law." 
And  this,  he  says,  •'  is  indeed  gross  Hobbism,  the  very  dregs  of  Antinomianism." 

When  I  say,  "The  authority  of  a  law  lies  wholly  in  the  threatening,  or  ap- 
pears and  is  expressed  only  in  that,"  I  meant  by  the  last  part  of  the  sentence  to 
explain  the  former,  and  express  the  same  thing  in  other  words.  However  in- 
accurate the  expression  may  be,  I  believe  no  intelligent,  candid  reader,  who 
attends  to  the  whole  passage,  will  be  likely  to  mistake  my  meaning,  viz.,  that 
the  authority  of  a  legislator  ajipears  and  is  expressed  in  his  law,  in  the  threaten- 
ing only.  But  he  disputes  this,  too,  and  says,  "  Nor  is  it  true  that  the  author- 
ity of  the  law  appears  only  in  the  threatening."     His  reason  is,  "  For  then  the 

12* 


138  APPENDIX. 

SECTION  V. 
On  the  evil  Tendency  of  Mr.  Hemmenway' s  Book. 

Mr.  Hemmenway  has  waived  the  mention  of  the  "  intolerable  conse- 
quences "  which  appeared  to  him  to  be  inseparable  from  my  doctrine,  because 
"  it  might  look  too  much  like  uncharitableness  to  dwell  on  these  things." 
But  it  may  be  questioned  whether  his  charity,  in  this  instance,  is  according 
to  knowledge.  Charity  is  indeed  tender  of  the  person,  character,  ease,  and 
happiness  of  every  man  ;  but  it  loves  the  truth  so  well,  and  is  so  friendly  to 
the  general  good,  that  when  any  one  publishes  sentiments  contrary  to  impor- 
tant truth,  and  of  a  fatal  tendency  to  the  souls  of  men,  it  will  do  its  utmost  to 
detect  the  error,  point  out  the  danger  and  evil  tendency  of  it,  and  give 
warning  to  all,  how  much  soever  the  author's  performance  and  character  may 
suffer  by  it.  Not  to  do  this  would  be  uncharitable  and  cruel.  I  shall,  there- 
fore, think  I  am  obeying  the  voice  of  charity  itself  in  the  attempt  I  am  now 
entering  upon.  But  before  I  proceed,  I  give  notice  that  I  design  not  the 
least  intimation  that  Mr.  Hemmenway  saw  the  evil  tendency  of  his  scheme, 
or  would  desire  to  promote  what  I  think  is  the  unavoidable  consequence  of 
it.  But  this  is  so  far  from  being  a  reason  for  silence  on  this  head,  that  it 
offers  a  sufficient  motive  to  attempt  to  open  his  eyes,  and  the  eyes  of  all 
others,  who  are  as  far  from  perceiving  the  danger  as  the  author. 

1.  I  think  what  he  has  said  tends  to  keep  out  of  sight,  and  hide  from  men, 
their  real  sinfulness  and  guilt ;  and  therefore  opposes  one  great  end  of  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  viz.,  to  reprove  or  convince  the  world  of  sin,  as  neces- 
sary in  order  to  understand  and  embrace  the  gospel. 

He  insists  "  that  sin  consists  formally  and  essentially  in  defect  or  priva- 
tion ; "  that  this  defect,  or  want  of  holy  principles,  is  the  true  cause  of  the 
sinfulness  of  men's  actions.  "  The  corruption  of  human  nature  consists  es- 
sentially and  radically  in  a  defect  or  privation  of  a  principle  of  true  holiness."  * 


most  unrighteous  laws  may  appear  to  have  as  much  authority  or  right  to  com- 
mand obedience  as  any." 

Answer.  What  I  assert  is,  that  the  authority  of  a  legislator  cannot  be  expressed 
and  appear  in  his  latv,  unless  there  be  a  threatening  to  the  disobedient.  I  grant 
that  unrighteous  laws  may  have  this  appearance  and  expression  of  authority, 
but  it  does  not  follow  from  this  that  there  is  any  other  way  to  express  authority 
in  a  law.  He  who  has  authority  to  make  a  law  must  express  it  in  the  same 
way  in  his  law  ;  yet  there  are  mediums  aside  from  the  law,  in  itself  considered, 
by  which  it  may  be  known  whether  this  expression  and  appearance  of  authority 
in  a  law  is  according  to  truth  or  not. 

He  says,  "  The  authority  of  a  lawgiver  consists  in  his  right  to  require  obedi- 
ence itwrfcr /?eMa%."  I  ask  how  this  right  to  require  obedience  under  penalty 
can  be  expressed  in  a  law  which  has  no  penalty,  or  does  not  require  obedience 
under  penalty  7  When  this  question  is  answered,  it  will  perhaps  appear  that 
he  has  not  granted  all  I  have  asserted. 

*  If  sin  consists  originally  and  essentially  in  defect,  and  this  defect  is  the 
cause  of  the  sinfulness  of  men's  actions,  then  this  defect  was  the  cause  of 
Adam's  first  sin.  I  ask.  By  what  means  did  this  defect  take  place  in  Adam  ? 
Not  by  his  sin,  for  this  defect  was  the  cause  of  his  sin.  But  he  gives  a  different 
account  of  Adam's  sin  elsewhere.  According  to  him,  it  consisted  in  a  volun- 
tary act,  by  wliich  he  cast  away  the  perfection  and  glory  of  his  nature,  and 
"  the  habit  or  principle  of  righteousness  was  lost,"  and  a  usurper  was  placed  on 
the  throne.  No  sinful  defect  in  his  nature,  or  privation  of  a  princij^le  of  holi- 
ness, could  be  the  cause  of  this  positive,  sinful  act,  because  this  act  was  the 
cause  of  this  defect,  and  the  loss  of  the  perfection  of  his  nature.     And  this  was 


APPENDIX.  139 

He  says  the  principles  and  exercises  which  are  naturally  found  with  men 
are  not  in  themselves  sinful,  but  the  sin  consists  in  the  want  of  somethino" 
else,  or  their  corruption  consists  in  not  having-  supernatural  principles  joined 
with  them.  That  self-love  is  iimocent  and  good  in  itself,  and  men  never  love 
their  own  selves  too  much,  or  in  too  high  a  degree ;  *  and  "  the  viciousness 
of  selfishness  consists  not  at  all  in  the  love  of  ourselves,  but  wholly  in  the 
exclusion  of  love  to  others."  It  is  never  in  any  degree  sinful,  unless  when 
want  of  love  to  others  has  influence  in  men's  actions,  f  i.  e.,  when  a  man  is  in- 
duced by  self-love  to  "  do  that  to  promote  his  own  interest  which  is,  in  his 
apprehension,  inconsistent  with  the  interest  of  others."  So  that  if  a  man  has 
no  design  to  injure  others,  to  answer  his  own  ends,  and  does  tlie  matter  of 
duty,  his  self-love  and  all  he  does  is  as  innocent  "  as  the  action  of  a  sucking 
infant  that  reaches  earnestly  for  the  breast."  Therefore,  all  that  men  are 
blamable  for  is  want  of  a  principle  of  love  to  God  and  their  neinhbor.  And 
this  being  a  natural  defect,  and  they  under  a  natural  inability,  independent  of 
their  will  and  choice,  to  act  from  higher  principles,  and  love  God,  etc.,  their 
sinfulness  does  not  lie  in  tiiis  defect,  in  itself  considered,  or  in  any  of  their 
neglects  or  doings,  but  in  their  losing  their  power  in  Adam  ;  for,  according  to 
him,  if  Adam  had  not  possessed  tliis  superior  principle  and  power,  and  cast  it 
away  by  his  voluntary  act,  his  children  could  not  be  under  the  least  obligation 
to  holiness.  But  that  men  should  now  be  bound  to  love  God  and  be  perfectly 
holy,  when  they  have  no  principles,  or  natural  power  to  do  this,  merely  be- 
cause Adam  had  them  and  cast  them  away,  he  says  is  the  most  difficult  to  be 
understood  and  accounted  for  of  any  thing  contained  in  the  Bible  ;  and  if  it  is 
believed,  it  must  be  merely  because  it  is  revealed,  and  not  from  any  inward 
consciousness  we  have  of  our  sinfulness  and  blame,  from  any  inward  sense  or 
'  feeling,  or  from  our  seeing  the  reason  of  it ;  for  these  unitedly  declare,  under 
all  imaginable  convictions  of  conscience  and  illuminations  of  the  mind,  there 
is  no  sinfulness  in  that  in  which  all  sinfulness  and  blame  do  consist,  if  they 
are  to  be  found  in  man. 

This  scheme  of  our  author  does  almost,  if  not  wholly,  exclude  sin  and 
blame  from  man,  in  his  present  state.  He  whose  heart  is  formed  on  this 
plan  will  feel  himself  in  a  great  measure  innocent,  and  have  little  sin  ^o  con- 

a  strange  usurper,  if  it  was  only  negative,  a  defect  or  privation,  that  is,  nothing. 
I  think  he  ought  to  have  given  a  more  clear  and  consistent  account  of  that  sin- 
fulness which  consists  wholly  in  defect  and  privation,  (which  I  take  to  be  the 
same  with  its  consisting  in  nothing  at  all,)  and  is  the  cause  of  the  sinfulness  of 
men's  actions,  before  he  had  made  such  great  use  of  it  as  he  does  in  support  of 
his  scheme. 

*  Our  author  says,  "No  action  is  the  worse  for  being  interested,  or  the  bet- 
ter for  being  disinterested.  Disinterested  mischievousness  imports  the  utmost 
wickedness.  And  it  was  no  ways  derogatory  to  our  Savior's  submission  to  the 
will  of  God  in  his  sufferings,  that  he  endured  the  cross  for  the  joy  that  was  set 
before  him."  These  are  three  as  remarkable  sentences,  perhaps,  as  were  ever 
put  together.  Nothuig  can  be  more  contrary  to  truth  and  holiness  than  the 
tirst.  The  second  supposes  what  is  impossible.  And  so  does  the  last,  and  is 
most  dishonorable  to  our  Savior,  if  his  pleasing  not  himself,  and  his  disinter- 
ested love,  were  excellent  and  honorable.  For  this,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  preceding  inquiry  especially. 

t  Mr.  Hcramenway  says,  "  It  may  seem  strange  to  those  who  are  unac- 
quainted with  metaphysics,  that  a  defect  or  privation  should  be  spoken  of  as  a 
formal  principle,  which  has  an  influence  in  its  kind  into  an  action."  If  he  can 
by  his  metaphysics  prove  this,  he  will  at  the  same  time  prove  what  has  been 
often  asserted,  viz.,  that  men  by  metaphysics  can  prove  any  thing,  even  the 
grossest  contradictions,  to  be  true.  He  adds,  what  all  his  readers  will  doubtless 
believe,  "  To  open  this  matter  fully  would  carry  us  too  great  a  length  into 
some  abstruse  disquisitions." 


140 


APPENDIX. 


fess  and  repent  of.  This  is  very  agreeable  to  unsubdued,  impenitent,  secure 
sinners,  and  answeis  to  their  views  and  feelings,  and  the  very  scheme  they 
naturally  fall  into,  to  excuse  and  justify  themselves.  But  when  the  law 
comes,  sin  revives,  and  they  die.  They  find  that  every  imagination  of  the 
thoughts  of  their  hearts  is  only  evil  continually ;  that  they  are  abominable 
and  filthy,  drinking  in  iniquity  like  water  ;  that  their  heart  is  deceitful  above 
all  things,  and  desperately  wicked ;  their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre  ;  witli 
tlieir  tongues  they  have  used  deceit;  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips; 
their  mouth  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness  ;  their  feet  swift  to  shed  blood ; 
being  abominable  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every  good  work  reprobate ;  and 
their  heart  full  of  enmity  against  God.* 

It  is  doubtless  impossible  to  reconcile  this  scriptural  representation  of 
man's  sinfulness  with  Mr.  HemmeuAvay's  scheme.  Indeed,  he  has,  through 
his  whole  book,  kept  the  sinfulness  and  guilt  of  man  very  much  out  of  sight ; 
and  the  whole  is  suited  to  soothe  and  please  tlie  impenitent,  unconvinced 
sinner,  and  is  opposed  to  that  conviction  of  sin  and  humiliation  which  are 
implied  in  a  man's  knowing  his  true  state  and  character,  and  necessary  in  order 
to  embracing  the  gospel.f 

2.  Mr.  Hemmenway's  book  tends  to  give  sinners  ease  short,  of  Christ ;  to 
prevent  that  humiliation  which  is  implied  in  embracing  the  gospel ;  and  flatter 
and  confirm  them  in  that  self-righteous  way  which  is  most  pleasing  to  their 
hearts,  and  in  which  we  have  reason  to  fear  multitudes  are  perishing. 

This  appears  from  what  has  been  just  observed  of  his  hiding  from  the  sin- 
ner his  true  sinfulness  and  guilt;  for  nothing  will  humble  the  sinner,  and 
strip  him  of  his  confidence  in  himself,  and  his  self-righteous  pleas  and 
attempts,  and  bring  him  to  feel  the  utterly  helpless,  lost  state  he  is  in,  while 
his  true  sinfulness  and  guilt  are  hid  from  his  eyes.  But  our  author  does  more 
than  this.    He  tells  the  awakened  sinner,  he  is  not  wholly  a  rebel  and  an 


*  Tlie  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God.  This  seems  to  be  a  difficult  text 
with  Mr.  Hemmenway,  and  no  wonder,  since  it  is  opposed  to  his  whole  scheme. 
He  refers  to  it,  and  there  understands  it  as  meaning  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  or 
depraved  nature.  But  in  express  contradiction  to  this,  he  says,  "  That  which 
is  here  called  enmity  is  not  the  carnal  heart  or  depraved  nature,  but  the  actual 
exercise  of  the  heart  as  depraved."  And  here,  I  think,  he  runs  into  another 
inconsistence.  He  says  the  exercises  of  self-love  in  the  unregeneratc  sinner,  in 
which  "  his  design  is  not  to  hurt  others,  but  to  advantage  himself,  can  with  no 
propriety  be  called  exercises  of  enmity  to  God  or  man  ;  the  action  of  a  sucking 
infant,  that  reaches  earnestly  for  the  breast,  might  as  properly  be  called  an  ex- 
ercise of  enmity  to  being  in  general."  And  yet,  in  the  next  page,  he  allows 
"  the  exercises  and  actings  of  natural  principles,  as  corrupted  by  sin,  are  uncon- 
formable to  the  law  of  God.  and  so  are  constructively,  at  least,  enmity  against 
God,  since  they  are  at  best  destitute  of  that  rectitude  and  holiness  of  principle 
and  end  which  the  law  requires."  Thus  that  which  in  one  page  is  perfectly  in- 
nocent, and  cannot  be  enmity  to  God,  is  in  the  next  page  constructive  enmity 
at  least.  But  no  one  has  any  reason  to  be  frighted  with  this  constructive  enmity ; 
for  he  goes  on  to  say,  "It  docs  not  consist  in  exercise,  but  in  privation  of  right 
principles  and  ends  in  acting.  Take  this  exercise  of  the  natural  principle  en- 
tirely away,  and  the  sinfulness  of  the  person  remains  undiminished."  So  the 
enmity  of  the  carnal  mind  turns  out  a  mere  nonentity  at  last ;  such  enmity  as  a 
beast  or  tree  may  have. 

t  It  is  probaljle  Mr.  Hemmenway  did  not  view  his  own  scheme  in  the  light 
in  which  I  have  here  set  it.  And  if  he  should  think  I  have  made  a  repre- 
sentation injurious  to  him,  I  can  only  appeal  to  his  book,  and  say  I  have  been 
careiul  not  to  misrepresent  any  thing,  and  really  think  the  judicious  reader  of 
what  he  has  wrote  vAll  see  much  more  opposed  to  a  proper  conviction  of  sin 
than  I  have  mentioned.  And  since  I  have  not  injured  him,  in  ray  own  appre- 
hension, he  must,  I  think,  on  his  own  principles,  consider  me  as  quite  innocent. 


APPENDIX.  141 

enemy  to  God,  but  is  obeying  him,  and  doing  his  duty  in  some  measure,  by 
which  he  obtains  God's  approbation  and  favorable  notice.  This  is  what' the 
sinner,  when  he  is  tirst  awakened,  desires  above  all  things ;  and  so  lono-  as 
his  heart  does  not  fail  him  here,  he  will  take  courage  in  his  opposition  to 
Christ,  in  attempting  to  obtain  a  righteousness  of  his  own.  And  nothing  will 
drive  him  from  this  refuge  of  lies,  this  self-righteous  bottom,  but  a  conviction 
that  he  is  so  far  from  doing  duty  and  obeying  God,  that  he  is  continually,  with 
his  whole  heart,  opposing  God  and  the  gospel,  and  that  he  never  shall  do  any 
duty  till  his  heart  is  subdued,  and  he  is  willing  to  embrace  the  gospel.  This 
is  the  voice  of  Scripture  and  reason.  And  for  the  truth  of  it  I  might  appeal 
to  the  generation  of  God's  people.  How  many  are  there  to  witne'ss,  that  so 
long  as  they  could  flatter  themselves  they  were  doing  duty,  they  had  ease 
and  self-confidence  !  But  while  they  were  attempting  in  this  way  to  save 
themselves,  they  were  disappointed  and  confounded.  Their  sinfulness  was  so 
brought  into  view  that  their  hearts  failed  them,  and  thev  saw  they  were  not 
obedient,  but  rebels  in  all  their  exercises  and  doings ;  s'in  revived,  and  they 
died.  And  how  many  are  there  who  have  never  come  to  this  conviction,  but 
are  going  on,  as  they  think,  in  the  way  of  duty,  doing  all  thev  can,  or  what 
they  have  a  next  power  to  do,  compassing  themselves  about  with  sparks  that 
they  have  kindled !  These  will  be  greatly  comforted  and  strengthened  by 
what  Mr.  Hemmenway  has  wrote. 

In  the  Scripture  a  different  method  is  taken  with  sinners.  Our  author  has 
not,  I  think,  found  one  exhortation  there  to  any  duty  short  of  faith  and  repent- 
ance, after  all  his  search  and  attempts,  nor  one  word  that  implies  that  the 
unbeliever  does  any  duty.  But  there  is  much  there  to  the  contrary.  They 
who  are  not  turned  to  God  are  not  spoken  of  as  obeying  and  doing  duty,  but 
are  treated  as  wholly  rebels,  altogether  disobedient  "  To  turn  5ie  disobe- 
dient to  tlie  wisdom  of  the  just."  {Luke  i.  17.)  "  Children  of  disobedience." 
(Eph.  ii.  2.)  "  Being  abominable  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every  good  work 
reprobate.  Disobedient,  serA'ing  divers  lusts,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hate- 
ful, and  hating  one  another."  (Tit.  i.  16;  ii.  3.)  I  therefore  think 'l  have 
warrant  to  say,  in  my  turn,  "  If  he  could  have  submitted  his  reasonings  to  the 
wisdom  of  God  speaking  in  the  Scriptures,  a  great  part  of  his  perfonnancea 
would  never  have  seen  the  light" 

It  is  to  be  wished  and  hoped,  however,  that  what  he  has  wrote,  and  all 
these  disputes,  though  in  themselves  disagreeable,  will  be  the  means  of  de- 
tecting hurtful  error  and  discovering  the  true  character  of  sinners,  given  in 
the  Holy  Scripture,  and  the  way  of  treating  with  them  there  pointed  o'ut.  So 
far  as  this  shall  come  to  pass,  man  will  be  abased,  and  God  alone  will  be 
exalted  and  have  all  the  gIor}% 


DIALOGUE 


A  CALVINIST  AND  A  SEMI-CALYINIST. 


Semi-Calvinist.  Sir,  I  have  wanted,  for  some  time,  to 
talk  with  you  about  the  notion  which  some  lately  advance, 
viz.,  that  Christians  may,  yea,  that  they  ought,  and  must,  be 
willing  to  perish  forever,  in  order  to  be  Christians.  This  is  a 
shocking  doctrine  to  me  ;  for  I  believe  it  absolutely  impossi- 
ble for  any  one  to  be  willing  to  be  eternally  wretched ;  and  if 
it  were  possible,  it  would  be  very  wicked ;  for  we  are  com- 
manded to  do  that  which  is  directly  contrary  to  this,  viz.,  to 
desire  and  seek  to  escape  damnation,  and  to  be  saved ;  as  all 
our  most  considerable  and  best  divines  have  taught,  which  I 
could  easily  prove,  were  it  necessary. 

Calvinist.  I  can  decide  nothing  upon  this  matter  until  1 
know  what  is  meant  by  being  ivilling  to  he  miserable  forever 
by  those  who  assert  this,  or  you  who  oppose  it.  Let  me 
then  ask  you.  Do  you  suppose  that  by  being  willing  to  be 
miserable  is  meant  a  being  pleased  with  damnation,  or 
choosing  to  be  miserable  forever,  for  its  own  sake,  or  in  itself 
considered,  and  preferring  misery,  eternal  misery,  and  being 
just  as  the  damned  will  be,  to  eternal  happiness  and  being  just 
as  the  blessed  will  be  forever,  considering  the  former  as  being 
in  itself  better  than  the  latter  ?  This  is,  doubtless,  impossible, 
and,  if  it  were  not,  would  be  very  unreasonable  and  wicked. 
And  I  question  whether  any  one  ever  believed  this,  or  meant 
to  assert  it,  by  saying  that  Christians  ought  to  be  willing  to 
perish  forever.  But  if  by  being  willing  to  be  cast  off  by  God 
forever  be  meant,  that  however  great  and  dreadful  this  evil  is, 
yet  a  Christian  may  and  ought  to  be  willing  to  suffer  it,  if  it 
be  necessary  in  order  to  avoid  a  greater  evil,  or  to  obtain  an 
overbalancing  good,  if  such  a  case  can  be  supposed ;  this,  I 
think,  is  true,  and  ought  to  be  maintained,  as  essential  to  the 


144 


A    DIALOGUE. 


character  of  a  Christian,  and  that  the  contrary  doctrine  is 
dangerous  and  hurtful.  For  it  is  essential  to  true  benevo- 
lence to  prefer  a  greater  good  to  a  less,  and  a  less  evil  to  a 
greater,  and  that  whether  it  be  private  or  public  good  or  evil, 
or  his  own  personal  good  or  evil,  or  that  of  others. 

Semi.  I  am  unable  to  conceive  what  you  mean  by  "  a 
greater  evil "  than  eternal  damnation,  or  "  a  greater  good " 
to  be  promoted  by  this  evil.  Is  not  this  the  greatest  of  all 
evils  ?  And  what  good  is  left  for  him  who  is  doomed  to  eter- 
nal misery?  1  grant  that  a  man  may,  and  ought  to  subject 
himself,  in  many  cases,  to  a  less  evil,  in  order  to  avoid  a 
greater,  or  to  obtain  a  greatly  overbalancing  good ;  but  in  the 
proposed  case,  all  good  is  lost  forever,  and  the  greatest  possi- 
ble evil  takes  place,  and  nothing  but  evil,  without  end. 

Calv.  Is  not  the  damnation  of  millions  a  greater  evil  than 
the  damnation  of  a  single  person  ?  And  is  not  the  eternal 
happiness  of  millions  a  greater  good  than  that  of  one  individ- 
ual ?  This  I  know  you  will  grant.  Supposing  it  were  neces- 
sary for  one  individual  to  be  miserable  forever  in  order  to  save 
a  million  from  this  misery,  —  and  by  his  subjecting  himself  to 
this,  they  would  all  be  saved  from  this  evil,  and  be  eternally 
happy, — ought  he  not  to  be  willing  to  perish  in  such  a  case, 
and  on  this  supposition  ?  And  if  he  should  not  be  willing  to 
give  himself  up  to  this  evil  to  save  a  million  from  it,  and  to 
make  them  eternally  happy,  would  he  not  prefer  a  million 
times  greater  evil  to  one  a  million  times  less ;  and  choose  a 
million  times  less  good,  and  prefer  it  to  one  a  million  times 
greater?  And  if  this  is  not  unreasonable  and  wicked,  and 
directly  contrary  to  true  benevolence,  what  can  be  ? 

Semi.  This  is  making  an  impossible  supposition.  The 
damnation  of  one  man  cannot  save  one,  much  less  a  million. 

Calv.  I  grant  it  is  an  impossible  supposition  ;  but  it  nev- 
theless  serves  to  show  that  there  may  be  a  greater  evil  than 
the  damnation  of  one  individual ;  a  good  that  will  overbalance 
a  million  times  the  evil  of  the  damnation  of  one  man ;  and 
that  on  supposition  this  greater  evil  can  be  avoided,  and  the 
overbalancing  good  obtained  by  the  damnation  of  one  man, 
and  can  be  done  no  other  w*ay,  then  it  is  desirable  he  should 
be  damned,  and  he  ought  to  be  willing,  and  to  choose  it.  St. 
Paul  makes  this  same  supposition  when  he  says,  "  I  could 
wish  that  myself  were  accursed  from  Christ,  for  my  brethren, 
my  kinsmen,  according  to  the  flesh,"  and  declares  that  he 
should  be  willing  to  perish,  and  could  even  wish  it,  if  by  that 
means  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews  might  be  saved. 

Semi.  This  is  carrying  things  too  far.  It  is  impossible 
that  any  man  should  be  willing  to  give  up  all  good  and  to  be 


A    DIALOGUE.  145 

miserable  forever,  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  others,  be  it  ever 
so  great.  And  you  misunderstand  St.  Paul,  when  you  sup- 
pose he  says  that  he  should  be  willing  to  perish  for  the  sake 
of  the  salvation  of  his  brethren.  By  being  accursed  from 
Christ,  he  means  some  temporary  evil  only,  which  he  might 
suffer  consistently  with  his  being  a  Christian,  and  his  obtain- 
ing eternal  life. 

Calv.  You  implicitly  grant,  in  what  you  have  just  said, 
that  a  man  may  be  willing  to  suffer  evil,  and  a  great  degree 
of  it,  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  others;  and,  indeed,  this 
must  be  granted  by  all  who  allow  there  is  any  such  thing  in 
nature  as  disinterested  benevolence,  or  loving  our  neighbor  as 
ourselves.  And  that  this  is  the  nature  of  true  love,  or  charity, 
the  Scripture  asserts.  "  Charity  seeketh  not  her  own."  And 
all  men  will  grant  that  it  is  reasonable  that  a  man  should 
give  up  his  own  good,  to  a  great  degree,  for  the  sake  of  his 
neighbor's  good.  H(;  ought  to  be  willing,  for  instance,  to 
endure  hunger  a  whole  day  to  save  his  neighbor  from  starv- 
ing. He  ought  to  be  willing  to  give  up  his  whole  worldly 
interest  and  comfort,  and  live  a  life  of  poverty  and  want,  if 
this  were  necessary  to  save  a  whole  nation  from  ruin,  and 
make  them  rich  and  happy ;  yea,  he  ought  to  be  willing  to 
expose  and  give  up  his  life,  if  this  were  necessary  for  the  good 
of  his  country,  and  to  save  the  lives  of  millions. 

And  if  this  be  the  nature  of  benevolence,  and  most  reason- 
able, what  bounds  can  be  set  to  it,  and  where  shall  it  stop  ? 
If  true  benevolence  will  give  up  twenty  degrees  of  personal 
good  for  the  sake  of  a  thousand  degrees  of  good  to  others, 
it  will  give  up  a  thousand  degrees,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining 
fifty  thousand  degrees  of  good  to  others  ;  and  so  on,  until  he 
has  given  up  all  his  own  personal  good  for  a  proportionably 
greater  good  to  the  public.  Nothing  but  a  want  of  benevo- 
lence, or  a  defect  of  it,  can  render  a  man  unwilling,  in  the  case 
proposed,  to  give  up  all  his  personal  good.  And  there  is  the 
same  reason  for  his  doing  it  as  there  is  for  his  giving  up  one 
degree  of  his  own  good  for  the  sake  of  procuring  fifty  degrees 
of  good  to  others. 

And  if  benevolence  will  lead  a  man  to  suffer  one  degree  of 
pain  and  misery  in  order  to  save  another  from  a  hundred  de- 
grees of  pain,  and  it  be  most  reasonable  that  he  should,  then, 
for  the  same  reason,  he  will  be  willing  to  suffer  a  hundred 
degrees  of  pain  or  positive  evil,  if  this  be  necessary,  in  order  to 
save  his  neighbors  from  ten  thousand  degrees  of  evil ;  and  he 
must  be  willing  to  suffer  all  the  positive  evil  and  pain  that  he  is 
capable  of,  through  the  whole  of  his  existence,  if  this  be  neces- 
sary, to  save  a  hundred  thousand,  or  even  a  hundred,  from 
VOL.  in.  13 


146  A    DIALOGUE. 

this  evil.  For  there  is  the  same  reason  why  he  should  be 
willing  to  suffer  all  this  for  the  sake  of  a  proportionably  great- 
er good  to  others,  as  that  he  should  be  willing  to  suffer  one 
degree  to  save  others  from  a  hundred  degrees.  And  if  it  be 
contrary  to  benevolence  to  be  unwilling  to  suffer  one  degree 
of  evil  to  save  others  from  a  hundred  degrees  of  it,  it  must  be 
equally  contrary  to  it  to  be  unwilling  to  suffer  all  possible 
degrees  of  evil  for  the  sake  of  saving  others  from  a  proportion- 
ably  greater  evil. 

It  hence  appears  that  the  apostle  Paul  spoke  the  language 
of  true  benevolence,  and  declared  he  felt,  as  he  ought  to  feel, 
when  he  said  he  could  wish  himself  accursed  from  Christ,  if 
by  this  means  his  brethren  might  be  saved,  if  we  understand 
him  as  meaning  that  he  was  willing  to  be  lost  forever  for  their 
sake,  that  they  might  be  saved.  And  why  shall  he  not  be 
understood  to  say  what  he  ought  to  say,  and  to  speak  the 
language  of  true  benevolence,  since  this  is  the  natural  import 
of  his  words,  and  to  be  accursed  from  Christ  cannot  mean  less 
than  eternal  damnation,  without  putting  an  unnatural,  forced 
meaning  upon  them  ?  St.  Paul  certainly  thought  it  was  a 
great  evil  which  he  mentions,  and  was  willing  it  should  come 
upon  him  for  the  sake  of  his  brethren,  since  he  meant  hereby 
to  express  his  love  to  them.  If  the  evil  were  small  and  incon- 
siderable, it  expressed  but  a  small  and  inconsiderable  degree 
of  benevolence ;  and  the  greater  the  evil  was  which  he  was 
willing  to  suffer  for  their  sake,  the  greater  benevolence  was 
expressed.  He  therefore,  doubtless,  mentioned  the  greatest 
evil  that  he  could  conceive,  and  that  he  was  capable  of  suffer- 
ing, when  he  meant  to  express  the  greatness  and  strength  of 
his  love  to  them.  And,  by  the  way,  as  it  was  no  argument 
that  Paul  thought  it  to  be  a  small  evil  or  none  at  all  to  be 
accursed  from  Christ,  or  that  he  had  no  aversion  to  it,  and 
that  it  was  not  dreadful  to  him,  but  the  contrary,  because  he 
was  willing  to  suffer  it,  for  the  sake  of  his  brethren  ;  so  it  is 
no  argument  that  any  man  does  not  think  damnation  infinite- 
ly dreadful,  and  has  not  a  proper  aversion  to  it,  because  he  is 
willing  to  be  damned  rather  than  a  greater  evil  should  take 
place,  or  for  the  sake  of  promoting  a  greater  good. 

Semi.  For  my  part,  I  must  say,  this  is  all  darkness  to  me. 
How  can  these  things  be  ? 

Calv.  Let  us  take  another,  or  a  little  different,  view  of  this 
point ;  perhaps  it  may  be  set  in  a  more  easy,  convincing  light. 
I  conclude  you  will  grant  that  the  glory  of  God,  or  the  greatest 
and  most  advantageous  display  of  the  divine  perfections,  is  of 
the  highest  importance,  and  that  it  is  reasonable,  and  our  duty, 
to  make  this  our  highest  and  supreme  end,  in  all  our  desires 


A    DIALOGUE.  147 

and  actions ;  and  that  we  ought  not  to  be  willing  any  thing 
should  take  place  inconsistent  with  his  glory ;  and  that  we 
ought  to  be  willing  that  should  take  place,  be  it  what  it  may, 
which  is  most  for  his  glory,  even  though  it  be  the  eternal 
damnation  of  sinners. 

Semi.  I  grant  that  we  ought  to  make  the  glory  of  God  our 
supreme  end.  But  this  will  be  so  far  from  making  us  willing 
to  be  damned,  that  it  will  lead  us  to  desire  and  pursue  our 
salvation,  that  he  may  be  glorified  in  that,  and  that  we  may 
glorify  him  forever. 

Calv.  But  it  is  not  for  the  glory  of  God  that  all  should 
be  saved,  but  most  for  his  glory  that  a  number  should  be 
damned;  otherwise,  all  would  be  saved.  We  will,  therefore, 
now  make  a  supposition,  which  is  not  an  impossible  one,  viz., 
that  it  is  most  for  God's  glory,  and  for  the  universal  good,  that 
you  should  be  damned  ;  ought  you  not  to  be  willing  to  be 
damned,  on  this  supposition,  that  God  could  not  be  glorified 
by  you  in  any  other  way  ? 

Semi.  You  are  full  of  your  suppositions ;  I  will  not,  I  can- 
not, I  have  no  business  to  suppose  any  such  thing. 

Calv.  You  know  that  it  is  most  for  the  glory  of  God  that 
some  should  be  damned.  And  if  you  do  not  know  that  you 
are  a  Christian,  you  do  not  know  but  it  is  in  fact  true  that  it 
is  most  for  the  glory  of  God  that  you  should  be  damned ;  the 
supposition  is  therefore  natural  and  easy,  and  you  cannot  well 
avoid  making  it.  Supposing,  then,  this  were  true,  which  may 
be  true,  notwithstanding  any  thing  you  know,  how  ought 
you  to  feel  with  respect  to  it  ?  Ought  you  not  to  be  willing 
to  be  damned  ? 

Semi.  This  is  impossible. 

Calv.  I  grant  it  is  impossible  to  one  who  values  himself 
and  his  own  personal  interest  and  happiness  more  than  he 
does  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  highest  interest  of  his  king- 
dom. And  it  is  infallibly  certain,  that  every  one  who  lives 
and  dies  with  such  a  disposition,  will  and  must  be  damned. 
But  to  him  who  loves  God  supremely,  and  desires  his  glory 
above  all  things,  it  is  so  far  from  being  impossible  to  be  will- 
ing to  be  damned,  on  supposition  this  is  most  for  God's  glory, 
that  he  could  not  will  or  choose  any  thing  else.  He  must 
say,  "  Let  God  be  glorified,  let  what  will  become  of  me."  If 
he  cannot  say  so,  it  is  because  his  own  interest  and  happiness 
are  of  more  importance  with  him  than  the  glory  of  God  ;  or, 
in  other  words,  because  he  is  not  a  true  friend,  but  an  enemy, 
to  God. 

Semi.  But  suppose  he  knows  he  loves  God,  and  therefore 
knows  that  it  is  for  the  glory  of  God  that  he  should  be  saved  ? 


148  A   DIALOGUE. 

Calv.  No  man  can  know  that  he  loves  God  until  he  does 
really  love  him  ;  that  is,  until  he  does  seek  his  glory  above  all 
things,  and  is  disposed  to  say,  "  Let  God  be  glorified,  what- 
ever may  be  necessary  in  order  to  it,"  without  making  any 
exception ;  and  this  is  to  be  willing  to  be  damned,  if  this  be 
necessary  for  the  glory  of  God.  And  as  he  cannot  know  that 
he  loves  God  till  he  has  this  disposition,  which  is  necessarily 
implied  in  love  to  God,  he  does  not  know  that  it  is  not  neces- 
sary for  the  glory  of  God  that  he  should  be  damned.  He, 
therefore,  cannot  know  that  he  loves  God,  and  shall  be  saved, 
until  he  knows  he  has  that  disposition  which  implies  a  will- 
ingness to  be  damned,  if  it  be  not  most  for  the  glory  of  God 
that  he  should  be  saved ;  and  if  any  one  thinks  he  loves  God, 
and  shall  be  saved;  if  he  finds  that  his  love  to  God  does  not 
imply  a  willingness  to  be  damned,  if  this  were  most  for  his 
glory,  he  has  reason  to  conclude  that  he  is  deceived,  and  that 
what  he  calls  love  to  God  is  really  enmity  against  him.  For 
he  who  cannot  love  God  on  any  supposition  but  that  he  will 
not  damn  but  save  him,  is  not  a  friend,  but  an  enemy,  to  God. 

Let  us  examine  this  matter  in  a  little  different  light  still. 
I  would  ask  the  following  question  :  Is  it  not  reasonable,  and 
a  duty,  to  submit  to  the  will  of  God,  and  acquiesce  in  it, 
respecting  his  governing  providence  and  disposal  of  all  things, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  without  making 
any  exception  ? 

Semi.  I  cannot  object  against  this ;  it  must  be  answered 
in  the  affirmative;  for  God's  will  is  infinitely  wise  and  good, 
and  it  is  rebellion  against  him  to  be  unwilling  that  he  should 
do  as  he  pleases,  or  to  make  any  exception  whatever. 

Calv.  You  have  conceded  all  that  is  necessary,  I  think,  in 
order  to  decide  the  point  in  dispute  between  us.  God  has 
revealed  it  to  be  his  will  to  punish  some  of  mankind  forever. 
You  know  not  but  you  are  one  of  them.  Whether  you  shall 
be  saved  or  damned  depends  entirely  on  his  will.  And  sup- 
posing he  sees  it  most  for  his  glory  and  the  general  good  that 
you  should  be  damned,  it  is  certainly  his  will  that  you  should 
be  damned.  On  this  supposition,  then,  you  ought  to  be  will- 
ing to  be  damned  ;  for  not  to  be  willing  to  be  damned,  in  this 
case,  is  opposing  God's  will,  instead  of  saying,  "  Thy  will  be 
done." 

In  this  case,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  there  is  no  way  to  escape 
damnation  but  by  being  willing  to  be  damned,  on  supposition 
it  is  the  will  of  God  to  cast  you  off,  as  there  is  no  other  way 
to  submit  to  his  will,  and  acquiesce  in  it,  choosing  his  will 
should  be  done  ;  without  which  submission  it  is  impossible  a 
man  should  be  saved.     For,  to  make  any  exception,  and  to  be 


A    DIALOGUE.  149 

willing  God  should  do  as  he  pleases  if  he  will  save  you,  and 
on  no  other  condition,  is  no  true  submission  to  God,  but  a 
setting  up  your  will  to  be  the  rule  of  God's  conduct  towards 
you.  And  to  attempt  to  get  to  heaven,  or  to  obtain  assurance 
or  any  evidence  that  you  shall  be  saved,  in  opposition  to  such 
a  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  without  making  any  con- 
dition or  exception  in  favor  of  yourself,  is  to  fight  against  God, 
and  to  go  in  the  road  to  hell. 

Semi.  I  think  these  things  had  better  be  let  alone,  sup- 
posing there  be  any  truth  in  what  you  advance  ;  for  such  a 
way  of  talking  only  tends  to  puzzle  people,  and  to  discourage 
and  perplex  Christians,  and  will  be  of  no  advantage  to 
any  body. 

Calv.  It  may  puzzle  and  discourage  half  Christians,  who 
never  were  brought  to  an  unreserved  submission  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  to  desire  his  glory  above  all  things.  And  it  is  to 
be  wished  they  might  be  so  discouraged  as  to  be  convinced 
that  they  are  not  real  Christians.  It  may  also  puzzle  some 
real  Christians,  for  a  time,  who  have  never  carefully  attended 
to  this  matter,  so  as  to  compare  their  own  feelings  with  this 
truth,  when  rightly  understood ;  they  having  never  reviewed 
this  point  in  a  true  light,  but  by  their  education,  and  the  in- 
structions they  have  had,  have  imbibed  prejudices  against  it, 
as  it  has  been  represented,  or,  rather,  misrepresented,  to  them. 
But  when  these  have  the  truth  fairly  laid  before  them,  and  it 
is  properly  explained,  it  is  to  be  presumed  it  will  be  so  far 
from  perplexing  and  discouraging  them,  that  it  will  remove 
all  their  prejudices,  and  it  will  become  a  strengthening,  en- 
couraging doctrine  to  them,  while  they  find  their  hearts  in 
some  measure  agreeing  with  this  truth,  and  feel  that  to  have 
God  lose  his  honor,  and  the  greatest  general  good  not  pro- 
moted, and  the  will  of  God  not  done,  and  his  infinitely  wise 
and  good  plan  marred  and  hurt,  is  to  them  an  infinitely 
greater  evil  than  their  own  damnation,  or  that  of  millions  of 
others.  And  if  they  cannot  be  saved  consistently  with  God's 
highest  honor  and  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole,  and  agree- 
ably to  the  divine  will  and  plan,  there  can  be  no  salvation  for 
them  which  they  would  desire,  but  are  willing  to  be  damned, 
if  that  only  be  consistent  with  all  this. 

But  let  the  matter  be  stated  on  a  yet  different  footing,  and 
the  same  truth,  I  believe,  will  turn  up  to  view,  and,  perhaps, 
with  some  additional  evidence,  if  it  can  be  made  more  evident. 
You  believe,  I  conclude,  that  God  will,  for  his  own  glory  and 
the  greatest  general  good,  punish  many  of  mankind  with  ever- 
lasting destruction. 

Semi.    To  be  sure. 
13* 


150 


A    DIALOGUE. 


Calv.  And  to  this,  I  suppose,  you  have  no  objection,  but 
acquiesce  in  it,  and  are  quite  willing  it  should  be  so,  since  it  is 
necessary  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  greatest  good  of 
the  whole. 

Semi.  Yes,  since  this  is  the  will  of  God,  and  necessary  to 
answer  the  end  you  have  mentioned,  I  am  willing  they  should 
be  miserable  forever. 

Calv.  And  how  do  you  know  that  it  is  not  as  necessary 
that  you  should  be  damned  to  answer  the  same  ends  as  that 
any  one  else  should,  and  that  therefore  it  is  the  will  of  God  to 
damn  you  with  them  ?  At  least,  we  may  make  the  suppo- 
sition that  this  is  really  so.  How  do  you  feel  on  this  state  of 
the  case  ?  Are  you  willing  to  be  damned,  if  it  be  necessary 
to  answer  the  same  end  that  is  sought  by  the  damnation  of 
others,  and  for  the  sake  of  which  you  are  willing  they  should 
be  damned? 

Semi.  This  is  a  hard  question ;  I  suspect  there  is  some 
puzzle  in  it. 

Calv.  It  appears  to  me  to  be  a  plain  case.  If  there  be 
the  same  reason  and  the  same  necessity  that  you  should  be 
damned  as  that  others  should  be  cast  oft",  and  this  is  a  suf- 
ficient reason  with  you  to  be  willing  they  should  be  damned, 
then,  for  the  same  reason,  you  must  be  willing  to  be  damned 
yourself,  and  cannot  but  be  willing,  if  you  feel  according  to 
reason,  and  love  your  neighbor  as  well  and  as  much  as  your- 
self. You  must,  therefore,  if  you  would  not  be  inconsistent, 
either  disapprove  of  your  neighbors'  damnation,  and  object  to 
it,  refusing  your  consent,  or  you  must  be  willing  to  be  damned, 
there  being  the  same  reason  and  necessity  for  it  as  there  is 
that  your  neighbor  should  be  thus  punished,  who  deserves  it 
no  more  than  you.  Nothing  but  an  unreasonable  selfishness, 
and  disregard  to  your  neighbors'  welfare,  can  make  you  object 
to  your  own  damnation,  and  consent  to  his. 

Semi.  I  confess  I  see  no  way  out,  and  have  nothing  to 
reply  to  this  at  present.  But  I  have  one  thing  to  say  that 
will  prove  your  arguments  must  be  defective  somewhere, 
though  I  do  not  see  it  at  present.  For  the  damned  will  be 
perfectly  wicked,  and  enemies  to  God  forever ;  and  it  cannot 
be  right  to  be  willing  to  be  abandoned  to  sin  and  enmity 
against  God,  and  blaspheme  his  name  forever.  Therefore,  no 
man  ought  to  be  willing  to  be  damned,  unless  he  ought  to  be 
willing  to  be  God's  enemy,  and  like  the  devil  forever,  to  assert 
which  would  be  shocking,  and  no  man,  surely,  can  believe  it. 

Calv.  This,  I  confess,  is  a  plausible  objection,  and  has  so 
much,  seeming  weight  in  it,  that  no  wonder  it  should  appear 
to  many,  at  the  first  view  at  least,  insuperable  and  unanswer- 


A    DIALOGUE.  151 

able.  But  since  it  seems  to  be  proved  beyond  contradiction, 
by  what  has  been  said  above,  that  a  man  ought  to  be  willing 
to  be  damned  on  the  suppositions  which  have  been  made,  and 
it  is  impossible  that  two  contradictory  propositions  should  be 
both  true,  we  must  not  admit  this  objection  to  be  unanswer- 
able, without  carefully  reviewing  and  examining  it.  And  if, 
upon  examination,  it  shall  appear  to  be  without  foundation, 
and  contrary  to  the  truth,  what  has  been  before  proved  will 
be  yet  more  confirmed. 

You  have  granted,  and  all  must  grant,  that  we  ought  to  be 
willing  that  some  of  our  fellow-men  should  be  abandoned  to 
sin  and  ruin,  and  be  confirmed  enemies  to  God  forever.  And 
it  is  plain  that  to  acquiesce  in  this  is  so  far  from  being  a  friend 
to  sin,  or  sinful,  or  implying  any  enmity  against  God  in  our 
hearts,  that  thus  to  consent  to  it  because  it  is  the  revealed  will 
of  C^od,  for  his  own  glory  and  the  general  good,  is  an  exercise 
of  love  to  God  and  his  law,  and  of  benevolence  to  being  in 
general.  And  not  to  be  willing,  in  this  case,  and  to  refuse 
cordially  to  consent  to  it,  would  be  rebellion  against  God. 
So  that  there  is  no  other  way  for  us,  not  to  turn  enemies  to 
God  ourselves,  but  to  be  willing  that  some  of  our  fellow-men 
should  be  enemies  to  him  forever.  And  why  must  not  this  be 
just  as  true  in  our  own  case,  or  supposing  it  is  most  for  God's 
glory  and  the  general  good  that  we  should  be  given  up  to 
eternal  enmity  against  God,  and,  therefore,  God  hath  deter- 
mined we  should  be  thus  given  up,  and  sent  to  hell,  with  oth- 
ers ?  Not  to  consent  to  it,  on  this  supposition,  would  be  an 
act  of  enmity  against  God,  and  to  be  an  enemy  to  him. 
But  to  consent  to  it,  and  be  willing  that  God's  will  should  be 
done  for  his  own  glory  and  the  general  good,  would  be  so  far 
from"  being  friends  to  sin,  that  it  would  be  an  exercise  of  love 
and  friendship  to  God,  and  benevolence  to  being  in  general. 
And  so  long  as  we  continue  willing  to  be  ourselves,  with  oth- 
ers, abandoned  to  sin  and  ruin  forever,  for  the  reasons  and 
ends  mentioned,  we  shall  not,  we  cannot,  be  enemies  to  God 
or  friends  to  sin,  for  this  implies  a  plain  contradiction.  But 
as  soon  as  we  cease  to  be  willing  to  be  thus  given  up  to 
sin,  we  are  given  up,  and  turned  enemies  to  God  and  all 
good  ;  and  the  evil  never  can  come  upon  us  until  we  with- 
draw our  submission,  and  refuse  to  acquiesce  in  the  will  of 
God.  Hence  it  appears  that  all  the  foregoing  reasons  to  prove 
that  we  ought  to  be  willing  to  be  damned,  if  this  be  the  will 
of  God  and  for  his  glory  and  the  general  good,  stand  good, 
and  equally  prove  that  we  ought  to  consent  to  this,  on  this 
supposition,  even  though  damnation  includes  a  being  given 
up  to  sin  and  enmity  against  God  forever. 


152 


A    DIALOGUE. 


Perhaps  this  point  may  be  further  illustrated,  and  set  in  a 
more  convincing  light  to  some,  by  the  instance  of  the  angels, 
who  were  all  created  perfectly  holy.  It  was  best,  on  the  whole, 
most  for  God's  glory  and  the  general  good,  that  vast  numbers 
of  them  should  rebel  and  continue  in  sin  and  ruin  forever; 
and  therefore  it  was  God's  will  that  this  should  take  place. 
Suppose  this  had  been  revealed  to  them  when  they  were  all 
perfectly  holy,  and  each  one  could  not  know  but  he  was  the 
person  who,  among  others,  was  to  be  given  up  to  sin  and  de- 
struction for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  the  whole.  How 
ought  they  to  have  felt  on  such  an  occasion  ?  They  must  all 
consent  to  the  will  of  Jehovah,  and  say,  "  Let  it  take  place, 
however  many  of  us,  or  whoever  of  us,  must  fall  into  this 
sinful,  ruined  state,  or  whatever  becomes  of  us."  If  they  did 
not  thus  willingly  submit  to  the  will  of  Jehovah,  they  would 
by  that  turn  enemies  to  him,  and  fall  into  that  very  state,  and 
bring  that  evil  upon  themselves  which  they  opposed,  or  to 
which  they  refused  to  submit  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
general  good.  But  so  long  as  they  had  such  a  supreme  regard 
for  the  will  of  God,  his  glory,  and  the  general  good,  as  to  say, 
"  Thy  will  be  done,  let  what  will  come  upon  us,"  they  would 
be  secure  from  the  evil ;  and  this  would  be  the  only  way  to 
avoid  it.  So  long  as  they  all  continued  of  this  disposition, 
they  continued  happy  and  holy.  They  who  fell  into  a  state 
of  endless  sin  and  woe,  did  it  by  giving  up  such  a  disposition 
and  indulging  a  contrary  one  ;  and  they  who  continue  holy 
and  happy,  do  continue  and  persevere  in  this  state  and  char- 
acter, by  persevering  in  a  submission  to  the  Vv^ill  of  God,  and 
such  a  regard  for  his  glory  and  the  general  good,  that  they  are 
willing  to  be  given  up  to  eternal  sin  and  ruin,  if  this  were 
necessary  to  answer  these  ends,  or  if  they  could  not  remain  ir^ 
this  holy  and  happy  state  consistently  with  God's  glory  and 
the  greatest  good  of  the  whole. 

In  a  word,  God  thought  it  best,  and  therefore  was  willing, 
that  great  numbers  of  angels  should  become  sinful  and  miser- 
able forever;  and  all  the  angels,  before  any  of  them  fell,  were 
like  God  in  their  disposition  and  choice,  and  therefore  were 
disposed  to  acquiesce  in  his  will  and  choice,  when  made  known 
to  them.  Consequently,  had  God's  will  been  discovered  with 
respect  to  this,  they  would  all  have  acquiesced  in  it,  so  long 
as  they  were  holy  as  God  is  holy.  And  if  any  one  should 
feel  the  least  reluctance  to  it,  even  though  he  knew  he  was 
one  that  was  to  fall  into  sin  and  ruin,  he  would,  by  that  reluc- 
tance and  opposition  of  heart  to  Good's  will,  be  an  enemy  to 
God,  and  fall  into  ruin.  And  none  could  fall  into  that  state, 
in  any  possible  way,  but  by  opposing  God's  will,  or  by  being 
unwillinof  that  his  will  should  be  done. 


A    DIALOGUE.  153 

Semi.  This  is  more  puzzling  yet.  You  carry  us  away  to 
the  angels,  concerning  whom  we  know  but  little  ;  I  choose  to 
keep  nearer  home,  and  mind  my  own  business. 

Calv.  If  you  are  determined  not  to  think,  and  will  not 
range  into  any  quarter  of  the  universe  to  get  light,  you  will 
remain  in  darkness,  and  always  be  puzzled  with  a  thousand 
things ;  while  a  child  of  fourteen  years  old,  who  has  a  right 
taste  and  disposition,  and  improves  his  understanding  as  he 
ought,  will  be  at  no  loss  about  them,  but  will  see  them  in  the 
light  of  demonstration. 

Your  last  objection  was,  that  for  a  man  to  be  willing  to  be 
a  confirmed  enemy  to  God,  if  necessary  for  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  general  good,  would  be  a  sinful  volition,  and  therefore 
he  ought  not  to  be  willing.  I  have  undertaken  to  show  that 
this  is  so  far  from  being  true,  that  not  to  be  willing,  in  the  case 
proposed,  as  to  oppose  this,  would  be  a  sinful  volition  ;  and 
there  is  no  other  way,  in  order  to  avoid  sin,  but  to  be  willing, 
in  this  case,  it  being  necessary  to  answer  these  ends,  to  be 
cast  off  into  a  state  of  perfect  wickedness  and  ruin.  And  I 
think  what  has  been  said  amounts  to  a  clear  demonstration, 
and  wish  you  to  review  it  with  calmness  and  attention,  and 
show,  if  you  can,  where  the  argument  fails,  or  else  yield  to 
the  force  of  it,  and  think  of  it  until  it  becomes  easy  and  famil- 
iar to  you. 

Semi.  Your  reasonings  on  the  subject  seem  to  be  clear  and 
conclusive,  I  confess.  At  least,  I  see  no  way  at  present  to 
confute  them.  But  I  do  not  choose  to  have  this  matter 
settled  by  metaphysical  reasoning  only.  I  want  Scripture 
proof  and  evidence ;  for  when  we  go  by  this,  we  are  on  sure 
ground.  I  observe  you  have  made  but  little  use  of  the  Bible 
in  your  arguing  on  this  point,  from  which  I  concluded  you  can 
find  little  to  your  purpose  in  that. 

Calv.  I  have  aimed  to  keep  the  Scripture  in  view  in  all  I 
have  said  on  the  subject,  and  think  I  have  made  what  is  there 
revealed  the  foundation  of  all  my  reasonings  and  arguments 
on  the  points  ;  and  that  I  have  been,  through  the  whole  of  our 
conversation,  "reasoning  with  you  out  of  the  Scriptures." 
From  the  Scriptures  we  learn  that  the  glory  of  God  ought  to 
be  our  ultimate  and  highest  end ;  that  we  are  commanded  to 
seek  his  glory  in  all  we  do,  and  therefore  are  forbid  to  desire 
or  pursue  any  thing  which  is  contrary  to  his  highest  glory, 
and  required  to  submit  to  any  thing,  and  desire  it  may  take 
place,  which  is  most  for  his  glory.  Therefore,  on  supposition 
it  be  most  for  his  glory  that  I  should  not  be  saved,  but  lost,  I 
ought  to  submit,  and  not  desire  to  be  saved. 

Again :  the  Scripture  teaches  us  that  we  ought  to  be  all 


154  A    DIALOGUE. 

submission  to  the  will  of  God,  and  always  to  be  disposed  to 
say  from  the  heart,  "  Not  my  will,  but  thine,  be  done."  There- 
fore, on  supposition  it  is  the  will  of  God  to  cast  me  off,  I  must 
say  heartily,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  Not  to  say  and  feel  so,  is 
to  rise  in  rebellion  against  God. 

Moreover,  the  Scripture  requires  us  to  love  our  neighbors  as 
ourselves.  If  I  do  so,  and  am  willing  God  should  cast  any 
of  my  fellow-men  into  hell  forever  for  his  own  glory  and  the 
general  good,  —  which  I  must  be,  unless  1  rebel  against  his 
revealed  will, —  then  T  must  be  willing  to  be  cast  off  myself, 
if  this  be  necessary  to  answer  the  same  ends. 

These  are  the  reasons  and  arguments  by  which  I  have  en- 
deavored to  prove  what  I  have  advanced ;  and  is  not  this 
arguing  from  Scripture?  All  those  passages  of  Scripture 
which  teach  us  to  make  the  glory  of  God  our  supreme  end,  — 
to  be  all  submission  to  his  will,  without  making  any  exception, 
and  to  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves,  all  which  it  is  difficult 
and  needless  to  mention,  —  do  prove  and  really  assert  the  doc- 
trine I  have  affirmed. 

Besides,  I  have  introduced  the  express  words  of  Paul, 
strongly  expressing  this  to  be  his  wish  and  desire  with  respect 
to  himself,  might  this  be  the  means  of  saving  his  brethren. 

The  words  of  Eli  express  the  same  sentiment.  "  It  is  the 
Lord;  let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good."  (1  Sam.  iii.  18.) 
This  he  says  with  respect  to  God's  awful  threatening  that  he 
would  judge  his  house  forever,  and  that  he  had  sworn  that  the 
iniquity  of  Eli's  house  should  not  be  purged  with  sacrifice  nor 
offerings  forever.  And  does  not  David  express  the  same  thing 
when  he  says,  "  But  if  he  thus  say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  thee; 
behold,  here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto 
him  "  ?  (2  Sam.  xv.  26.)  Does  he  not  resign  his  whole  in- 
terest, temporal  and  eternal,  to  God's  pleasure,  without  making 
any  condition  ?  If  he  say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  thee,  is  not 
this  to  cast  him  off  forever?  "Behold,  here  I  am,  let  him  do 
to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto  him."  How  could  he  express 
this  sentiment  in  plainer  and  more  strong  language  ? 

Semi.  But  what  advantage  will  this  be  to  me,  or  any  one 
else  ?  If  it  be  true,  I  see  not  that  it  is  a  point  worth  contend- 
ing about,  or  what  will  be  the  benefit  of  understanding  and 
believing  it. 

Calv.  I  may  ask  you,  sir,  what  benefit  there  is  in  opposing 
it,  if  it  be  not  true  ?  It  is  represented  as  a  very  hurtful  and 
wicked  doctrine ;  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  considered  it 
in  this  light,  in  the  beginning  of  our  conversation  upon  the 
subject.  In  this  view,  you  thought  it  of  importance  to  oppose 
it.     And  if  it  be  true,  the  contrary  error  must  be  as  wicked 


A    DIALOGUK.  155 

and  hurtful  as  this  would  be,  were  it  not  true.  The  truth 
will  bear  examination,  and  ought  not  to  be  given  up  because 
some  do  not  understand  it,  and  do  oppose  it.  It  certainly  can 
do  no  one  any  hurt  to  believe  it ;  but  may  be  of  great  service, 
if  rightly  improved  ;  and  the  contrary  error  I  believe  to  be  of 
a  very  bad  tendency.  Sutler  me  to  illustrate  this,  in  a  few 
words. 

A  denial  of  this  truth,  and  most  of  the  arguments  to  sup- 
port such  denial,  do  misrepresent  the  nature  of  disinterested 
benevolence,  and  are  really  a  denial  of  the  existence  of  any 
such  thing.  And  it  is  supposed  that  selfishness  is  justifiable, 
and  not  opposed  by  real  Christianity,  but  that  Christians  are 
warranted  to  act,  and  must  act,  from  selfish  principles.  This,  I 
think,  is  evident,  from  what  has  been  said  on  this  subject,  and 
most  of  the  objections  you  have  made.  This  tends  to  give  a 
wrong  idea  of  true  religion,  and  to  encourage  professed  Chris- 
tians in  the  indulgence  of  a  selfish  spirit;  and  to  think  them- 
selves Christians,  while  their  feelings  and  exercises  are  in  direct 
opposition  to  true  Christianity.  And  this  way  of  thinking,  as 
I  think,  discovers  a  contractedness  of  mind,  as  it  tends  to  con- 
tract it  more  and  more,  and  to  sink  it  down  to  a  narrow  and 
low  way  of  thinking  and  acting,  contrary  to  that  enlargedness 
of  mind,  and  nobleness  of  soul,  which  real  Christianity  in- 
spires, and  which  is  implied  in  disinterested  benevolence. 

And  it  is  implicitly  a  denial  of  the  eternal  damnation  of 
any  of  mankind.  For,  as  has  been  observed,  if  we  love  our 
neighbor  as  ourselves,  which  is  necessarily  implied  in  true 
holiness,  and  we  are  unwilling  to  be  damned  ourselves,  when 
this  is  necessary  to  answer  the  same  ends,  to  answer  which 
they  are  damned,  then  we  cannot  acquiesce  in  their  damna- 
tion ;  nor  ought  any  in  heaven  or  earth  to  be  willing  that 
there  should  be  any  such  thing  as  damnation.  Consequently, 
there  can  be  no  such  thing  consistently  with  the  inclination 
of  any  holy  being.  But  if  this  unwillingness  to  be  damned 
ourselves,  when  this  is  as  necessary  for  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  general  good  as  that  any  of  our  fellow-men  should  be 
damned,  is  owing  to  selfishness,  and  an  exercise  of  that  affec- 
tion which  is  contrary  to  loving  God  supremely,  and  our 
neighbor  as  ourselves,  then  this  justifies  selfishness,  as  has 
been  observed,  and  justifies  the  Christian  in  avowing  it,  as  a 
good  and  holy  principle ;  by  which  he  is  willing  others  should 
suffer  that  for  the  glory  of  God  which  he  is  not  willing  to 
suffer,  were  it  necessary  to  answer  the  same  end  ;  and,  in 
short,  cares  not  what  becomes  of  his  fellow-men,  or  of  God's 
honor,  if  he  can  but  be  safe  and  happy.  Surely  that  doctrine 
which  embraces  and  supports  one  of  these  alternatives,  and 


156  A    DIALOGUE. 

does  really  avow  the  latter,  and  justifies  all  the  selfishness  in 
the  world,  and  supposes  there  is  no  such  thing  as  disinterested 
benevolence,  is  a  very  dangerous  and  hurtful  doctrine,  and 
tends  to  root  all  true  religion  out  of  the  world. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  doctrine  which  I  have  endeavored 
to  explain  and  vindicate  tends  to  the  advantage  of  Christians 
many  ways,  which  advantages  naturally  come  into  view,  by 
attending  to  what  has  been  said  of  the  evil  consequences  of 
the  opposite  doctrine. 

It  is  suited  to  enlarge  the  mind  of  the  Christian,  and  to 
extend  his  ideas  and  thoughts  to  objects  which  are  great  and 
immense,  and  to  wake  up  the  feelings  and  exercises  of  disin- 
terested benevolence,  of  supreme  love  to  God,  and  regard  to 
the  general  good,  which  swallows  up  and  forgets  his  own  per- 
sonal interest,  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  these  grand 
objects.  This  will  help  him,  in  the  best  and  easiest  manner, 
to  distinguish  between  true  religion  and  false  ;  and  to  obtain 
and  maintain  the  evidence  in  his  own  mind  that  he  is  a  friend 
to  God,  and  has  that  benevolence  in  which  holiness  does 
summarily  consist. 

This  will  prepare  him  to  acquiesce  in  the  eternal  destruction 
of  those  who  perish,  and  even  to  rejoice  in  it,  as  necessary  for 
the  glory  of  God,  and  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole,  in  the 
exercise  of  that  disinterested  benevolence  which  makes  him 
to  be  willing  to  be  one  of  that  sinful,  wretched  number,  were 
this  necessary  to  answer  these  ends. 

This  will  prevent  his  preaching  or  talking  in  that  selfish 
way  about  religion,  which  too  many  ministers  and  others  do; 
or  indulging  selfish  affections,  under  the  notion  of  their  being 
the  exercise  of  true  religion. 

A  belief  of  this  doctrine,  and  exercises  answerable,  will 
bring  and  keep  in  view  true,  unreserved  resignation  to  the 
will  of  God,  and  prevent  his  deceiving  himself  with  an 
imagined  resignation  which  is  not  true  resignation,  but  the 
exercise  of  wicked  selfishness  and  impiety,  and  with  which 
many  are  deceiving  themselves.  For  instance,  when  a  parent 
loses  a  dear  and  only  child  he  is  resigned  and  willing  his 
child  should  be  taken  from  him  by  death,  if  God  will  make  it 
happy  forever.  This  condition  spoils  the  resignation,  and  it 
expresses  no  true  regard  to  God,  but  only  a  regard  to  his 
child;  which  the  most  selfish  parent  has,  as  well  as  the  most 
benevolent.  So  one  who  thinks  himself  a  Christian  is  willing 
to  be  poor  and  despised,  to  be  sick  and  suffer  great  pain,  if  it 
may  work  for  his  good,  and  God  will  make  him  eternally 
happy  at  last,  and  thinks  this  true  resignation,  and  that  in  a 
high  and  uncommon  degree ;  whereas  this  is  not  real  resignation 


A    DIALOGUE.  157 

to  the  will  of  God,  and  expresses  nothing  but  selfishness, 
in  making  God  a  tool  to  answer  our  own  selfish  ends.  He  will 
consent  that  God  should  make  him  happy,  and  answer  his 
ends,  and  is  willing  to  be  in  his  hands  on  no  other  condition. 
This  expresses  no  true  regard  to  God,  or  the  general  good. 
To  conclude,  the  Christian  who  believes  this  truth,  and  has 
feelings  and  exercises  answerable  to  it,  with  pleasure  gives 
himself  into  the  hands  of  God,  and  rejoices  that  he  and  all 
things  are  in  his  hands,  and  that  he  will  glorify  himself  by  all 
men,  either  in  their  salvation  or  damnation,  and  says  to  God, 
"  If  it  be  most  for  thy  glory  that  I  should  be  cast  off,  thy  will 
be  done.  '  Father,  glorify  thy  name.'  I  have  no  condition  to 
make ;  let  God  be  glorified,  and  his  kingdom  be  most  happy 
and  glorious,  whatever  becomes  of  me."  And  the  stronger 
and  more  clear  these  exercises  are,  the  greater  evidence  he  will 
have,  wheri  he  reflects  upon  them,  that  he  is  a  true  friend  to 
God,  and  that  it  is  most  for  his  glory,  and  for  the  greatest 
general  good,  that  he  should  be  perfectly  holy  and  happy  in 
his  kingdom  forever. 

VOL.  IIL  14 


A   SERIOUS 


ADDRESS  TO  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANS, 


IN  THE  NAME,  AND  FROM  THE  WORDS,  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


"  Behold  I  come  as  a  thief.     Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  gar- 
ments, lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame."  —  Rev.  xvi.  15. 

The  warning,  exhortation,  and  encouragement  here  given 
by  Christ  to  his  professed  friends,  suited  to  excite  them  to 
attend  to  their  duty  and  faithfuhiess  to  him  at  all  times,  are 
applicable  to  them  in  whatever  circumstances  and  age  of  the 
world  they  have  lived  since  they  were  published ;  but  are  more 
especially  applicable  to  those  who  live  in  the  time  and  cir- 
cumstances to  which  the  words  have  a  particular  reference. 
In  order  to  know  what  time  this  is,  and  what  are  the  events 
which  will  then  take  place,  the  context  with  which  these 
words  are  connected  must  be  carefully  attended  to  and  un- 
derstood. 

These  words  are  spoken  by  Christ,  while  John  is  narrating 
the  events  which  were  to  take  place  under  the  sixth  vial  while 
it  was  running.  In  the  midst  of  his  narration,  or  before  he  had 
finished  it,  he  is  interrupted,  and  Jesus  Christ  speaks  these 
remarkable  and  important  words ;  so  that  they  immediately 
respect  the  events  contained  in  the  scene  which  was  opening 
to  John.  In  this  chapter  we  have  an  account  of  the  preceding 
vials  by  the  angftls  to  whom  they  were  given.  These  seven 
vials  or  cups  are  said  to  be  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  to 
contain  the  seven  last  plagues  or  remarkable  judgments  which 
were  to  be  inflicted  chiefly  on  the  beast  and  his  adherents ; 
that  is,  the  pope  and  the  hierarchy  of  the  church  of  Rome,  his 
supporters  and  followers.  He  was  to  continue  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty  years,  and  these  vials  contained  the 
several  successive  calamities  and  judgments,  the  effects  of  the 
divine  wrath,  which  were  to  be  inflicted  on  him  and  his 
adherents  during  his  continuance ;  which,  in  the  events  under 


160  A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

the  last  vial,  slrall  complete  his  utter  destruction.  If  the  time 
of  the  running  of  these  seven  vials  be  computed  to  take  up  or 
comprehend  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  years,  the 
time  in  which  the  beast  is  to  continue,  each  vial  will  take  up 
less  than  two  hundred  years ;  but  nothing  appears  to  confine 
the  time  of  each  vial  to  the  same  number  of  years.  Some  of 
the  vials  may  comprehend  more,  or  fewer  years  than  others, 
according  to  the  longer  or  shorter  continuance  of  the  calami- 
tous events  which  they  represent  and  predict.  This  can  be 
determined  best  by  the  time  and  duration  of  the  events  which 
have  come  to  pass  and  were  predicted  under  the  vials  which 
have  been  poured  out.  A  number  of  able  expositors,  who  have 
carefully  consulted  the  most  learned  and  credible  historians 
who  lived  in  those  times,  have  made  it  evident,  that  the  events 
predicted  under  the  first  four  vials  took  place  before  the  ref- 
ormation from  Popery  by  Luther  and  Calvin,  which  began 
near  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century.  "  The  fifth  vial 
was  poured  out  on  the  seat  (throne)  of  the  beast;  and  his 
kingdom  was  full  of  darkness,  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues 
for  pain,  and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven  because  of  their 
pains  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not  of  their  deeds."  When 
the  reformers  arose  and  declared  the  pope  to  be  antichrist, 
and  forsook  the  church  of  Rome  as  not  the  true,  but  an  anti- 
Christian  church,  the  mother  of  harlots,  many  became  their 
followers,  and  embraced  their  doctrines.  Men  in  high  office, 
who  had  great  power  and  influence,  joined  with  the  reformers 
and  protected  them,  and  a  number  of  nations  and  kingdoms 
renounced  the  pope  and  his  authority.  By  this  his  throne, 
his  power  and  influence,  which  had  been  very  high,  great,  and 
universal,  were  greatly  contracted  and  weakened,  and  threat- 
ened with  annihilation.  This  greatly  alarmed  the  pope  and  his 
party,  and  they  exerted  all  their  power,  policy,  and  cunning  to 
suppress  it,  and  destroy  the  chief  promoters  of  it ;  and  the  em- 
peror of  Germany  was  excited  and  persuaded,  with  all  his  power 
and  the  forces  which  could  be  raised,  to  make  war  on  the 
Protestants ;  but  he  was  defeated,  and  great  numbers  of  his 
followers  were  destroyed ;  and  he  relinquishe'd  his  crown  and 
office  and  shut  himself  up  in  a  cloister,  and  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  days  in  dejection  and  a  painful  melancholy  and 
gloom.  And  various  other  methods  were  taken  by  them  to 
destroy  the  Protestants,  and  put  an  end  to  the  reformation, 
for  more  than  a  century ;  but  they  were  continually  defeated, 
and  all  tlje  policy  and  craft  by  which  they  had  prospered,  and 
by  which  the  pope  had  been  exalted  to  universal  dominion, 
now  failed  them,  and  they  were  involved  in  political  darkness, 
and  the  painful  gloom  of  disappointment  and  defeat.     These 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  16X 

were  wounds  and  sores  which  gave  them  unspeakable  anguish 
and  pain,  and  could  not  be  healed. 

And  they  repented  not  of  their  deeds,  and  opposed  all  refor- 
mation in  doctrine  and  practice.  They  called  a  council  of 
many  bishops  and  inferior  clergy,  under  a  pretence  of  healing 
matters,  which  sat  eighteen  years;  but  were  so  far  from  doing 
any  thing  towards  a  reformation,  that  they  decreed  a  number 
of  things  which  were  still  more  blasphemous  of  God  and 
divine  truth.  This  vial  was  running  till  near  the  end  of  the 
seventeenth  century. 

The  sixth  vial  probably  began  to  be  poured  out  at  the  latter 
end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  or  at  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth,  and  has  been  running  all  the  last  century,  is  run- 
ning now,  and  will  continue  To  run  to  the  middle  of  the  pres- 
ent, if  not  longer.  Some  of  the  events  which  were  to  take 
place  under  this  vial  are  described  in  the  following  words : 
"  And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  great  River 
Euphrates ;  and  the  water  thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way 
of  the  kings  of  the  east  might  be  prepared."  In  order  to 
understand  these  metaphorical,  typical  words,  it  must  be  ob- 
served, that  ancient  Babylon,  which  was  an  enemy  to  the 
visible  people  of  God,  and  persecuted  and  destroyed  many  of 
them,  and  subjected  the  remainder  to  a  state  of  ^grievous  cap- 
tivity for  seventy  years,  until  it  was  taken  by  the  eastern  kings 
of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  was  a  type  of  the  anti- Christian 
church  of  Rome.  Therefore,  this  church  with  its  appendages 
is  repeatedly  called  Babylon  in  this  Book  of  Revelations. 

The  great  River  Euphrates  run  through  the  midst  of  Baby- 
lon, entering  in  on  one  side  of  it,  and  passing  out  on  the  other 
side  under  the  walls,  and  was  a  defence  to  the  city,  and  by  it 
they  had  a  great  supply  of  provision.  Cyrus,  king  of  Persia, 
acting  in  conjunction  with  his  uncle  Darius,  king  of  the  Medes, 
took  the  city  by  turning  the  water  of  the  river  into  another 
channel,  which  prepared  the  way  for  his  army  to  march  in  under 
the  walls  where  the  river  used  to  run,  and  was  now  dried  up  :  in 
this  way  they  entered  the  city,  slew  the  king  and  chief  men,  and 
took  possession  of  it,  which  issued  in  its  final  destruction. 

The  prophecy  before  us  has  an  allusion  to  this  type  and 
figurative  representation  in  predicting  the  fall  of  spiritual 
Babylon,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  was  to  be  effected.  By 
drying  up  the  River  Euphrates  is  meant  the  removal  or  dimi- 
nution of  whatever  has  been  the  great  and  chief  support  of  the 
pope,  and  the  church  of  which  he  is  the  head  ;  and  this  chiefly 
consists  in  the 'strength  and  power  which  he  has  in  various 
ways,  and  by  different  instruments,  obtained,  especially  by  the 
stream  of  money  and  riches  which  have  been  made,  by  vari- 
14* 


162 


A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 


ous  means,  to  flow  into  that  church  for  many  ages  from  all 
parts  of  Christendom.  This  stream  has  been  in  a  considerable 
measure  dried  up  in  the  last  century,  by  the  nations  with- 
holding much  of  the  money  which  used  to  flow  into  that 
church  like  a  great  river,  and  turning  it  into  another  channel ; 
and  the  order  and  society  of  Jesuits,  which  has  been  a  strong 
pillar  and  support  of  that  church  many  ways,  has  been  de- 
molished and  taken  away  in  the  last  century;  and  what  has 
been  done  in  the  latter  part  of  that  century  in  pulling  down 
and  impoverishing  the  pope  and  the  church  of  Rome,  by  which 
it  has  fallen  almost  to  the  ground,  is  notorious  to  all. 

By  the  kings  of  the  east  are  meant  all  those,  in  whatever 
part  of  the  world  they  live,  and  whoever  they  are,  who  are 
enemies  to  the  spiritual  Babylon,  and  seek  to  poll  down  and 
destroy  it,  typified  by  the  kings  of  the  east  who  fought  against 
and  subdued  the  ancient,  literal  Babylon. 

The  late  revolution  in  France,  by  which  the  church  of  Rome 
is  again  introduced  there  by  an  agreement  between  the  chief 
consul  and  the  pope,  at  a  first  and  superficial  view  may  ap- 
pear to  be  a  revival  of  the  cause  of  that  church,  and  a  step 
towards  the  pope's  rising  to  his  former  height.  But  when  the 
subject  is  carefully  examined,  it  will  doubtless  appear  other- 
wise. The*fthief  consul  really  claims,  and  has  obtained,  the 
power  in  France,  and  in  other  states,  over  which  he  claims  a 
jurisdiction,  which  the  pope  used  to  claim ;  and  the  latter  is 
only  made  a  tool  by  the  former,  to  answer  his  own  ambitious 
purposes.  It  may  soon  appear  that  this  event  was  the  only 
])roper  step  to  efl'ect  the  utter  ruin  of  the  pope  and  of  that 
church.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we  are  sure  that  this  spiritual 
Babylon  will  fall  to  the  ground  under  the  vial  which  is  now 
running,  and  the  succeeding  one,  and  that  all  the  succeeding 
events  will  issue  in  its  utter  overthrow,  though  the  particular 
steps  which  will  be  taken  to  effect  this  cannot  be  known  and 
described,  as  they  are  future,  any  further  than  they  are  re- 
vealed in  Scripture  prophecy. 

There  is  a  prophecy  in  the  Book  of  Daniel  which  illustrates 
the  case  before  us.  In  describing  the  fourth  beast,  which  now 
consists  of  the  pope  and  the  hierarchy  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
he  says,  "  And  whereas  thou  sawest  the  feet  and  toes,  part  of 
potter's  clay,  and  part  of  iron,  the  kingdom  shall  be  divided. 
And  as  the  toes  of  the  feet  were  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay, 
so  the  kingdom  shall  be  partly  strong  and  partly  broken.  And 
whereas  thou  sawest  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  min- 
gle themselves  with  the  seed  of  men  ;  but  they  shall  not  cleave 
one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with  clay." 

This   prophecy  has,  doubtless,  been  fulfilled  in  other  in- 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  163 

stances,  but  is  eminently  so  in  the  concordat  between  the 
first  consul  of  France  and  the  pope,  in  which  the  latter  at- 
tempts to  unite  with  the  seed  of  men  the  men  of  the  world, 
who  are  apparent  infidels  and  real  enemies  to  Christianity, 
even  as  it  consists  in  Popery,  unless  when  they  can  answer 
their  own  ends  by  it.  By  this  the  pope  has  not  strengthened 
but  weakened  his  cause,  and  prepared  the  way  to  be  dashed 
in  pieces,  by  the  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without  hands, 
to  be  destroyed  by  Christ. 

John  goes  on  to  relate  what  he  further  saw  in  vision  as  tak- 
ing place  under  this  sixth  vial.  "  And  I  saw  three  unclean 
spirits  like  frogs  come  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
false  prophet.  For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working 
miracles,  (or  doing  wonders,)  which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle 
of  that  great  day  of  God  Almighty."  While  the  beast  and 
the  hierarchy  of  the  false  church  of  Rome,  here  called  the  false 
prophet,  who  is  elsewhere  described  as  the  great  harlot,  sitting 
on  the  beast,  who  is  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  abominations 
of  the  earth ;  while  these  are  sinking  and  expiring,  they,  in 
conjunction  with  the  old  dragon,  the  devil,  who  had  been  the 
great  invisible  agent  in  setting  them  up  and  supporting  them, 
and  by  whom  they  were  always  inspired,  emit  a  filthy  spawn, 
a  most  mischievous  progeny,  which  are  no  other  than  the 
spirits  of  devils,  which  rush  forth  to  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  world,  to  corrupt  the  world,  and 
promote  all  manner  of  wickedness  in  principle  and  practice,  in 
rebellion  against  Christ  and  his  gospel.  And  in  doing  this, 
they  will  effect  wonderful  events  which  were  not  expected,  and 
never  had  been  in  such  a  manner  and  degree.  By  this  they 
will  arm  mankind  in  general,  especially  those  in  the  Christian 
world,  against  God  and  the  Redeemer,  and  unite  and  gather 
them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God  Almighty.  The 
beast  and  harlot  will  live  in  these  times,  and  not  become  ex- 
tinct till  this  battle  comes  on. 

This  (gathering-  to  the  battle  does  not  mean  a  local  collection 
into  one  place,  but  a  general  agreement  among  the  nations, 
to  oppose  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel,  in  principle  and  prac- 
tice, and  thus  arming  themselves  against  God,  by  which  they 
will  be  prepared  for  the  battle,  which  will  not  consist  in  any 
particular  combat  with  carnal  weapons  between  Christians  and 
those  who  oppose  them,  but  in  the  judgments  and  destruction 
which  God  will  inflict  on  the  open  and  incorrigible  enemies 
of  Christ  and  his  church,  by  which  they  and  their  cause 
will  be  amply  vindicated  and  avenged,  and  deserved  wrath  and 


164  AN    ADDRESS 

vengeance  will  be  inflicted  on  their  enemies,  to  the  uttermost. 
This  battle  will  commence  in  the  fulness  of  it  when  the  seventh 
vial  shall  be  poured  out,  when,  by  the  events  which  take  place 
under  the  sixth  vial,  the  body  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  world 
will  be  ripened  for  the  punishment  and  .vengeance  by  which 
they  shall  be  destroyed ;  which  battle  is  described  in  the  latter 
part  of  this  and  the  nineteenth  chapters. 

While  these  evil  spirits  are  doing  their  work  and  are  using 
all  their  influence  to  arm  wicked  men  and  unite  them  against 
Christ,  he  stands  forth  and  speaks  in  the  words  now  under 
consideration,  and  certainly  speaks  them  with  reference  to  the 
events  predicted  in  this  vision,  respecting  this  battle,  and  the 
events  preparatory  to  it,  and  therefore  are  spoken  to  those 
professing  Christians  who  live  in  these  days,  as  a  warning, 
direction,  and  encouragement  to  them.  And  if  we  live  in  the 
very  time  pointed  out  in  this  vision,  it  concerns  us  to  know  it, 
and  earnestly  attend  to,  and  conscientiously  improve,  these 
words  of  Christ,  as  the  only  way  to  be  safe  and  blessed. 

It  becomes  Christians  to  discern  and  know  the  signs  of  the 
times  in  which  they  live ;  to  attend  to  the  events  of  divine  Prov- 
idence compared  with  Scripture;  with  discerning  and  judgment 
to  view  the  state  of  religion  and  morality  in  the  world,  so  far 
as  they  are  under  advantages  to  extend  their  knowledge  of 
these  important  concerns.  And  they  have  opportunity,  which 
they  ought  diligently  to  improve,  to  compare  the  circum- 
stances and  particular  events  of  the  times  in  which  they  live 
with  the  prophetic  part  of  Scripture,  to  find,  if  they  can,  with 
a  degree  of  satisfaction  and  certainty,  the  agreement  of  the 
events  which  are  before  their  eyes,  with  the  predictions  of 
Scripture,  and  hereby  learn  what  is  their  particular  duty,  and 
what  is  come  and  coming  in  the  world,  as  it  respects  the  moral 
corruption  and  consequent  misery  of  iliankind,  and  the  de- 
pressed state  of  Christianity,  and  the  final  victory  it  shall 
obtain. 

That  we  live  in  the  time  when  the  sixth  vial  is  poured  out, 
which  has  been  running  during  the  last  century,  or  longer,  is 
evident  I'rom  Scripture  prophecy,  as  has  been  observed,  and  is 
abundantly  conflrmed  and  rendered  certain  by  the  events 
which  have  taken  place  in  the  last  century,  and  are  now  com- 
ing to  pass  before  our  eyes,  which  are  predicted  under  this 
vial.  The  River  Euphrates,  agreeably  to  the  explication  now 
given,  has  been  drying  up  for  many  years,  and  the  church  of 
Rome  is  impoverished  and  weakened  many  ways,  by  which 
the  way  has  been  opened  for  her  enemies,  whoever  and  wher- 
ever they  be,  to  assault  and  destroy  her,  and  she  has  sunk  in  a 
manner  which  never  took  place  before,  as  has  been  observed. 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  165 

And  while  this  old  harlot,  who  is  the  mother  of  all  the  abomi- 
nations in  the  earth,  who  rides  on  the  beast,  supported  by  the 
old  dragon,  the  devil,  is  falling  and  expiring,  they  three  join  to 
emit  and  send  forth  evil  spirits  like  themselves,  whicii  must 
therefore  be  spirits  of  devils  which  go  forth  to  corrupt  the 
world,  so  as  to  arm  the  people  in  general  against  God,  in  a 
state  of  open  and  high  rebellion  against  the  Redeemer.  And 
is  not  all  this  now  taking  place,  which  begun  many  years  ago, 
and  is  now  increasing  in  a  remarkable  and  rapid  progress? 
Let  Christians  who  have  discerning  to  know  the  times  attend 
and  judge. 

In  the  last  century  there  has  been  a  greater  spread  and  prev- 
alence of  error,  infidelity,  and  all  kinds  of  immorality  and 
wickedness  than  was  ever  before  known,  and  that  in  a  man- 
ner and  by  means  new  and  strange.  Men  of  great  abilities 
and  learning  have  risen  up  champions  for  infidelity,  and  con- 
sequently for  vice  and  immorality;  and  secret  societies  have 
been  formed  and  combined  to  do  every  thing  in  their  power  to 
put  an  end  to  Christianity,  and  every  institution  that  would  lay 
any  restraint  on  their  lusts.  To  this  end  they  spread  their 
emissaries  wherever  there  is  a  prospect  of  the  gaining  prose- 
lytes. They  introduce  themselves  and  their  disciples  as  teach- 
ers of  schools,  and  into  colleges,  and  the  courts  of  princes  and 
kings,  to  proselyte  as  many  of  the  great  as  they  can.  They 
have  been  detected,  and  their  doctrines  and  schemes  have  been 
exposed  to  the  public ;  but  this  has  not  discouraged  them ; 
and  through  the  connivance  of  the  great  and  obsequiousnes,^ 
of  the  multitude,  they  have  gone  on  to  practise  and  prosper. 
In  their  unwearied  exertions  and  attempts  they  turned  their 
attention  particularly  to  France,  and  were  so  successful  as  to 
influence  a  great  part  of  the  leading  men  there,  and  a  number 
in  the  king's  court,  to  embrace  their  principles  and  scheme, 
which  produced  a  revolution  in  that  nation,  by  which  Christian- 
ity and  all  the  institutions  of  it  were  abolished,  and  infidelity 
introduced  in  the  room  of  it.  •  In  the  presence  of  the  national 
convention  a  man  of  note  arose  and  declared  he  was  an  athe- 
ist, that  there  was  no  god  but  liberty,  which  gained  the  appro- 
bation and  loud  applause  of  the  whole  convention.  And  a 
number  of  priests  appeared  in  the  hall  of  the  convention,  and  cast 
off"  the  garments  and  the  badges  of  their  sacerdotal  office,  and 
thus  publicly  in  this  contemptuous  manner  renounced  Christian- 
ity, and  in  a  literal  sense  and  most  expressly  put  off'  their  Chris- 
tian garments  themselves  instead  of  keeping  them.  The  leaders 
in  this  scheme,  in  their  endeavors  to  overthrow  Christianity, 
espouse  and  propagate  among  their  disciples  this  maxim, 
"  that  any  means  necessary  or  tending  to  promote  a  good  end 


166 


A   SERIOUS    ADDRESS 


cannot  be  wrong, but  must  be  right  and  commendable."  Hence, 
as  they  propose  the  total  abolition  of  Christianity,  as  necessary 
for  the  happiness  of  mankind  and  of  their  own,  and  therefore 
the  highest  and  best  end,  they  consider  any  means  which  they 
can  practise,  and  in  their  view  are  suited  to  answer  this  end, 
to  be  right  and  laudable.  Consequently,  when  the  grossest 
hypocrisy,  fraud,  lying,  cheating,  murder,  and  even  self-murder, 
or  any  vice  which  can  be  mentioned,  are  in  their  view  neces- 
sary or  needful  to  answer  this  end,  they  are  to  be  practised 
without  the  least  remorse  of  conscience.  Therefore,  when  they 
think  it  the  best  way  for  them  to  injure  Christianity,  they  will 
appear  zealous  advocates  for  it,  and  assert  and  deny  any  thing, 
however  contrary  to  the  truth,  when  they  think  it  will  answer 
their  ends.  There  have  been  volumes  written  in  Europe  by 
men  whose  learning,  knowledge,  and  veracity  cannot  be  rea- 
sonably questioned,  who  have  detected  and  abundantly  proved 
these  things,  and  many  more  gross  immoralities,  to  be  practised 
and  promoted  by  the  leaders  in  this  iniquitous  scheme  to  crush 
Christianity. 

While  infidelity  has  spread  in  Europe,  vice  and  gross  im- 
morality have  kept  pace  with  it.  In  France,  especially,  these 
prevail  to  an  extent  and  degree  never  known  before.  This  is 
supported  by  the  most  credible  testimony.  And  as  far  as  their 
armies  have  carried  their  conquests,  which  have  been  rapid  and 
extensive,  they  have  spread  the  principles  of  infidelity,  and  the 
practice  of  immorality,  to  a  degree  never  known  before  since 
Christianity  was  received  by  those  nations.  This  is  abundant- 
ly testified  by  the  learned  and  pious  in  Europe.  And  multi- 
tudes of  those  who  do  not  professedly  renounce  Christianity 
embrace  those  doctrines  which  are  so  contrary  to  the  gospel  as 
to  lead  to  infidelity,  and  really  are  no  better ;  while  the  multitude 
of  common  people  are  sunk  into  vice,  carelessness  about  religion, 
and  ignorance  of  the  nature  and  true  doctrines  of  it.  Can  any 
one,  who  takes  a  proper  and  attentive  view  of  all  this,  doubt 
that  the  evil  spirits,  the  spirits  of  devils,  have  been  let  loose 
with  an  extraordinary  commission  to  corrupt  mankind,  espe- 
cially the  Christian  world,  during  the  last  century,  and  are  still 
progressing  with  uncommon  power  and  rapidity,  agreeably  to 
the  prophecy  before  us  ? 

America  has  not  escaped  the  fangs  of  these  unclean  spirits 
of  devils.  There  are  traces  and  fruits  of  their  operation,  which 
must  be  strikingly  visible  to  all  that  do  not  wilfully  shut  their 
eyes.  There  was  indeed  a  remarkable  and  general  attention 
to  religion  in  America,  particularly  in  New  England,  about  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  and  a  number  were  hopefully  con- 
verted.    But  a  great  part  of  the  professed  subjects  of  this  revival 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  167 

were  so  imprudent  and  irregular  in  their  conversation  and  con- 
duct, and  so  many  apostatized  to  error,  irreligion,  and  vice, 
that  on  the  whole  it  tended  to  strengthen  the  prejudices  of 
many  against  religion,  and  was  the  means  of  leading  many  to 
infidelity,  under  the  invisible  influence  of  Satan.  Since  that, 
infidelity,  irreligion,  and  vice  have  increased,  but  the  first  of 
these  not  so  openly,  but  in  a  great  measure  secretly  and  under 
cover.  But  in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century  many  Euro- 
pean infidels  were  introduced  to  America,  who  disseminated 
their  infidel  principles  by  conversation,  and  spreading  books 
written  against  divine  revelation.  One  man  in  Europe  wrote 
a  pamphlet  against  the  Bible,  which  is  reprinted  and  spread  in 
America,  and  was  read  with  avidity  by  multitudes,  both  youth 
and  others,  and  gave  a  turn  in  their  ignorant  and  already 
vitiated  minds  in  favor  of  infidelity.  And  a  number  of  books 
and  pamphlets  have  been  published  against  Christianity,  and 
in  favor  of  Deism  and  atheism,  which  are  spreading  and  highly 
approved  by  many.  And  societies  are  formed  composed  of 
infidels,  who  are  assiduous  in  doing  all  they  can  secretly,  and  by 
any  means  in  their  power,  to  discredit  and  root  out  Christianity 
and  all  religion  and  morality.  This  is  a  wonderful,  and  in 
some  sense  and  degree  a  miraculous  event,  that  in  a  Chris- 
tian land,  where  the  body  of  the  people  were  friendly  to  Chris- 
tianity, there  should  be  such  a  great  and  sudden  change  in 
favor  of  infidelity,  and  such  great  and  unwearied  exertions  to 
promote  it,  in  a  manner  and  degree  which  never  were  experi- 
enced before  in  the  Christian  world.  It  cannot  be  accounted 
for  but  by  supposing  it  to  be  produced  by  that  invisible  agency 
of  evil  spirits  on  the  corrupt  hearts  of  men,  which  is  the  pro- 
phecy before  us,  predicted  to  take  place  at  this  time,  and  is  a 
certain  and  undeniable  evidence  that  this  prophecy  is  now  ful- 
filling, and  is  therefore  a  demonstration  of  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity, which  infidelity  is  attempting  to  destroy;  and  that 
though  it  may  seem  for  a  time  to  prevail,  it,  with  the  promoters 
of  it,  will  soon  and  unexpectedly  be  destroyed,  and  Christianity 
will  revive,  prosper,  and  triumph. 

It  is  proper  to  attend  to  some  other  things,  not  only  as  a 
further  evidence,  if  needed,  that  these  spirits  of  devils  are  now 
among  us,  and  producing  great  effects  before  our  eyes,  but 
that  they  are  making  rapid  progress,  and  have  not  yet  finished^ 
but  have  only  begun,  their  work.  There  are  a  number  of  cir- 
cumstances and  events  taking  place  favorable  to  the  cause  of 
infidelity  and  vice,  and  leading  to  the  progress  of  these,  which 
it  is  not  prudent  or  needful  particularly  to  mention,  which  are 
in  the  full  view  of  those  Christians  who  have  their  eyes  open. 
There  is  an  apparent  general  decay  and  neglect  of  religion 


168  A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

among  those  who  do  not  in  words  expressly  renounce  Christian- 
ity, but  think  themselves  friends  to  it.  There  is  a  prevailing 
indifference  and  carelessness  about  religion,  and  conse- 
quently ignorance  of  the  nature  and  doctrines  of  it.  The 
churches  are  generally  small;  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
people  neglect  to  join  them.  And  many,  if  not  most,  of  the 
members  of  churches  are  lukewarm  ;  ignorant  or  erroneous,  if 
not  immoral;  and  the  discipline  of  most  churches  is  very  lax, 
if  not  wholly  laid  aside.  The  Sabbath  is  neglected  and  pro- 
faned as  it  never  was  before,  especially  in  New  England ;  and 
public  worship  is  greatly  neglected  ;  and  family  religion  is  gen- 
erally and  almost  universally  laid  aside,  and  parental  govern- 
ment, and  religious  education  and  instruction  of  their  children 
and  domestics,  have  almost  wholly  ceased.  Consequently,  a 
general  ignorance  in  religion  and  the  practice  of  vice  take 
place.  Some  of  the  important  truths  of  the  gospel  are  neg- 
lected and  opposed,  and  many  errors  imbibed,  which  really 
subvert  the  gospel,  and  have  a  direct  and  strong  tendency  to 
infidelity  and  atheism,  as  may,  perhaps,  be  more  particularly 
considered  hereafter. 

In  this  situation  of  affairs,  public  and  private,  there  is  a 
strong  tendency  to  universal  infidelity  and  atheism,  and  we  are 
ripening  fast  for  it,  if  God  do  not  prevent,  to  which  mercy 
we  have  no  claim,  but  rather  are  provoking  him  to  give  us  up 
to  the  lusts  of  our  hearts,  to  run  on  to  the  most  gross  infideli- 
ty, and  all  manner  and  degrees  of  vice  and  wickedness,  which 
will  introduce  great  temporal  misery  and  wretchedness,  and 
bring  on  utter  and  eternal  destruction.  And  they  who  will 
keep  their  Christian  garments  will  suffer  shame  and  reproach, 
and  innumerable  other  evils,  and  it  may  be  the  most  cruel 
death  that  evil  men  can  invent  and  inflict. 

All  things  will  go  fast  on  to  this  issue,  unless  prevented  by 
the  interposition  of  divine  power  and  grace,  which  we  are  sure 
will  not  be  done  till  mankind  in  general  are  resolutely  and 
fully  armed  against  Christ,  prepared  for  the  battle  and  ripe  for 
destruction,  from  the  prophecy  under  consideration.  How  long 
time  this  is  yet  to  take,  none  can  with  precision  tell.  It  will 
continue  till  the  sixth  vial  is  expended,  which,  as  has  been  ob- 
served, will  yet  run  most  probably  for  half  a  century,  or  more. 
But  it  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  vials  may  not  be  so 
perfectly  distinct  as  to  wholly  run  out  before  the  next,  in  a 
measure,  begins.  Under  the  seventh  vial  the  great  battle 
which  Jesus  Christ  will  carry  on  against  Satan  and  a  wicked 
world  armed  against  him  will  come  on  in  the  full  strength  of  it, 
and  will  continue,  till  by  the  expressions  of  the  divine  anger, 
in  inflicting  various  and   dreadful   successive  judgments,  of 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  169 

which  no  particular  and  full  description  can  now  be  given,  or 
any  adequate  idea  be  formed  of  them,  till  they  shall  take  place, 
the  obstinately  wicived  shall  be  destroyed  and  swept  from  off 
the  earth,  having  drank  the  dregs  of  this  dreadful  cup,  which 
is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  wrung  them  out.  Ps.  Ixxv.  8, 
But  some  drops  of  this  vial  may  fall  upon  the  world,  in  some 
parts  of  it,  before  the  time  is  come  to  pour  it  out  without 
restraint  or  mixture,  and  before  the  events  predicted  under  the 
sixth  vial  are  finished,  but  while  that  vial  is  yet  running. 
Sore  calamities  and  awful  destructions  may  be  inflicted  in 
many  places,  and  at  different  times,  as  a  testimony  of  the  dis- 
pleasure of  God  with  the  wickedness  of  men,  and  a  warning 
to  the  world  of  the  greater  calamities  and  certain  destruction 
which  are  coming  on  mankind,  unless  they  repent.  The  great 
and  remarkable  calamities  which  have  been  lately  felt  in 
France  and  other  parts  of  Europe,  while  infidelity  and  wick- 
edness have  been  increasing  and  spreading,  may  be  considered 
to  be  of  this  kind,  and  as  a  warning  to  the  world,  and  to  the 
United  States  of  America  in  particular.  And  as  great,  if  not 
more  dreadful,  judgments  will  doubtless  be  inflicted  on  these 
states  before  the  sixth  vial  is  ended,  as  a  warning  and  call  to 
repentance. 

It  is  doubtless  thought  by  some  professing  Christians  that 
the  above  representation  of  the  state  of  religion,  and  the  pros- 
pect with  respect  to  it  in  America,  is  not  just.  There  have 
been  lately  remarkable  revivals  of  religion  in  many  places  and 
parts  of  the  United  States,  and  great  numbers  hopefully  con- 
verted, and  a  number  of  Deists  have  renounced  their  infidelity 
and  become  Christians.  And  not  a  few  men  of  judgment 
and  observation  have  thought  that  religion  is  rather  in  a  pro- 
gressive state  than  otherwise. 

Upon  this  it  is  observed,  that  there  is  reason  of  much 
thankfulness  that  there  have  been  so  many  remarkable  revivals 
of  religion  of  late,  and  that  such  a  number  have  been  hope- 
fully converted.  But  this  number  is  presumed  to  be  much 
less  than  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants  of  most,  if  not  all,  of  the 
places  where  these  revivals  have  taken  place ;  and  when  com- 
pared with  the  number  of  inhabitants  of  these  states  it  will 
appear  that  these  converts  bear  but  a  very  small  proportion  to 
the  whole,  and  those  which  make  the  body  of  the  people  have 
in  general  received  no  benefit  by  these  revivals,  but  the  con- 
trary. Thoy  are  more  hardened  in  impenitence,  vice,  and 
infidelity  ;  so  that  there  may  be,  and  dovibtless  is,  an  increase, 
on  the  whole,  of  infidelity  and  wickedness,  notwithstanding 
these  revivals.  Jesus  Christ  will  have  and  maintain  his 
church  in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  opposition  to  it,  and  in 

VOL.  III.  15 


170 


A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 


order  to  this,  sinners  must  be  converted,  more  or  less,  and 
raised  up  as  witnesses  to  his  truth  and  cause.  And  these 
revivals  are  a  warning  and  loud  call  to  all  the  people  to  repent, 
whether  they  will  hear  or  not.  In  the  mean  time,  there  is  no 
evidence  that  they  will  increase  or  continue. 

It  is  also  supposed  by  some  that  the  cause  of  infidelity  is 
rather  on  the  decline  in  this  nation,  and  that  disbelievers  now 
think  more  favorably  of  Christianity  than  they  did  some  time 
ago,  as  they  are  less  open,  bold,  and  noisy  in  opposition  to  it 
than  they  were,  and  some  of  them  speaiv  in  favor  of  it  at 
times. 

To  this  it  may  be  replied,  that  such  a  change  of  disbelievers, 
in  appearance  and  conduct,  may  not  be  the  least  evidence 
that  they  are  really  more  friendly  to  the  gospel,  as  a  revelation 
from  heaven,  than  they  have  been,  or  that  their  cause  is  on 
the  decline,  and  does  not  increase  in  strength  and  numbers. 
This  may  be,  in  their  view,  the  best  way  they  can  take  to  sup- 
port their  cause  and  carry  on  their  scheme,  and  they  will  turn 
into  any  shape,  and  say  any  thing  which  they  think  will  best 
answer  this  end,  as  has  been  observed.  Besides,  in  the  politi- 
cal contest  which  now  subsists  in  the  United  States,  in  both 
parties  of  which  there  are  doubtless  disbelievers  in  divine 
revelation,  there  are  a  variety  of  circumstances  which  need 
not  be  mentioned,  which  do  operate  as  a  restraint  upon  infi- 
dels, in  different  ways,  who  are  on  either  side,  to  produce  the 
effect  mentioned,  consistently  with  their  being  as  much  en- 
gaged as  ever  in  the  cause  of  infidelity,  and  their  prospect 
of  success. 

The  foregoing  has  been  designed  to  point  out  the  signs  of 
this  time,  and  to  show  that  the  Savior  has  particular  reference 
to  the  events  which  are  now  taking  place  before  our  eyes,  and 
others  which  are  soon  to  follow,  in  his  words  under  considera- 
tion ;  and  that,  therefore,  they  are  spoken  in  a  particular  and 
special  manner  to  those  professed  Christians  who  are  now  on 
the  stage  of  life,  and  to  all  of  this  denomination  who  shall 
live  before  the  seventh  vial  shall  be  poured  out. 

The  following  will  consist  in  an  explanation  of  these  words, 
and  a  practical  improvement  of  them,  suited  to  excite  the 
attention  of  all  professed  friends  of  Christianity  to  the  warn- 
ing, threat,  command,  encouragement,  and  promise  contained 
in  them,  and  to  induce  them  to  regard  and  practise  what  is 
here  recommended  by  the  glorious  Head  of  the  church  as  the 
only  way  to  safety  and  happiness. 

"  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief."  This  is  introduced  with  a 
note  of  attention.  Behold !  This  denotes  that  what  Christ 
is  going  to  speak  is  of  great  importance,  and  demands  the 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  171 

serious  and  close  attention  of  all  who  have  ears  to  hear.  The 
coming  of  Christ  is  often  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  and  intends 
various  and  difl'erent  times  and  manners  of  his  coming;  and 
he  is  often  said  to  come  as  a  thief,  to  denote  not  the  end  of 
his  coming,  but  the  circumstances  and  manner  of  his  coming. 
The  thief  comes  to  do  mischief  and  steal.  Christ  comes  to 
accomplish  the  wisest  and  best  ends.  And  though  he  often 
comes  in  judgment,  to  inflict  evil,  yet  he  never  injures  any, 
and  he  always  designs  kindness  and  mercy  to  his  church. 
But  he  comes  as  a  thief,  that  is,  unperceived,  and  while  his 
coming  is  not  thought  of  by  the  men  of  the  world,  and  by  all 
who  are  spiritually  asleep,  whether  professing  Christians  or 
not.  His  coming  is  perceived  and  realized  by  none  but  those 
who  are  awake  and  on  the  watch. 

The  coming  of  Christ  here  seems  to  comprehend  two  events 
which  are  nearly  connected  together,  and  in  some  sense  one, 
viz.,  the  gathering  of  the  people  to  the  battle  by  the  influence 
of  evil  spirits,  and  his  coming  to  the  battle,  and  carrying  it 
on  till  it  is  finished.  Christ  really  comes  by  and  with  his 
enemies,  when  they  rise,  oppose,  and  attempt  to  destroy  his 
church.  He  superintends  and  directs  the  whole,  and  his  hand 
and  presence  is  to  be  seen  in  all  the  transactions  and  events 
which  are  accomplished  by  wicked  agents,  whether  visible  or 
invisible.  This  is  intimated  in  the  words  immediately  folt 
lowing.  "  And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called, 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon."  He,  that  is,  Christ, 
gathered  them  together.  This  is  said  to  denote  the  superin 
tendence  and  agency  of  Christ  in  gathering  them  together, 
while  men  and  devils  are  active  in  producing  the  same  event. 
Thus  when  the  king  of  Assyria  gathered  a  great  army  together 
with  an  intent  to  invade  and  lay  waste  the  land  of  Judah  and 
Jerusalem,  God  says  he  sent  him  to  accomplish  his  purpose, 
and  that  the  king  and  his  army  were  in  his  hand,  and  under 
his  influence  and  direction,  as  much  as  the  saw  and  axe  are 
in  the  hand  of  the  workman.  And  when  the  false  prophets 
were  deceived,  and  flattered  Ahab  that  he  should  prosper  in 
going  to  war,  in  which  his  army  was  conquered,  and  he  lost 
his  own  life,  it  is  said  the  Lord  put  a  lying  spirit  in  the  mouth 
of  all  these  false  prophets.  So  Christ  is  said  to  come  with 
the  Romans  when  they  gathered  their  army  to  destroy  Je- 
rusalem. 

Jesus  Christ  is  therefore  now  come,  and  coming  in  all  the 
remarkable,  unexpected,  wonderful  events  which  are  taking 
place  under  the  sixth  vial,  by  the  agency  of  men  and  devils. 
He  superintends  and  directs  the  whole  until  all  things  are 
prepared  for  the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty,  and 


172  A   SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

he  has  gathered  together  the  army  of  his  enemies.  Then  he 
will  come  to  battle,  and  destroy  his  enemies,  and  deliver  his 
church,  and  cause  it  to  prosper  as  it  never  has  done  before. 
But  in  all  this  coming  of  Christ,  none  will  be  properly  sensi- 
ble of  it,  or  prepared  for  it,  but  those  who  are  awake,  watch, 
and  keep  their  garments ;  to  the  rest  he  comes  as  a  thief. 

"  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth."  When  he  that  watcheth 
is  pronounced  blessed,  it  supposes  that  none  who  are  not  of 
this  character  are  blessed,  but  the  contrary.  To  watch,  in  the 
sense  of  the  text,  is  to  be  spiritually  awake,  to  look  inward, 
and  view  their  own  motions  and  moral  exercises,  and  on  their 
outward  conduct  to  learn  on  whose  side  they  are,  and  to  look 
round  and  discern  the  state  and  condition  of  the  cause  of 
Christ  in  the  world ;  what  is  the  moral  state  of  the  world ; 
what  the  enemies  to  Christianity  are  doing ;  what  is  their 
apparent  strength  and  success  in  their  cause ;  and  what  ap- 
pears to  have  come  to  pass,  and  to  be  soon  coming,  from 
divine  prophecy ;  and  to  be  concerned  to  be  in  readiness  to 
do  all  they  can,  and  whatever  they  are  called  to  do,  for  the 
cause  of  Christ,  and  in  opposition  to  that  of  his  enemies. 

"  Blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  his  garments."  This  seems  to 
be  an  allusion  to  a  soldier  set  on  the  watch  in  the  time  of  war 
and  danger,  when  the  army  to  which  he  belongs  is  surrounded, 
and  threatened  to  be  invaded  and  conquered  by  a  host  of  ene- 
mies. His  duty  is  to  continue  awake,  and  observe  the  motion 
of  the  enemy.  If  he  put  off  the  livery  of  a  soldier  and  lie 
down  to  sleep,  he  may  be  surprised  by  the  enemy,  and  obliged 
to  run  away  naked,  or  wiJl  fall  into  the  hands  of  his  foes,  and 
be  carried  off  by  them.  In  the  spiritual  warfare  in  which 
every  Christian  is  engaged,  every  one  must  be  continually  on 
the  watch,  and  keep  on  him  the  livery  of  a  Christian  soldier, 
and  never,  on  any  occasion,  put  these  garments  off  and  lay 
them  aside.  Watching  and  keeping  his  garments  imply  each 
other,  and  cannot  be  separated.  He  who  doth  watch,  keepeth 
his  garments ;  and  he  who  keepeth  his  garments,  watcheth. 

The  garments  of  a  Christian,  by  which  he  is  distinguished 
from  all  others,  and  are  the  Christian  livery,  consist  in  the 
knowledge  and  practice  of  the  truth,  in  which  he  "  puts  on 
Christ,"  and  is  conformed  to  him  in  heart  and  conduct,  where- 
in he  has  set  an  example  to  be  imitated,  and  embraces  the 
truth,  the  doctrines  he  taught,  and  commands  he  has  enjoined, 
both  in  the  exercises  of  his  heart  and  in  his  conversation  and 
conduct.  This  is  to  be  clothed  with  every  Christian  grace 
and  virtue,  of  which  a  very  important  one  is  humility.  The 
whole  is  comprehended  in  love,  in  putting  on  charity,  that  is, 
love,  and  walking  in  love.     This  comprises  the  whole  of  the 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  173 

Christian  character,  and  the  gariTients  with  which  he  is  clothed. 
None  but  true  Christians,  as  has  been  observed,  do  put  on 
these  garments  in  reality ;  but  many  others  do  put  them  on 
by  profession  and  in  appearance  in  the  sight  of  men.  The 
latter  often  in  times  of  temptation  do  not  keep  their  garments, 
but  fall  from  their  profession  or  apostatize  in  conduct  so  as  to 
discover  their  shame.  And  real  Christians  are  in  such  danger 
of  losing  their  garments  that  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  watch 
and  exert  themselves  to  keep  them,  lest  they  should  walk 
naked. 

But  it  is  of  importance  that  these  Christian  garments  should 
be  more  particularly  described,  and  to  show  how  they  may  be 
kept,  and  what  is  necessary  to  do  it,  and  in  what  ways  they 
may  be  soiled,  or  put  off  and  lost.  The  Christian  has  put  on 
Jesus  Christ;  he  is  clothed  with  him,  by  imbibing  the  same 
spirit  that  is  in  him  ;  by  sincere  and  ardent  love  to  him,  union, 
and  constant,  and  close  adherence  to  him,  and  trust  in  him 
for  all  he  wants  ;  a  cordial,  strong  devotedness  to  him,  his 
service,  interest,  and  cause,  as  the  great  and  only  interest 
worthy  to  be  sought  and  pursued,  in  which  his  heart  is  princi- 
pally engaged  and  swallowed  up.  Consequently,  whatever  is 
contrary  to,  and  opposes,  the  honor  hnd  interest  of  his  dear 
Lord  and  Master,  he  is  quick  to  discern,  and  he  most  sensibly 
feels  it,  and  is  disposed  to  oppose  it  in  all  proper  ways,  what- 
ever he  must  be  led  to  sacrifice  for  it,  not  excepting  his  own 
life.  All  this  is  necessary  for  a  Christian  to  keep,  his  gar- 
ments. Jesus  Christ  has  expressly  asserted  this.  He  who  is 
only  a  visible,  professing  Christian,  is  not  thus  a  friend  to 
Christ,  and  really  cares  nothing  about  his  honor  or  interest, 
and  may  really  put  oH'  the  garments  of  a  Christian,  and  betray 
the  cause  of  Christ,  while,  through  his  insensibility,  and  want 
of  love  to  Christ  and  his  cause,  or  a  contrary  disposition,  he 
is  wholly  insensible  of  it.  And  when  he  cannot  continue  his 
Christian  profession  without  endangering  his  life,  or  in  some 
way  hurting  his  temporal  interest,  he  will  part  with  this  visi- 
ble Christian  garment,  or  do  that  which  is  equivalent. 

This  love,  without  which  there  can  be  really  no  part  of 
these  Christian  garments,  also  carries,  in  the  nature  of  it,  a 
peculiar  and  strong  union  to  the  friends  of  Christ,  as  they  are 
clothed  with  the  same  garments,  love,  in  all  its  branches,  and 
with  one  heart  and  soul  engaged  in  the  same  cause.  When 
a  professed  Christian  walks  disorderly  and  is  the  cause  of 
strife  and  contention  in  the  church,  he  does  not  keep  his  gar- 
ments, but  so  far  puts  them  off.  Hence  the  ground  and  neces- 
sity of  Christian  discipline,  in  the  exercise  of  this  love  ;  in  the 
total  neglect  of  which  Christians  do  not  keep,  but  sully  and 
15* 


174  A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

lose,  their  garments.  And  the  Christian  cannot  wear  or  keep 
his  garments  without  exercising  benevolence  to  his  fellow- 
men  in  general,  by  doing  good  to  all  men  as  he  has  op- 
portunity. 

In  order  to  have  a  still  more  clear  and  full  idea  of  the  gar- 
ments, and  how  he  may  keep  or  lose  them,  they  must  be  con- 
sidered as  they  consist  in  the  armor  by  which  he  defends 
himself,  maintains  his  ground,  and  obtains  the  victory,  in  his 
warfare  with  his  enemies.  In  this  view,  the  clothing  neces- 
sary for  a  Christian  as  a  soldier  of  Christ  and  engaged  in  a 
warfare  under  him,  in  which  situation  he  is  considered  in  the 
words  before  us,  must  be  put  on.  This  clothing  is  often  men- 
tioned in  Scripture,  but  most  particularly  described  by  the 
apostle  Paul,  in  the  conclusion  of  his  letter  to  the  church  at 
Ephesus,  which  ought  to  be  often  read,  understood,  and 
committed  to  memory,  by  every  Christian.  After  describing 
the  vast  number,  subtlety,  and  power  of  their  invisible,  spiritu- 
al enemies,  he  calls  upon  Christians  to  arm  themselves,  "to 
put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,"  in  order  to  withstand  these 
enemies  "in  the  evil  day."  The  apostles  and  primitive  Chris- 
tians lived  in  an  evil  day,  and  all  the  days  of  Christians  in 
every  age  since  have  be*en  evil  in  a  sense  and  degree  greater 
or  less.  They  had  the  devil,  and  all  the  men  whom  he  is  al- 
lowed to  influence  and  stir  up  to  hate  and  persecute  them,  to 
oppose.  But  the  time  in  which  we  live,  and  is  yet  coming 
on,  is  in  .a  peculiar  sense  and  degree  evil,  as  these  evil  spirits 
have  a  particular  and  large  commission  to  go  forth,  and  by 
their  influence  to  stir  up  men  in  general,  at  least  in  the  Chris- 
tian world,  in  zealous  and  strong  attempts  against  Christ,  and 
to  destroy  Christianity  and  the  church.  And  to  what  lengths 
they  will  be  permitted  to  proceed,  and  what  particular  deeds, 
in  their  seeking  to  destroy  Christians,  they  will  be  suffered  to 
do,  at  present  none  can  certainly  know.  It  is  enough  for  us 
to  know  that  they  will  do  what  God  has  designed  they  shall, 
and  proceed  till  they  have  filled  the  measure  of  their  iniquity, 
and  are  completely  ripe,  and  fitted  for  the  destruction  which 
shall  come  upon  them  in  the  battle  of  that  great  day ;  and 
that  they  are  and  shall  be  blessed  who  watch  and  keep  their 
garments,  having  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God.  Since  all 
this  is  true,  there  is  a  particular  and  loud  call  to  all  professed 
Christians  to  put  on  this  armor,  and  be  prepared  for  whatever 
is  coming,  even  the  worst,  however  sudden  and  unexpected  it 
may  come,  and  be  unseen  and  not  thought  of,  till  sudden  de- 
struction come  upon  them,  and  they  shall  not  escape. 

Let  Christians,  then,  stand,  having  their  loins  girt  about 
with   truth.     By  truth  is  meant  that   scheme  and  plan  of 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  175 

important,  consistent,  connected  truth  revealed  in  the  Bible. 
This  is  often  denominated  the  truth,  in  distinction  from  all 
error,  and  every  scheme  of  doctrine  which  men  have  invented, 
or  may  or  can  invent,  which,  though  they  may  contain  some 
things  which  are  true,  yet  there  is  so  much  error  and  false- 
hood mixed  with  it  as  to  spoil  the  whole,  and  render  it  wholly 
inconsistent  and  ruinous.  In  opposition  to  this,  the  doctrines 
of  revelation  are  called  the  truth,  pure,  important,  saving  truth, 
without  any  the  least  mixture  of  error.  They  who  know  and 
embrace  this  truth,  and  not  any  others,  are  and  shall  be  saved. 
They  only  love  the  truth,  walk  in  the  truth,  and  by  love  are 
united  to  all  who  appear  to  know,  love  the  truth,  and  walk 
in  it.  This  is  the  truth  of  which  Jesus  Christ  speaks  when 
he  says  to  Pilate,  "  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause 
came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the 
truth." 

The  apostle  represents  this  truth  by  a  girdle,  by  which  a 
man  girds  himself  and  ties  up  his  loose  garments,  by  which 
he  is  fitted  for  action.  The  girdle  was  then  considered  as  an 
essential  part  of  clothing,  especially  for  those  who  were  en- 
gaged in  warfare ;  and,  in  the  case  before  us,  fitly  represents 
the  truth,  by  which  the  Christian  is  strengthened,  and  all  his 
garments  are  made  tight,  without  which  he  cannot  take  one 
step.  A  proper  girdle,  to  answer  the  end  for  strength  and 
ornament,  must  consist  of  one  sort  of  materials,  strongly 
united  together  into  one  belt  or  string,  without  any  chasm  or 
weak  place,  by  which  it  may  become  two,  or  fall  into  parts. 
So  the  truth  by  which  the  Christian  is  girded  is  perfectly  con- 
nected together.  The  whole  makes  but  one  girdle ;  and  one 
part  cannot  be  taken  out  without  spoiling  the  whole.  If  it  be 
considered  as  composed  of  several  links,  all  harmonious,  and 
of  one  and  the  same  sort,  strongly  connected  and  implying 
and  depending  upon  each  other;  if  one  of  the  links  be  marred 
or  broken  and  taken  out,  the  girdle  is  marred  and  spoiled,  and 
is  not  fit  or  capable  of  girding  the  loins  of  a  Christian.  If 
one  essential  truth  of  the  gospel  which  is  comprehended  in 
the  truth  be  denied  or  left  out  of  the  Christian's  creed,  it  is 
not  a  Christian  girdle,  but,  like  the  girdle  which  the  prophet 
Jeremiah  hid  in  a  hole  in  a  rock  by  Euphrates,  it  is  marred, 
and  good  for  nothing.* 

*  Numbers  will  say,  "  Many  often  speak  of  essential  doctrines ;  but  it  has 
never  yet  been  determined  and  agreed  what  these  essential  doctrines  are ;  so 
that,  to  speak  of  essential  truths,  leaves  the  matter  as  vague  and  uncertain  as 
ever  ;  for  none  can  tell,  and  Christians  cannot  agree  to  say  what  they  are." 

Answer.  It  may  be  asked,  Avho  they  are  who  make  this  objection,  and  talk 
after  this  manner.  Are  they  those  who  give  proper  and  good  evidence  that 
they  are  born  again  of  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of  truth  ?    Do  they  appear  to  have 


176  A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

The  apostle  adds,  "  and  having  on  the  breastplate  of  right- 
eousness." Here  by  righteousness  is  meant  true  holiness  or 
uprightness  of  heart,  by  which  the  Christian  is  guarded  and 
fortified  against  the  assaults  of  Satan.  This  is  indeed  implied 
in  having  his  loins  girt  about  with  truth,  as  every  part  of  ar- 
mor here  mentioned  is  implied  in  the  other,  and  each  one  really 
implies  the  whole,  for  one  cannot  be  put  on  without  the  other. 
It  is  a  whole  armor ;  it  all  hangs  together,  as  one  whole.    The 

that  holy  love  which  they  only  exercise  who  are  born  of  God,  and  by  which 
alone  they  know  God  ?  The  apostle  John  says,  "  He  that  knowcth  God  hear- 
eth  us  ;  he  that  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  us."  (1  John  iv.  6,  7,  8.)  And  Christ 
Bays  the  same,  "  To  this  end  was  I  born,  and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the 
world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  unto  the  truth.  Every  one  that  is  of  the 
truth  heareth  my  voice."  (John  xviii.  37.)  They  Avho  are  not  of  this  character, 
but  of  the  contrary,  do  not  hear  the  voice  of  Christ,  or  the  words  of  the  apos- 
tles. They  know  not  God.  "They  receive  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
for  they  are  foolishness  unto  them ;  neither  can  they  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned."  (1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  They  hate  the  truth,  and  will  not 
come  to  it.  (John  iii.  19,  20.)  No  wonder  that  such  are  in  the  dark,  and  can- 
not tell  what  is  essential  truth,  or  Avhat  is  the  truth. 

But  there  have  been  thousands  and  milUons  who,  being  born  again,  have 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  have  been  united  in  embracing  the 
truth  and  in  what  are  the  essential  truths  of  the  gospel.  And  there  have  been 
and  are  innumerable  Christian  churches  who  agree  in  a  creed  which  they  be- 
lieve, and  are  sure,  contains  the  essential  truths  contained  in  divine  revelation, 
which  are,  in  substance,  the  following  :  — 

That  there  is  one  God,  possessing  all  possible  perfections,  both  natural  and 
moral,  which  are  infinite  and  unchangeable  ;  consequently  he  is  unchangeable 
in  his  will  and  designs  or  decrees,  bj'  which  all  things,  from  the  greatest  to  the 
least,  which  should  take  place,  were  determined  and  fixed ;  and  that  perfectly 
consistent  with  the  freedom  of  all  moral  agents. 

That  God  subsists  in  a  Trinity  of  three,  called,  in  the  Scripture,  the  Father, 
the  Son,  or  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 

That  mankind,  who  were  made  upright,  have,  in  consequence  of  the  sin  of 
Adam,  fallen  into  a  state  of  total  moral  depravity,  being  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sin. 

That  God  has  determined  to  save  some,  not  all,  of  mankind,  whom  he  has 
chosen  out  of  the  rest,  and  given  them  to  the  Son  to  be  saved  by  him.  That 
Christ,  the  Savior,  is  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  has,  by  his  suffering  and 
obedience,  made  atonement  for  sin,  and  obtained  that  merit  and  righteousness 
by  which  sinners  may  be  pardoned,  justified,  and  saved,  consistently  with  the 
righteous  law  and  government  of  God.  That  the  sinner  who  believes  in  Christ 
is  justified  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  not  on  account  of  any  thing  good 
and  deserving  in  himself.  That,  in  order  to  believe  on  Christ,  men  must  be 
born  again  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  God  of  his  sovereign  grace  efi'ects  in  the 
hearts  of  the  elect,  who,  being  justified  by  faith,  shall  persevere  in  holiness  to 
eternal  life.  That  the  law  of  God,  requiring  perfect  obedience  and  holiness,  is 
binding  on  all  men,  both  saints  and  sinners,  which  none  attain  to  in  this  life. 

That  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  all  the  bodies  both  of  the  just  and  un- 
just, when  all  shall  be  judged  by  Christ,  who  will  invite  the  former  into  his 
eternal  kingdom,  to  be  holy  and  happy  forever,  and  will  sentence  the  latter  to 
everla.sting  punishment. 

There  are  many  truths  not  expressed,  but  implied,  in  the  above  creed ;  and 
numerous  things  which  may  be  called  appendages  to  it,  in  the  knowledge  of 
which  the  attentive,  discerning  Christian  who  embraces  the  foregoing  funda- 
mental doctrines  will  make  advances,  as  he  grows  in  grace  and  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ. 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  177 

breastplate  of  righteousness,  joined  with  the  loins  girded  with 
truth,  distinguishes  the  latter  from  that  which  is  spurious  and 
false.  The  apostle  had  spoken  of  those  who  "  hold  the  truth 
in  unrighteousness."  He  here  speaks  of  directly  the  contrary, 
holding  the  truth  in  righteousness  ;  which  is,  receiving  it  into 
an  honest  and  good  heart.  Men  may  hold  the  truth,  in  some 
part  of  it,  if  not  the  whole,  in  speculation,  while  their  hearts 
are  neither  good  nor  honest,  but  hate  and  oppose  it.  This  is  to 
hold  it  in  unrighteousness,  as  they  do  not  put  on  the  breastplate 
of  righteousness,  neither  are  their  loins  girt  about  with  truth. 

The  truth,  as  it  has  been  explained,  is  hated  and  opposed 
by  Satan  and  all  wicked  men.  The  rulers  of  the  darkness  of 
this  world,  and  all  their  followers,  hate  this  light,  which  is 
destructive  to  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  error,  and  delusion, 
which  is  the  kingdom  of  the  devil;  which  none  can  success- 
fully oppose,  unless  their  loins  are  girded  about  with  truth. 

It  might  not  be  unprofitable  to  proceed  to  mention  and 
explain  the  other  parts  of  the  Christian  armor  specified  by  the 
apostle.  But  as  this  would  swell  this  address  beyond  the 
proposed  limits,  it  must  be  left  to  every  serious  Christian  to 
examine  and  meditate  on  the  whole  of  this  important  passage. 
One  particular,  however,  here  mentioned,  must  not  be  wholly 
passed  over,  which  is  faith,,  that  faith  which  is  the  substance 
of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  which 
is  represented  as  essential  to  the  whole,  and  covering  all  the 
rest.  This  implies  a  firm  and  unshaken  trust  in  the  glorious 
Head  of  the  church,  in  his  power,  wisdom,  goodness,  and 
truth ;  a  hope  and  confidence  that  he  will  maintain  his  own 
cause,  protect  his  church  and  friends,  and  lead  them  on  to 
complete  victory,  and  in  the  best  time  and  manner  defeat  all 
his  and  their  enemies,  and  turn  all  they  have  done  or  will  do 
to  his  own  advantage  and  the  benefit  of  his  church  and  king- 
dom. Were  it  not  for  this  faith  the  Christian  must  sink  into 
a  spirit  of  despondency  and  heaviness ;  but  in  the  exercise  of 
this  he  puts  on  the  garment  of  praise  and  joy,  however  much 
and  long  Satan  and  wicked  men  may  seem  to  succeed,  pre- 
vail, and  prosper. 

This  subject  will  be  concluded  by  a  few  cautions,  directions, 
and  motives  to  regard  and  obey  these  words  of  Christ,  which 
are  more  applicable,  and  speak  more  directly  to  the  professed 
Christians  of  this  generation  and  those  which  shall  follow, 
than  to  any  who  have  lived  heretofore. 

1.  Be  concerned  to  be  awake.  Do  not  sleep  as  others,  but 
watch  and  be  sober,  lest  this  day  should  overtake  you  as  a 
thief.  Watch  against  every  the  least  deviation  from  the  way 
of  truth  and  duty.     Look  round  you  and  see  what  others  and 


178  A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

the  world  are  doing,  and  maintain  that  love  to  Christ  and 
concern  for  his  honor  and  interest  as  shall  produce  a  most 
lively  and  sensible  feeling  of  every  thing  which  is  against  him 
and  his  cause,  and  be  ready  to  oppose  it  in  all  proper  ways. 

2.  Take  heed  what  doctrines  you  imbibe  as  true.  Study 
the  Bible  with  care  and  constancy.  Be  concerned  to  know 
and  embrace  the  whole  truth,  which  you  can  see  through  from 
beginning  to  the  end  ;  and  though  there  be  some  things  incom- 
prehensible in  it,  yet  you  can  see  the  whole  to  be  perfectly 
consistent,  and  to  form  one  connected  chain,  which  cannot  be 
broken,  and  with  which  you  may  safely  gird  up  your  loins. 

There  are  many  errors  embraced  and  propagated  at  this 
day  which  are  inconsistent  with  the  connected  chain  of  truth, 
which,  if  consistently  followed,  would  land  men  in  total  infi- 
delity and  atheism.  They  who  are  asleep  may  be  wholly 
insensible  of  this ;  but  Christians  ought  to  be  awake,  able 
to  discern  and  guard  against  such  errors.  It  would  take  too 
much  room  to  particularize  here,  and  mention  all  the  errors 
which  have  this  tendency,  and  show  that  they  will  land  all 
those  who  embrace  and  consistently  follow  them  in  the  dark- 
ness of  atheism.  But  it  may  be  of  importance  to  mention 
one,  which  indeed  is  connected  with  many  others.  It  is  this : 
that  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  are  of  so  little  importance  that 
it  is  really  no  matter  what  men  believe,  if  they  do  but  live  a 
moral  life.  It  is  easy  to  show  that  this  is  not  only  contrary 
to  the  whole  Bible,  but  really  sets  it  aside,  as  no  better  than 
Deism  or  atheism  itself. 

3.  The  world  is  a  dangerous  snare  to  Christians  at  all  times, 
especially  at  this  time,  when  Satan  is  with  power  and  subtlety 
tempting  men  to  worldly-mindedness,  among  other  vices.  So 
far  as  men  are  inclined  to  infidelity  and  immorality  in  general, 
they  love  the  world,  and  the  things  of  the  world,  and  are  eagerly 
pursuing  the  pleasures,  profit,  and  honors  of  it.  And,  indeed, 
this  is  the  leading  vice,  and  the  parent  of  all  the  rest.  Christians 
cannot  give  way  to  this,  and  keep  their  garments  unspotted  by 
it.  Their  faith,  if  true  and  exercised  with  proper  strength,  will 
overcome  the  world.  They  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon. 
All  their  concerns  with  the  things  of  the  world  are  subordi- 
nated to  the  honor  and  cause  of  Christ,  and  wholly  devoted  to 
this ;  and,  in  their  worldly  business,  they  exercise  as  real  re- 
ligion in  love  to  Christ,  and  acting  for  him  and  his  interest,  as 
in  any  of  their  acts  of  piety  and  devotion.  He  who  lays  aside 
his  religion  for  a  week,  day,  or  one  hour,  that  he  may  take  care 
of  and  pursue  his  worldly  concerns  in  any  manner  and  shape 
whatever,  is  so  far  from  keeping,  that  he  puts  oft"  the  Christian 
garment.     And  if  he  returns  one  day  in  the  week,  or  at  any 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  179 

other  time  when  his  temporal  affairs  will  admit,  to  some  at- 
tention to  religion,  and  practice  of  it,  he  is  so  far  from  putting 
on  the  Christian  garments,  that  in  the  sight  of  him  who  has 
said,  "  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon,"  it  is  nothing  but 
deceit  and  mockery.  Let  Christians  beware  of  this,  would 
they  keep  their  garments  in  this  evil  time. 

4.  Take  heed  of  engaging  and  acting  in  political  and  civil 
concerns  so  as  to  weaken  or  counteract  the  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity, or  lose  or  abate  your  own  religious  exercises  and  zeal 
in  the  cause  of  Christ.  We  live  in  a  time  when  this  caution 
is  peculiarly  proper  and  necessary ;  when  the  public  are  great- 
ly divided  in  their  sentiments  and  conduct,  and  disputes  and 
political  contention  rise  very  high,  and  are  carried  on  with 
great  heat  and  animosity.  This  is  in  itself  but  a  temporal, 
worldly  matter,  and  comparatively  of  small  importance,  so  far 
as  the  interest  of  Christ  and  Christianity  has  no  concern  with 
it,  and  is  not,  in  some  respects,  involved  in  it,  which  is  not 
often  the  -case.  But  when  religion  is  connected  with  civil 
atTairs,  the  Christian  feels  interested  in  them ;  but,  as  in  all 
other  worldly  concerns,  he  subordinates  them  to  this  all-impor- 
tant interest.  He  will,  therefore,  be  on  that  side  in  politics 
which,  in  his  best  and  most  mature  judgment,  will  most  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  Christ.  And  if  he  thinks  his  acting  with 
either  party  will  not  tend  to  help  this  cause,  he  will  sit  still, 
and  act  on  neither  side.  And  if  he  thinks  religion  calls  him 
to  speak  and  act  on  one  side,  he  will  be  calm  and  steady,  and 
not  join  in  the  fierce  contentions  and  unchristian  words  and 
actions  of  those  of  either  party,  but  condemn  and  reprove  them. 
When  professed  Christians  are  so  engaged  in  politics  as  to 
subordinate  the  cause  of  religion  to  their  political  cause,  and 
say  and  do  that  which  tends  to  wound  and  sink  Christianity, 
or  when  the  cause  itself  which  they  espouse  has  evidently  this 
tendency,  they  do  not  keep,  but  put  off,  their  Christian  gar- 
ments. Therefore,  let  Christians  take  heed  to  themselves  in 
this  point. 

Should  the  body  or  majority  of  the  people  of  a  community 
or  nation  become  so  corrupt  and  careless  about  the  interest  of 
Christianity  as  to  join  with  professed  infidels  in  choosing  rulers 
who  were  known  to  be  real  enemies  to  Christianity,  —  which 
may  be  in  fact  the  case  under  the  sixth  vial,  which  is  now 
running,  —  could  a  Christian,  in  this  case,  watch  and  keep  his 
garments,  and  yet  join  with  them  to  promote  and  carry  on 
this  business  ?  And  if  this  man  should  attempt  to  excuse  and 
justify  himself  by  saying  that  political  matters  and  religion 
are  entirely  distinct  and  different  things,  —  therefore,  while  he 
acts  in  the  former  and  joins  with  those  who  are  attempting 


180  A.    SERIOUS    ADDRESS 

to  destroy  the  cause  of  the  latter,  he  Jeaves  the  latter  with  a 
view  to  resume  it  when  he  has  answered  his  political  ends,  — 
will  not  this  make  bad  worse  ?  Let  the  discerning  Christian 
who  watches  and  keeps  his  garments,  judge. 

This  particular  will  be  concluded  by  a  quotation  from  Mr. 
Fuller,  an  English  writer.  In  his  preface  to  his  book  entitled 
"  The  Gospel  its  own  Witness,"  he  writes  as  follows :  "  One 
thing  which  has  contributed  to  the  advantage  of  infidelity  is 
the  height  to  which  political  disputes  have  arisen,  and  the 
degree  in  which  they  have  interested  the  passions  and  preju- 
dices of  mankind.  Those  who  favor  the  sentiments  of  a  set 
of  men  in  one  thing,  will  be  in  danger  of  thinking  favorably 
of  them  in  others;  at  least,  they  will  not  be  apt  to  view  them 
in  so  bad  a  light  as  if  they  had  been  advanced  by  persons  of 
different  sentiments  in  other  things,  as  well  as  in  religion.  It 
is  true  there  may  be  nothing  more  friendly  to  infidelity  in  the 
nature  of  one  political  system  than  another;  nevertheless,  it 
becomes  those  who  think  favorably  of  the  political  principles 
of  infidels  to  take  heed,  lest  they  be  insensibly  drawn  away  to 
think  lightly  of  religion.  All  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  all 
the  disputes  on  the  best  or  worst  mode  of  government,  com- 
pared with  this,  are  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity. 

"  To  this  it  may  be  added,  that  the  eagerness  with  which 
men  engage  in  political  disputes,  take  which  side  they  may, 
is  unfavorable  to  a  zealous  adherence  to  the  gospel.  Any 
mere  worldly  object,  if  it  becomes  the  principal  thing  which 
occupies  our  thoughts  and  affections,  will  weaken  our  attach- 
ment to  religion.  And  if  we  once  become  cool  and  indifferent 
to  this,  we  are  in  the  high  road  to  infidelity." 

This  address  will  be  concluded  by  suggesting  motives  to 
pay  special  attention  to  these  words  of  Christ,  and  carefully 
obey  them. 

1.  Jesus  Christ  speaks  in  these  remarkable  words,  particu- 
larly and  most  expressly  to  those  who  live  in  this  day,  as  has 
been  shown.  Therefore,  to  disregard  them  now  will  be  highly, 
and,  in  a  peculiar  degree,  criminal  and  dangerous. 

2.  If  you  do  not  watch  and  keep  your  garments,  consider 
the  awful,  the  infinitely  dreadful  consequence.  Christ  will 
come  upon  you  as  a  thief,  and  you  shall  not  know  what  hour 
he  will  come.  The  consequence  will  be  your  suffering  all  the 
evils  of  this  day,  and  final  and  everlasting  destruction. 

3.  Many  and  great  evils  are  fast  coming  on,  and  are  even 
at  the  door,  in  which  the  church  will  partake  and  gi-eatly 
suffer,  even  to  a  degree  at  present  unknown.  In  the  time  of 
the  prevalence  of  infidelity  and  immorality,  and  all  kinds  of 
vice  which  attend  it,  Christians  must  sufl'er  many  ways,  and 


TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS.  181 

endure  great  trials  and  temptations  to  turn  aside  and  sin.  And 
many  calamities  and  divine  judgments  will  take  place  before 
the  sixth  vial  is  ended,  as  a  warning  and  anticipation  of  the 
battle  which  is  coming  on,  as  has  been  observed.  In  these, 
Christians  must  suffer,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  with  others. 
And  they  will,  doubtless,  come  suddenly  and  unexpected  to 
all  who  are  not  prepared  to  meet  them  by  watching  and  keep- 
ing their  garments. 

And  Christians  have  no  warrant  to  conclude  that  persecu- 
tion will  not  take  place  before  the  vial  which  is  now  run- 
ning is  out.  And  how  soon  and  suddenly  it  will  come  on, 
none  can  tell.  There  is  nothing  in  the  volume  of  revelation 
which  intimates  that  the  church  shall  be  no  more  persecuted, 
and  that  to  a  degree  beyond  any  thing  of  the  kind  that  has  ypt 
taken  place.  And  there  are  some  passages  of  Scripture  which 
seem  to  foretell  the  contrary,  some  of  which  will  be  here  men- 
tioned. The  prophet  Jeremiah  speaks  of  the  sufferings  of 
Jacob,  that  is,  of  the  church  of  Christ,  as  peculiarly  great  in 
the  time  immediately  previous  to  her  deliverance  and  pros- 
perity which  Christ  shall  effect  when  he  shall  come  to  reign  in 
the  millennium.  "  Alas  !  for  that  day  is  great,  so  that  none  is 
like  it ;  it  is  even  the  time  of  Jacob's  trouble  ;  but  he  shall 
be  saved  out  of  it.  For  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  I  will  break  his  yoke  from  ofi' 
thy  neck,  and  will  burst  thy  bonds,  and  strangers  shall  no 
more  serve  themselves  of  him.  But  they  shall  serve  the  Lord 
their  God,  and  David  their  king,  whom  1  will  raise  up  unto 
them."  (Jer.  xxx.  4-9.)  By  David  Christ  is  meant.  This  ex- 
pression is  frequently  used  by  the  prophets  to  denote  the 
reign  of  Christ  in  the  millennium.  The  same  we  may  under- 
stand as  predicted.  (Dan.  xii.  1.)  This  is  expressed  by  Zecha- 
riah  :  "  Behold,  the  day  of  the  Lord  cometh,  and  thy  spoil 
shall  be  divided  in  the  midst  of  thee ;  for  I  will  gather  all 
nations  against  Jerusalem  to  battle,  and  the  city  shall  be 
taken,  and  the  houses  rifled,  and  the  women  ravished,  and 
half  of  the  city  shall  go  forth  into  captivity,  and  the  residue 
of  the  people  shall  not  be  cut  off  from  the  city.  Then  shall 
the  Lord  go  forth  and  fight  against  these  nations,  as  when  he 
fought  in  the  day  of  battle."     (Zech.  xiv.  1-3.) 

Who  can  attentively  read  this  passage,  with  what  follows, 
without  perceiving  that  in  this  prediction  there  is  reference  to 
the  same  events  which  are  foretold  under  the  sixth  and  seventh 
vials  in  the  Revelation  ?  When  it  is  said,  "  half  of  the  city  shall 
go  forth  into  captivity,"  the  meaning  probably  is,  that  the 
false  professors  in  the  church,  which  is  meant  by  Jerusalem, 

VOL.    III.  16 


182  A    SERIOUS    ADDRESS    TO    PROFESSING    CHRISTIANS. 

shall,  in  the  time  of  persecution,  fall  away,  and  join  the  enemy. 
The  rest,  who  keep  their  garments,  shall  be  saved. 

These  passages  of  Scripture,  and  others  which  might  be 
mentioned,  seem  to  indicate  that  the  time  of  the  greatest  suf- 
ferings of  the  church  is  yet  to  come,  and  is  fast  approaching, 
and  even  at  the  door.  There  is  nothing  in  the  present  state 
or  disposition  of  mankind  that  is  the  least  security  against 
this,  but  much  to  the  contrary.  What  has  taken  place  in 
Europe  the  last  century,  and  in  a  few  years  past,  and  is  now 
progressing  there,  and  even  in  America,  is  an  evidence  of  this. 
Unbelievers,  of  whom  there  are  many,  think  and  say  they  have 
found  out  that  Christianity  has  been  the  source  of  most  of  the 
evils  which  mankind  suffer,  and  they  cannot  be  happy  until 
Christianity  and  Christians  are  wholly  suppressed  and  de- 
stroyed. Nothing  can  prevent  their  attempting  this,  by  prac- 
tising the  most  cruel  and  horrid  persecution  of  Christians  that 
has  ever  yet  been  known,  unless  restrained  from  it  by  God, 
which  there  is  no  reason  to  expect,  but  the  contrary,  from  the 
prophecy  in  the  Revelation  which  has  been  considered,  and 
those  just  now  mentioned. 

This  may  be  necessary  as  a  means  to  purge  the  visible 
church  of  the  many  and  great  corruptions  in  doctrine  and 
practice  which  have  been  introduced  and  do  continue,  and  to 
detect  and  exclude  the  many  false  professors,  and  to  purify 
and  render  real  Christians  more  holy,  and  so  prepared  for  that 
more  perfect  state  which  shall  commence  with  the  millennium. 
It  is  predicted,  and  probably  respects  this  very  time,  that "  many 
shall  be  purified  and  made  white  and  tried."  (Dan.  xii.  10.) 
When  Christ  shall  come  in  this  way,  he  will  sit  as  a  refiner 
and  purifier  of  silver  ;  and  who  shall  stand  when  he  appeareth  ? 
None  but  those  who  watch  and  keep  their  garments. 

4.  The  sure  and  only  way  to  be  blessed,  is  to  watch  and 
keep  your  garments.  This  is  the  only  way.  This  is  implied 
in  these  words  of  Christ,  as  has  been  observed.  And  that  it 
is  a  sure  way,  is  as  certain  as  it  is  that  Christ  himself  spake 
these  words.  And  it  is  implied  that  they  shall  be  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner  and  degree  blessed,  who,  in  this  day  of  great 
temptation  and  suffering,  are  faithful  to  Christ,  and  persevere 
in  adherence  to  him  and  his  cause  through  great  opposition 
and  trials. 


AN     INQUIRY 


CORCERNINO 


THE  PROMISES  OF  THE  GOSPEL; 

WHETHER  ANY  OF  THEM  ARE  MADE  TO 

THE    EXERCISES    AND    DOINGS    OF    PERSONS    IN    AN 
UNREGENERATE     STATE. 


CONTAININO 

REMARKS  ON  TWO  SERMONS  PUBLISHED  BY  DR.  MAYHEW, 

OF     BOSTON, 

ENTITLED   "  STRIVING  TO  ENTER  IN  AT  THE   STRAIT  GATE   EXPLAINED  AND 

INCULCATED,  AND  THE  CONNECTION    OF  SALVATION   THEREWITH 

PROVED   FROM    THE    HOLY    SCRIPTURE." 

ALSO, 

'    A  BRIEF  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  USE  OF  MEANS; 

SHOWING     TIIEIU     NECESSITY    IN     ORDER     TO    SALVATION,    AND    WHAT     18    THB 

TRUE    GROUND    OF    ENCOURAGEMENT    FOR    SINNERS    DILIGENTLY 

TO     ATTEND     ON     THEM. 


"Great  men  are  not  always  wise."  —  Elihu. 


PREFACE. 


As  the  sermons  remarked  upon  in  the  following  sheets  were 
published  in  Boston  in  the  year  1761,  it  may  be  a  question 
why  no  reply  has  been  made  to  them  long  before  this  time, 
seeing  the  doctor  has  therein  attempted  to  establish  a  doctrine  so 
directly  contrary  to  the  sentiments  and  preaching  of  many 
divines  in  New  England.  To  this,  the  author  of  what  follows  has 
only  to  say,  that  the  sermons  had  been  long  published  before 
he  got  sight  of  them.  After  this  he  waited,  hoping  and  ex- 
pecting that  some  able  hand  would  undertake  an  answer. 
But  when  he  despaired  of  this,  he  turned  his  thoughts  this 
way,  and  has  employed  his  first  leisure  hours  in  attending  to 
the  subject ;  the  result  of  which,  imperfect  as  it  is,  is  now 
offered  to  the  public.  And  none,  it  is  hoped,  will  think  it  is 
ever  too  late  to  defend  the  truth. 

But  what  need,  may  it  be  said,  of  entering  into  this  contro- 
versy at  all?  If  the  author  had  a  desire  to  publish  his 
thoughts  upon  this  subject,  he  had  an  undoubted  right  to  do  it; 
but  what  call  was  there  to  engage  in  a  formal  controversy  with 
Dr.  Mayhew  ?  If  the  truth  is  vindicated  by  solid  arguments, 
what  has  been  said  against  it  will  fall,  of  course.  There  was 
no  occasion,  therefore,  of  making  a  formal  attack  upon  the  doc- 
tor's performance  ;  this  must  proceed  from  too  great  a  forward- 
ness to  run  into  controversy,  of  which  little  good  comes,  and 
often  much  hurt. 

Answer.  As  this  objection  is  against  the  common  practice 
of  Christian  writers,  from  the  early  days  of  Christianity  to  this 
time,  and  the  men  most  noted  for  wisdom  and  piety,  yea.  Dr. 
Mayhew  himself  among  the  rest,  the  author  thinks  himself 
sufficiently  kept  in  countenance  by  their  example. 
16* 


186 


PREFACE. 


Besides,  does  not  this  appear  to  be  the  most  proper  and  ef- 
fectual way,  in  many  cases  at  least,  to  detect  error  and  vindi- 
cate the  truth  ?  If  errors  are  broached,  and  contended  for  by 
plausible  arguments,  how  can  they  be  detected,  and  the  truth 
set  in  an  advantageous  light,  but  by  particularly  showing  the 
fallacy  of  the  pretended  argument  ?  If  error  is  openly  pleaded 
for,  it  tends  to  hurt  the  public,  and  lead  many  astray.  And 
what  likelier  method  can  there  be  taken  to  prevent  the  mis- 
chief, than  by  particularly  showing  how  ill  grounded  and  ab- 
surd the  arguments  are  with  which  it  is  supported,  and  pointing 
out  the  book  in  which  they  are  found  ?  If  poison  is  publicly 
sold  and  spread  among  the  people  under  pretence  of  its  being 
a  wholesome  food,  a  true  friend  to  mankind  would  not  content 
himself  with  pointing  out  the  real  qualities  of  good  food,  but 
would  discover  the  poison  of  that  which  pretended  to  be  such, 
and  tell  them  where  it  was,  that  they  might  be  under  advan- 
tage to  see  for  themselves,  and  avoid  the  danger. 

Controversy,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  is  too  often  managed 
in  an  unfair  manner,  and  with  unchristian  heat  and  bitterness, 
and  many  times  is  diverted  from  fair  reasoning  on  the  point  to 
be  disputed  into  personal  quarrel  and  invectives.  This  can  by 
no  means  be  justified  ;  but  it  may,  and  often  has  been  man- 
aged greatly  to  the  advantage  of  truth.  It  were  easy  to  show 
that  this  has  been  one  special  and  principal  means  of  the 
maintenance  and  increase  of  light  and  truth  in  the  Christian 
church.  One  great  end  of  God,  in  suffering  men  of  an  un- 
common genius  to  run  into  error,  and  spend  their  lives  in  hard 
study  and  labor,  in  order  to  maintain  and  propagate  their  ten- 
ets and  oppose  the  truth,  it  seems,  has  been  to  awaken  the 
attention  of  men  hereby,  especially  of  the  friends  of  truth; 
that,  by  a  close  and  thorough  examination  of  the  matter,  the 
error  may  appear  in  all  its  weakness  and  inconsistency,  and 
the  opposite  truth  be  set  in  a  more  clear  and  convincing  light 
than  it  could  be,  had  it  never  been  opposed.  To  be  sure,  that 
this  has  in  fact  been  the  event  of  controversy  and  dispute,  in 
many  instances,  none  can  doubt,  who  have  been  in  any  meas- 
ure attentive  to  the  state  of  the  Christian  church.  And  the 
dispute  that  arises  on  such  occasions  is  the  means  of  awaken- 


PREFACE.  187 

ing  the  attention  of  multitudes,  by  which  they  are  the  more 
prepared  to  receive  conviction  of  the  truth,  when  it  shines  forth 
bright  and  victorious.  When  opponents  are  engaged  in  a  doc- 
trinal controversy,  not  only  the  love  of  truth,  their  zeal  for  God 
and  his  cause,  but  their  own  personal  interest  and  honor,  will 
be  a  powerful  motive  to  study  and  search  out  the  matter,  and 
vindicate  their  cause  in  the  best  manner  they  can.  And  by- 
standers who  are  properly  attentive  and  disposed  to  embrace 
the  truth  wherever  it  appears  will  hereby  be  under  special  ad- 
vantage to  get  instruction  ;  for  it  would  be  a  wonder  if  some 
new  light  is  not  struck  up  by  this  means,  even  though  the 
controversy  should  not  be  managed  every  way  in  the  best 
manner. 

What  Dr.  Mayhew  says  to  this  point  is  worthy  to  be  attend- 
ed to  here.  Speaking  of  those  who  greatly  dislike  controversy 
and  disputes  on  matters  of  religion,  he  says,  "  A  third  sort 
are  those  good  men  who  sincerely  love  and  practise  religion 
themselves,  but  yet  are  such  great  lovers  of  peace,  of  such  a 
timid  make,  and  so  apprehensive  of  the  bad  effects  of  conten- 
tion, that  they  think  it  best  never  to  enter  into  debates  on  re- 
ligion, or  any  thing  relative  to  it,  on  any  occasion,  and  condemn 
those  who  do  so,  as  at  best  imprudent  and  ill-advised 
persons.  But  surely  there  may  be  just  and  sufficient  cause  for 
disputing,  if  religion  itself  is  of  any  great  importance.  We 
are  enjoined  to  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith."  It  may  be 
added,  the  more  earnestly  we  contend  the  better,  if  it  be  with 
Christian  meekness  and  humility.  If  those  good,  peaceable 
gentlemen,  who  are  so  greatly  averse  to,  and  disgusted  with, 
all  controversy,  were  universally  hearkened  to,  most  of  the  im- 
portant doctrines  of  Christianity  would  soon  be  given  up,  or 
lost  in  darkness  and  ignorance. 

If  any  should  be  inclined  to  think  that  the  point  here  con- 
troverted is  not  of  importance  enough  to  require  any  great  ado 
about  it,  and  is  a  sufficient  reason  against  entering  into  a 
public  debate  upon  it,  they  are  desired  to  consider  that  the 
question  in  dispute  really  is.  What  is  the  condition  on  which 
men  may  obtain  salvation  ?  or.  What  must  men  do  in  order  to 
be  interested  in  God's  favor,  and  have  a  title  to  eternal  life  ? 


188  PREFACE. 

This  is,  therefore,  the  most  interesting  question  that  can  be 
thought  of;  and  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  all  that 
they  make  no  mistake  here,  but  have  a  right  understanding  of 
the  matter;  for  surely  nothing  in  religion  is  of  greater  impor- 
tance than  that  which  teaches  us  how  we  may  be  saved.  If 
salvation  itself  is  of  infinite  importance,  then  it  is  of  equal 
importance  that  we  do  not  mistake  the  terms  on  which  it  is  to 
be  obtained.  What  we  chiefly  want  a  revelation  from  God 
for  is,  to  teach  us  the  terms  of  his  favor,  or  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. And  since  a  revelation  is  given  chiefly  to  this  end,  shall 
we  think  it  a  matter  of  so  little  importance  as  that  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  inquire  into  it,  or  contend  for  what  we  think  to 
be  the  truth  of  the  matter  ? 

Dr.  Mayhew  thinks  what  he  contends  for  to  be  the  sum  of 
the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel.  Consequently,  in  his  view, 
they  do  not  preach  nor  understand  the  gospel  who  oppose  him 
in  this  point.  He  therefore  thinks  it  of  great  importance 
that  it  should  be  received.  It  is  granted  to  be  so,  if  it  is  the 
truth;  if  it  is  not,  it  is  of  the  last  importance  to  him  and  all 
others  that  they  should  be  sensible  of  it,  and  embrace  directly 
the  contrary,  as  truth,  which  doubtless  appears  as  greatly  im- 
portant to  those  who  are  now  established  in  it.  They  there- 
fore may  be  allowed  to  contend  earnestly  for  it. 

But  however  just  and  important  this  controversy  may  be, 
it  is  surely  not  well  timed,  some  will  say.  Dr.  Mayhew  is  now 
engaged  in  a  good  and  important  cause,  in  his  controversy 
with  the  Episcopal  party  in  New  England.  An  appearance 
against  him  at  this  time  may  give  some  advantage  to  his 
other  opponents,  and  tend  to  weaken  his  hands.  At  least,  this 
attack,  at  this  time,  looks  unfriendly  to  the  important  and  noble 
cause  he  has  espoused. 

Answer.  That  the  cause  the  doctor  is  engaged  in  is  important 
and  noble,  the  author  readily  acknowledges,  and  is  not  a  little 
pleased  that  a  gentleman  of  his  abilities  and  advantages  has 
undertaken  it.  He  certainly  deserves  the  thanks  of  his  coun- 
try for  what  he  has  done  in  this  matter ;  and  doubtless  has 
the  thanks  of  all  the  true  friends  to  the  interest  of  religion, 
'  not  excepting  even  those  of  the  church  of  England,  who  have 


PREFACE.  189 

impartiality  and  candor  enough  to  attend  to  the  true  state  of 
the  case.  The  author  is  willing  the  world  should  know  that 
he  wishes  and  prays  that  an  end  may  be  put  to  the  erecting 
of  Episcopal  missions  in  New  England,  in  the  manner  it  has 
been  done  for  so  long  a  time ;  by  which,  he  has  not  the  least 
doubt,  not  the  cause  of  Christianity,  but  directly  the  opposite, 
has  been  greatly  promoted.  He  sincerely  wishes  the  doctor 
may  have  the  honor  and  happiness  of  being  an  instrument  of 
this,  and  would  therefore  be  sorry  to  do  any  thing  that  should 
tend  to  prevent  it. 

But  if  the  doctor  should  appear  to  be  wrong  in  one  instance, 
this  is  no  argument  that  he  is  so  in  all  others;  and  an 
attempt  to  set  him  right,  wherein  he  is  thought  to  have  made 
a  mistake,  is  an  act  of  friendship  to  him.  It  is  also,  perhaps, 
worthy  of  remark,  that  the  tenet  in  which  the  doctor  is  opposed 
in  the  following  inquiry  is  exactly  agreeable  to  most,  if  not 
all,  of  the  Episcopal  party  in  New  England ;  so  that  he  herein 
falls  in  with  those  he  opposes  in  the  controversy  mentioned. 
The  author,  therefore,  in  opposing  the  doctor  here,  equally  op- 
poses those  whom  he  appears  against.  How  then  does  he 
strengthen  them,  and  weaken  the  doctor's  hands  ?  May  it  not 
be  truly  said,  that  if  the  doctor  should  be  convinced  of  his 
mistake  in  this  instance,  (if  it  is  one,)  and  espouse  the  con- 
trary doctrine,  he  would  be  under  better  advantages  in  this 
controversy  than  now  he  is  ?  It  is  well  known  what  a  noise 
most  of  the  doctor's  antagonists  have  made  about  his  heter- 
odoxy. If  he  had  been  quite  orthodox,  according  to  the  faith 
of  our  pious  forefathers  in  New  England,  they  would  not  have 
had  this  handle,  however  sincerely  they  now  use  it. 

The  author  thinks  the  doctor  worthy  of  esteem  and  honor, 
for  his  many  excellent  talents,  his  close  application  and  dili- 
gence in  his  study,  his  easy,  happy,  masterly  way  of  express- 
ing his  sentiments,  &c. ;  but  all  this  is,  in  his  view,  rather  a 
reason  why  the  doctor  should  be  corrected,  if  he  errs  in  any 
important  point;  for  such  an  error  in  him  will,  of  course,  be 
more  hurtful  and  fatal  to  mankind  than  in  another.  If  his 
own  conviction  of  his  mistake  would  have  been  a  sufficient 
remedy  of  this   evil,  application  would  have  been  made   to 


190 


PREFACE. 


him  only ;  but  as  the  case  stands,  a  public  confutation  seems 
necessary. 

The  doctor,  without  doubt,  thought  his  arguments  conclu- 
sive, and  that  he  was  doing  service  to  God  and  his  church,  in 
vindicating,  in  the  best  manner  he  could,  what  appeared  to  him 
important  truth.  And  he  may,  perhaps,  think  what  is  here 
offered  to  him  and  the  public  is  weak  and  inconclusive ;  if  so, 
the  author  does  not  expect  to  be  contemned  or  neglected,  but 
that  the  doctor  will  be  so  just  to  himself,  and  good  to  the  pub- 
lic, as  fairly,  and  with  Christian  meekness,  to  vindicate  his 
scheme  from  the  exceptions  here  taken,  and  show  that  they 
are  indeed  without  foundation.  If  he  should  be  convinced 
that  he  has  made  a  mistake,  it  is  concluded,  from  his  known 
disposition  to  be  frank  and  open,  that  he  will  freely  confess  it. 
However  that  may  be,  the  author,  at  present,  rests  in  the  good- 
ness of  his  cause,  and  cheerfully  commits  it  to  Him  who  is 
able  to  plead  it  most  effectually  in  his  own  way  and  time. 

The  tenth  section  is  more  than  was  at  first  designed ;  but 
finding  what  was  said  on  the  subject  would  naturally  lead  to 
the  question  there  considered,  and  it  being  an  important  one, 
and  one  about  which  there  is  perhaps  more  inquiry  and  dis- 
pute now  than  there  ever  has  been  before,  though  little  or 
nothing  has  been  published  upon  it,  it  was  thought  best  not 
wholly  to  pass  it  in  silence.  The  author  is  far  from  thinking 
the  subject  is  exhausted,  or  that  it  may  not  be  set  in  a  far 
more  clear  and  convincing  light.  If  any  serious  readers,  who 
have  been  in  any  degree  of  darkness  and  uncertainty  with  re- 
spect to  this  question,  shall  by  what  is  there  said  get  any  light, 
and  if  these  hints  shall  be  a  help  and  excitement  to  any  who 
are  making  this  the  subject  of  their  inquiry  to  pursue  the 
matter,  so  as  to  throw  greater  light  upon  it,  the  utmost  that  is 
expected  will  be  answered.  If  the  author  has  made  any  danger- 
ous mistake  on  this  head,  and  it  shall  be  pointed  out  by  some 
wise,  judicious  pen  he  will  most  gladly  stand  corrected  before 
the  world. 

April  8th,  1765. 


AN    INQUIRY 


CONCBBNIKO 


THE  PEOMISES  OP  THE  GOSPEL. 


SECTION   I. 


The  Text  on  which  Dr.  Mayhew  grounds  his  Discourse  consid- 
ered.  His  Inconsistency  with  himself,  in  his  Way  of  explain^ 
ing  it,  shoivn. 

The  words  the  doctor  has  chosen  as  the  ground  of  his 
discourse  now  under  consideration,  are  those  of  our  Savior, 
"  Strive  to  enter  in  at  tile  strait  gate."  (Luke  xiii.  24.)  This 
text  has  been  differently  understood.  Some  suppose  that  by 
the  strait  gate  is  meant  the  entrance  upon  a  holy  life,  or  get- 
ting into  the  narrow  way  which  leads  to  eternal  life ;  which  is 
the  same  that  is  commonly  called  conversion,  or  the  new  birth. 
And  by  striving  to  enter  in  at  this  gate,  they  understand  the 
exercises  and  endeavors  ofiJie  mire^nerate,  which  are  ante- 
cedent to  their  conversion.  But  few  or  none  who  understand 
the  text  thus  suppose  there  is  any  certain  connection  between 
the  striving  here  exhorted  to  and  saving  conversion,  or  that 
there  is  any  promise  made  to  this  striving. 

Others  suppose  that  by  the  strait  gate  our  Savior  means,  in 
general,  the  entrance  into  heaven  or  eternal  life.*  And  then 
by  striving  to  enter  at  this  gate  is  meant  a  keeping  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  or  the  holy  exercises  of  true  saints,  by 
which  they  walk  in  the  way  to  heaven,  fight  the  fight  of  faith, 
and  so  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  And  in  support  of  this  last 
interpretation,  and  as  an  evidence  that  striving,  in  the  text^ 
does  not  mean  the  unholy  exercises  and  endeavors  of  those 
whose  hearts  are  wholly  under  the  dominion  of  sin,  but  the 

*  See  Dr.  Dodd.  and  Poll  Sjti.  on  the  text. 


192  DR.    MAYHEW'S    DESCRIPTION  OF 

holy  exercises  and  strivings  of  the  godly,  it  may  be  observed, 
that  the  word  in  the  original  translated  jtrive,  when  used  in 
other  places  in  the  New  Testament,  as  it  is  often,  always  de- 
notes the  exercises  and  labor  of  true  Christians  in  their  way 
to  heaven.  And  no  good  reason,  perhaps,  can  be  given  why 
it  should  not  be  understood  in  the  same  sense  here.  When 
St.  Paul  says  to  Timothy,  "  Fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  lay 
hold  on  eternal  life,"  he  speaks  to  an  eminently  good  man ; 
and  therefore  it  must  be  understood  as  an  exhortation  reso- 
lutely to  persevere  in  a  Christian  course.  But  the  word  in  the 
original,  here  translated  y?o-/i/,  is  the  same  used  by  the  evange- 
list in  the  text  under  consideration.*  The  same  words  St.  Paul 
uses,  concerning  himself,  to  denote  the  Christian  course  he 
had  gone  through.  "  I  have  fought  the  good  fight."  And  he 
makes  use  of  the  same  word,  in  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corin- 
thians, with  reference  to  the  exercises  of  true  Christians,  by 
which  they  go  in  the  way  to  heaven.  "  And  every  one  that 
striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things.  Now  they 
do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown,  but  we  an  incorruptible." 
And  he  denotes  his  own  exercises  as  a  servant  of  Christ,  by 
the  same  word.  "  Whereunto  I  also  labor,  striving  according 
to  his  working,  which  he  worketh  in  me  mightily." 

It  may  be  noted  here,  that  the  word  in  the  original,  in  all 
these  places,  was  most  commonly  used  by  the  Greeks  to  de- 
note the  exercises  and  labor  of  those  who  were  candidates  for 
the  prize  set  up  in  the  Olympic  games :  for  instance,  the  vig- 
orous exertion  of  those  who  ran  a  race  in  order  to  obtain  the 
prize  set  up  for  him  who  should  outrun.  And  as  these  games 
in  which  they  ran  for  the  prize,  etc.,  were  a  fit  emblem  of  the 
exercises  of  the  Christian  life,  it  is  frequently  represented  by 
them ;  and  hence  the  word  used  for  those  exercises  is  applied 
to  the  Christian,  to  signify  the  exercises  and  labor  by  which 
he  strives  for  eternal  life.  And  the  Christian  course  is  called 
a  race,  or  agony^  in  allusion  to  the  same  thing.  (Heb.  xii,  l.f) 
According  to  this,  to  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  of 
eternal  life,  or  to  agonize  in  order  hereunto,  is  to  agonize  the 
good  agony,  so  as  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  to  run  the  Chris- 
tian race,  the  way  of  true  holiness,  which  is  set  before  us ;  and 
is  the  same  which  Christ  exhorts  to  when  he  says,  "  Enter  ye 
in  at  the  strait  gate."  (Matt.  vii.  14.)  But  let  it  be  observed, 
that  the  question  now  in  dispute  does  not  turn  upon  the  inter- 
pretation of  this  text ;  for,  let  it  be  understood  in  either  of  the 


*  'Aytovitov  10V  y.aXov  aytora,  (agonize  the  good  agony.)    1  Tim.  vi.  12. 
t  Let  us  run  the  race.     In  the  original,  the  agony.     The  race  itseK  is  called 
the  agony  ;  the  running  is  agonizing. 


STRIVING    TO    ENTER    IN    AT    THE    STRAIT    GATE.  193 

senses  above  mentioned,  it  makes  nothing  for  the  doctor's 
promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate.  Only  let  it  be  re- 
membered, that  if  by  the  strait  gate  is  meant  the  gate  of  eter-  . 
nal  life,  as  the  doctor  understands  it,  striving  to  enter  in  must 
intend  a  walking  in  the  narrow  way  of  holiness ;  and  then  it 
stands  directly  against  him.  This  leads  me  to  consider  the 
doctor's  interpretation. 

By  the  strait  gate,  the  doctor  understands  the  gate  of  heaven, 
or  "  the  gate  of  eternal  life  and  happiness."  But,  contrary  to 
most,  if  not  all  others,  who  suppose  this  to  be  tjie  meaning  of 
the  strait  gate,  and  im  direct  contradiction  to  himself,  as  will 
be  seen  presently,  he  understands  striving  to  enter  in  at  this 
gate  to  mean  the  endeavors  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate, 
who  are  wholly  without  all  true  holiness.  lV)_jthese  miholj!^ 
exercises  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate^  he  insists  the^jrom^, 
Tses  of^generating  grace  and  salvation  are  rnade ;  and  by 
ffiese,  he  supposes,  however  absurdly,  they  go  in  the  way  to 
heaven,  and  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  that  holy  city. 

The  doctor  indeed  supposes  that  the  words  may  be  consid- 
ered as  a  precept,  given  "  both  to  those  who  are  and  who  are 
not  already  in  a  regenerate  state."  If  so,  then  they  are  a  com- 
mand which  enjoins  both  the  unholy  endeavors  of  the  wicked 
and  the  godly  exercises  of  the  true  Christian.  The  doctor's 
argument  for  this  is  in  the  following  words :  "  For  be  they  in 
that  happy  estate  or  not,  still  they  ought  to  use  their  utmost 
diligence  to  obtain  the  salvation  revealed  in  the  gospel,  or, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  It  is 
true  that  all  ought  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  (taking  the 
gate  in  the  doctor's  sense  of  it ; )  and  in  order  to  this,  they 
ought  to  be  real  Christians  and  to  live  a  holy  life.  And  in 
this  view,  the  command  to  enter  in  at  this  gate  is  enjoined 
upon  all,  whether  regenerate  or  not ;  as  all  are  under  indispen- 
sable obligations  to  strive  in  this  manner,  in  the  exercise  of 
true  holiness.  If  the  precept  to  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate  enjoins  on  Christians  earnestly  to  seek  eternal  life  in  the 
way  of  true  holiness,  or  in  keeping  the  commandments  of  God, 
then  it  enjoins  the  same  on  wicked  men,  and  points  out  the 
very  same  way  for  them  to  obtain  eternal  life  in  as  for  true 
saints,  and  not  another  and  quite  different  one ;  as  it  must  do, 
if  it  only  requires  of  them  those  doings  which  have  nothing  of 
the  nature  of  true  holiness,  and  are  therefore  different  in  nature 
and  kind  from  what  the  true  Christian  is  directed  to ;  they 
having  no  more  likeness,  relation,  and  connection,  than  godli- 
ness and  ungodliness.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  when  wicked 
men  are  commanded  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  of  eternal 
life,  no  more  is  intended  than  what  they  may  do,  and  yet  be 

VOL.  III.  17 


194  DR.    MAYHEW'S    DESCRIPTION    OP 

unholy  in  heart  and  life,  then  no  more  is  intended  by  the  same 
command  to  the  regenerate ;  for  doubtless  the  command  re- 
-  quires  the  same  thing  of  one  as  of  another ;  and  if  so,  they 
^may  enter  into  eternal  life  without  any  true  holiness;  for  the 
command  to  enter  in  surely  requires  all  that  is  necessary  in 
order  to  enter  in.  But  none,  I  trust,  will  assert  that  the  un- 
holy and  unclean  can,  while  such,  enter  in  through  the  gates 
into  the  heavenly  city. 

The  doctor  repeatedly  says  there  is  but  one  way  of  life  and 
salvation,  and  challenges  any  one,  who  shall  say  there  are 
two  or  more,  to  point  them  out,  and  show  the  difference  there 
is  betwixt  them;  and  yet  that  both  are  true  and  right,  the 
ways  of  God's  revealing.  It  seems  the  doctor  himself  is  the 
man  who  has  found  out  two  ways  to  life  and  salvation,  viz., 
the  way  of  the  unholy  and  unclean,  and  the  way  of  true  virtue 
and  holiness,  in  which  they  go  who  turn  their  feet  unto  God's 
testimonies.  But  what  is  most  remarkable  is,  that  he  insists 
upon  it  that  these  two  different  ways  are  pointed  out  and  en- 
joined by  one  and  the  same  command.  And  now  we  must 
wait  on  him  to  show  the  difference,  and  tell  what  the  com- 
mand enjoins  on  one  which  it  does  not  on  the  other. 

But  if  we  attend  to  the  doctor's  description  of  striving  to 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  not  only  in- 
consistent with  its  intending  only  the  endeavors  of  the  unre- 
generate,  (which  it  must,  if  the  words  were  to  his  purpose,) 
but  is  also  not  consistent  with  their  being  at  all  intended  or 
included  in  this  striving;  it  being,  according  to  him,  only  ap- 
plicable to  the  exercises  and  doings  of  real  Christians.  When 
the  doctor  was  giving  this  description,  he  seems  to  have  in  a 
measure  forgot  the  point  he  chiefly  contends  for,  and  gives 
such  an  account  of  striving,  etc.,  as  is  by  no  means  compatible 
to  the  unregenerate,  and  so  really  inconsistent  with  what  he 
was  about  to  prove.  The  reader  must  judge  of  the  justice  of 
this  remark,  when  he  has  attended  to  what  follows. 

To  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  is,  according  to  the 
doctor,  to  go  in  the  narrow  way  which  leadeth  to  life,  and  is 
opposed  to  the  broad  way  leading  to  destruction.  For  he 
says,  "  If  we  are  not  in  the  narrow  way,  we  are  of  consequence 
travelling  towards  the  wide  gate  of  destruction."  But  this 
narrow  way  is  undoubtedly  the  way  of  holiness,  if  any  such 
way  is  spoken  of  in  Holy  Scripture;  the  way  of  God's  com- 
mands, in  distinction  from  all  the  crooked  ways  of  sinners, 
the  way  of  the  upright,  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 
and  so  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  life. 

As  all  men  are  in  Scripture  comprehended  in  two  opposite 
characters,  between  which  there  is  no  medium,  viz.,  the  good 


STRIVING    TO    ENTER    IN    AT    THE    STRAIT    GATE.  195 

and  the  evil,  the  righteous  and  the  ungodly,  the  children  of 
God  and  the  children  of  the  devil,  so  there  are  but  two  differ- 
ent and  opposite  ways  spoken  of  in  which  they  are  going, 
viz.,  '•  the  way  of  the  righteous,  and  the  way  of  the  ungodly." 
(Ps.  i.  6.)  The  broad  way  which  leadeth  to  destruction, 
and  the  narrow  way  which  leadeth  to  life,  or  to  the  gate 
through  which  the  righteous  enter  into  life.  This  latter  is 
often  spoken  of  in  Scripture.  It  is  called  "the  way  ever- 
lasting." (Ps.  cxxxix.  24.)  «  The  way  of  life."  (Pr.  xv.  24.) 
"  The  way  of  wisdom."  (Pr.  iv.  11.)  "  The  way  of  right- 
eousness," or  holiness.  (Pr.  viii.  2.)  "  The  way  of  good 
men."  (Pr.  ii.  20.)  "  The  path  of  the  just."  (Pr.  iv.  18.) 
«  The  way  of  God's  saints."  (Pr.  ii.  8.)  The  way  of  the 
undefiled,  who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord.  (Ps.  cxix.  1.) 
The  way  of  God's  commandments.  (Ps.  v.  32.)  The  way 
of  holiness,  in  which,  not  the  unclean,  but  the  redeemed  only 
are  found.  (Isa.  xxxv.  8,  9.)  Now,  can  any  one,  who 
attends  to  the  scriptural  account  of  this  matter,  think  that 
the  narrow  way  which  Christ  speaks  of  as  leading  to  life  is 
not  the  way  of  true  holiness,  but  the  way  in  which  the  unre- 
generate,  the  unholy  and  ungodly,  walk  ? 

Again :  he  speaks  of  striving  as  "  the  way  of  truth,  right- 
eousness, and  life."  This  surely  is  not  the  way  of  the  un- 
godly, but  of  the  righteous,  or  those  who  love  and  practise 
the  truth. 

Moreover,  he  says,  "  Unless  we  strive  in  general,  in  the 
manner  we  ought  to  do,  allowing  for  involuntary  mistakes, 
we  are  not  in  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  life."  The  doctor 
himself  will  not  deny,  I  trust,  that  all  under  the  gospel  oug-ht 
to  be  true  Christians,  and  live  a  holy  life,  and  in  this  manner 
to  seek  the  salvation  of  their  souls;  consequently,  if  persons 
strive  as  they  ought  to  do,  they  strive  in  this  manner.  There- 
fore, any  striving  short  of  this  falls  short  of  what  is  com- 
manded, so  is  not  connected  with,  or  the  way  to,  eternal  life. 
In  this  one  sentence,  the  doctor  has  shut  all  wicked  or  unre- 
generate  men  out  of  the  way  which  leadeth  to  life,  and  rep- 
resented striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  to  be  what 
they  never  attain  to. 

He  also  speaks  of  slrivitig',  as  that  by  which  persons  over- 
come the  world,  the  llesh,  and  the  devil,  principalities  and 
powers,  and  spiritual  wickednesses  in  high  places.  But  he 
who  does  this  is  surely  a  true  Christian,  a  regenerate,  holy 
person,  if  su'  h  a  one  is  any  where  spoken  of  in  the  Bible. 
The  true  followers  of  Christ,  or  real  Christians,  are  very  often 
characterized  and  distinguished  from  all  others  by  this,  that 
they  overcome.     And  St.  John  expressly  says,  that  none  over- 


196  DR.    MAYHEW'S    DESCRIPTION   OP 

come  the  world  but  they  who  are  born  of  God.  (John  v.  4,  5, 
compared  with  verse  1.)  St.  Paul  speaks  of  it  as  the  great 
work  of  the  Christian  to  stand  his  ground  against  principali- 
ties and  powers,  etc.,  and  directs  to  put  on  the  whole  armor 
of  God,  as  necessary  in  order  to  this;  which  none  who  read 
the  description  he  gives  of  it  can  think  is  ever  complied  with 
by  the  unregenerate.    (Eph.  vi.  10.,  etc.) 

Further,  the  doctor  says,  "  A  dependence  upon  Christ,  as 
Mediator  between  God  and  man,  is  implied  in  the  very  notion 
of  striving  to  obtain  salvation  through  him ; "  and  that  it 
comprehends  a  "  relying,  not  on  any  supposed  merit  in  what 
we  do,  but  on  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  for  acceptance 
with  him."  Now,  this  is  the  very  thing  by  which  God's 
people  or  true  saints  are  in  Scripture  distinguished  from  all 
others,  as  that  in  which  true  godliness  consists ;  and  by  it  is 
evidently  meant  that  faith,  saving,  precious,  holy  faith  of 
God's  elect,  which  is  peculiar  to  good  men,  and  by  which  the 
just  do  live.  They  who  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God,  and  trust 
in  him,  are  repeatedly  spoken  of  as  the  blessed  people  of 
God,  to  whom  all  divine  promises  are  made.  (Ps.  xiii.  5 ; 
xxxiii.  18;  cxlvii.  11 ;  xxxi.  19  ;  xxxiv.  22;  cxxv.  1,  etc.)  St. 
Paul  speaks  of  trusting  in  Christ  as  that  which  was  peculiar 
to  true  saints,  and  the  same  with  saving  faith.    (Eph.  i.  12, 13.) 

The  doctor  also  speaks  of  his  strivers,  as  "  those  who  take 
Jesus  Christ  for  their  guide,  and  heartily  desire  to  know  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  him.  He  speaks  of  this  as  necessary,  in  order 
to  be  secure  from  fatal  error.  This,  therefore,  implies  a  receiv- 
ing the  love  of  the  truth ;  for  they  who  do  not  so  are  liable 
to  be  given  up  to  strong  delusion,  according  to  St.  Paul's  ac- 
count of  the  matter.  (2.  Thess.  ii.  10,  11.)  But  to  receive 
the  love  of  the  truth,  is  to  love  the  truth.  And  what  is  this 
but  to  love  God  and  holiness?  which  is  the  same  with  exer- 
cising holiness.  To  take  Jesus  Christ  for  our  guide,  is  to  sub- 
mit to  him,  and  trust  in  him,  in  his  character  of  a  teacher  or 
prophet,  which  supposes  a  heart  friendly  to  Christ,  and  is 
really  a  hearty  embracing  the  gospel.  For  he  who  heartily 
submits  to,  and  trusts  in  Christ,  or  cordially  acknowledges 
him  in  any  part  of  his  true  character,  is  really  reconciled  to 
the  whole  of  it.  And  this  is  the  same  thing  with  being  recon- 
ciled to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  or  embracing  the  gospel. 
But  this  surely  is  not  the  character  of  the  unregenerate. 

Another  passage  of  the  doctor's  is  in  the  following  words : 
"  Our  Savior,  who  certainly  knew  every  thing  relating  to 
this  affair,  enjoins  us  to  strive,  or,  if  the  word  may  be  al- 
lowed, to  agonize,  that  we  may  enter  into  life ;  plainly  im- 
porting that  the  business  of  religion  is  at  once  of  such  vast 


STRIVING    TO    ENTER    IN    AT    THE    STRAIT    GATE.  197 

importance,  and  attended  with  such  difficulties,  as  to  call  for 
the  most  anxious  concern,  the  most  fixed  resolutions,  and  un- 
wearied endeavors.  And  there  are  divers  metaphors  used  in 
Scripture  relative  to  this  matter,  which  naturally  suggest  the 
same  thing  to  us  —  particularly  those  of  wrestling,  running, 
and  fighting,  which  express  efibrts  of  strength  and  activity, 
joined  with  wariness  and  circumspection.  These  are  all 
applied  to  the  exercises,  duties,  and  employments  of  the 
Christian  Hfe."  What  could  he  have  said  more  to  the  pur- 
pose, if  he  had  undertaken  to  prove  that  striving  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate  intends  not  the  doings  of  the  unregener- 
ate,  but  the  exercises  and  work  of  the  real  Christian  ?  He 
has,  at  least,  strongly  asserted  this  here,  however  inconsistent 
with  his  main  design.  If  the  doctor  had  been  as  sensible  of 
this  as,  perhaps,  he  ought,  he  could  have  proceeded  no  further, 
as  he  must  have  seen  the  impropriety  of  applying  that  striving 
to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  which,  according  to  his 
own  account  of  the  matter,  denotes  the  character  and  exer- 
cises of  those  only  who  are  born  of  God. 

He  appears,  indeed,  not  wholly  unthoughtful  of  this  matter, 
for,  upon  a  review  of  his  description  of  striving  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate,  he  has  these  words :  "  If  it  should  be  asked 
whether  any  unregenerate  sinner  can  be  supposed  to  strive  in 
the  manner  represented  above,  I  answer.  Yes ;  at  least,  in  gen- 
eral. There  is  very  little,  if  any  thing,  in  this  account  of 
striving,  which  would  necessarily  suppose  a  person  to  be 
already  born  of  the  Spirit  of  God."  And  again,  he  says, 
I'  Possibly  one  or  two  expressions  used  in  that  description  are 
in  strictness  applicable  to  the  regenerate  only,  though  I  am 
not  at  present  sensible  of  any  such."  It  seems  to  be  a  pity, 
as  well  as  somewhat  strange,  that  he  was  not  sensible  that 
not  only  one  or  two  expressions,  but  a  considerable  number, 
are  applicable  only  to  the  endeavors  of  the  regenerate ;  and 
that  his  whole  description,  taken  together,  is  properly  appli- 
cable to  none  but  such  —  for  this  would  most  probably  have 
undeceived  him  with  respect  to  this  whole  affair.  For  I  trust 
it  will  appear,  in  the  sequel,  that  the  doctor  has,  through  his 
whole  performance,  exalted  the  unregenerate  and  their  doings 
too  high  ;  and  in  order  to  support  what  he  contends  for,  has 
represented  them  as  having  those  exercises  which  indeed  they 
never  have,  but  are  peculiar  to  the  regenerate ;  and  fhat  most 
of  his  arguments  take  all  their  seeming  strength  and  plausible- 
ness  from  this. 

But  what  if  "  very  little,"  and  but  "  one  or  two  expressions 
used  in  that  description,  are  in  strictness  applicable  to  the  re- 
generate only "  ?     This  is  certainly  a  little  too  much,  and 
17* 


198  DR.    MAYHEW'S   DESCRIPTION,   ETC. 

renders  him  so  far  inconsistent  with  himself;  which  no  man 
chooses  to  be,  if  he  can  help  it.  For  he  has  declared  that  not 
to  strive  in  the  manner  he  has  described  is  fatal,  and  con- 
nected with  a  being  forever  excluded  the  kingdom  of  heaven ; 
by  which  he  has  at  one  stroke  cut  off  all  connection  of  the 
doings  of  the  unregenerate  with  salvation,  and  landed  them 
in  despair ;  which  connection  he  nevertheless  thinks  he  has 
proved  to  a  demonstration.  His  words  are  these  :  "  I  was  in 
the  next  place  to  show  you  the  fatal  consequences  of  not 
striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  or,  in  other  words,  of 
not  using  your  endeavors  to  obtain  eternal  life  in  the  manner 
represented  above."  If  the  fatal  consequences  which  he  goes 
on  to  mention  will  certainly  follow  on  their  not  striving  in 
the  manner  represented  above,  and  if  any  thing  comes  into 
the  description  of  that  striving  which  no  unregenerate  persons 
attain  to,  but  is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate,  then  the  unregen- 
erate do  not  strive  or  use  their  endeavors  to  obtain  eternal 
life  in  that  manner,  and  consequently  do  nothing  which  will 
prevent  these  fatal  consequences  coming  on  them  ;  and  there- 
fore nothing  which  has  any  certain  connection  with  eternal 
life,  but  rather  with  everlasting  destruction.  So  that  if  the 
doctor  has,  after  all  this,  proved  that  any  of  the  endeavors  of 
the  unregenerate  are  connected  with  eternal  life,  he  has  done 
it  contrary  to  his  own  express  assertion,  if  but  very  little  that 
is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate  comes  into  the  manner  of  the  en- 
deavors to  obtain  salvation  which  he  has  described.  But  if 
very  much  which  comes  into  his  account  of  striving  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate  necessarily  supposes  a  person  to  be  born 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  I  trust  appears  beyond  contradic- 
tion, this  makes  his  inconsistency  with  himself  still  more 
glaring. 

However,  though  the  doctor's  text,  as  he  understands  it, 
seems  to  be  rather  against  him  and  his  own  description  of 
striving,  is  inconsistent  with  his  whole  scheme,  and  is,  the 
whole  taken  together,  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  point  he 
endeavors,  by  fourteen  arguments,  to  prove,  —  yet,  if  he  has, 
after  all  this,  rightly  stated,  and  undeniably  proved  it,  we  must 
yield  it  to  him,  however  inconsistent  he  is  with  himself. 

I  therefore  now  proceed  to  inquire  into  this  matter. 


THE   doctor's    stating    THE    QUESTION    EXAMINED.        199 

SECTION   11. 

The  Doctor's  stating  the  Question  examined. 

The  doctor  states  the  question   in  dispute  three  different 
times,  in  different  words.     But   it    may  be  queried  whether 
he  has  stated  it  properly,  or  in  any  degree  right,  in  either  of  his 
attempts.     He  first  puts  it  in  the  following  words  :  "  Whether 
there  are,  in  the  Word  of  God,  any  gracious  promises,  invi- 
tations,  or  declarations,  res^ecting_jULiLregeneraJ;e_sm  to 
whom  the  gospel  is  preached,  from  whence  it  may  be  clearly 
inferred,  that  if  they  strive,  in  the  Planner  they  may  andouglit 
to  do,  to  attain  to  holiness  and  eterlial  life,~IJoH~wriT3ertainIy 
"^LfTofdthem  all  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  arid  grace  which  are 
necessary  to  that  end  ;  so  tliat  their  endeavors  shall  not  be  in 
vain,  but  succeeded  by  him,  and  rendered  effectual  to  their 
salvation."     «  This,"  the  doctor  says,  "it  is  humbly  conceived, 
is  a  fair,  just,  and  plain  state  of  the  important  question  pro- 
posed."    Doubtless  he  thought  so.     But  what  does  he  mean 
by  unregenerate  sinners'  striving  in  the  manner  they  may  and 
ought  to  do  ?     They  ought  to  strive,  as  true  saints  do,  in  a 
holy  manner.     This  the  doctor  himself  acknowledges ;  for  he 
says,  that  "  all  who  hear  the  gospel  are  required,  not  only  to 
believe  it,  but  to  repent  of  their  sins,  and  to  become  the  true 
disciples  of  Jesus  Christ."     If  they  are  required  to  repent,  then 
they  may  and  ought  to  repent,  and  become  true  disciples  of 
Christ,  and  therefore  may  and  ought  to  strive  in  the  exercise 
of  true  repentance,  and  as  real  Christians.     And  if  so,  then 
the  question,  as  the  doctor  has  put  it,  comes  to  this  —  wheth- 
er,  if  unregenerate   sinners   become  true    penitents   and  real 
Christians,  and  as  such,  in  the  exercise  of  true  faith  and  holi- 
ness, strive  to  obtain  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  they  are  here- 
by entitled/to  a  divine  promise  of  success. 

The  question,  therefore,  as  the  doctor  has  stated  it,  is  not  dis- 
puted by  those  whom  he  means  to  oppose.  For  they  all  allow, 
that  if  unregenerate  sinners  strive  as  they  may  and  ought  to 
do,  they  shall  certainly  obtain  salvation.  But,  at  the  same 
time,  they  may  and  ought  to  strive  in  a  right  manner,  i.  e.,  as 
real  penitents  and  true  Christians ;  and  the  doctor  is  so  happy 
as  to  agree  with  them  in  this  too.  W^here  is  the  dispute, 
then?  We  can  have  none  with  him  on  this  question  ;  for  we 
hold  the  aflirmative  as  fully  as  he  can.  And  now,  whether 
this  is  a  "fair,  just,  and  plain  state  of  the  important  question 
proposed,"  let  the  impartial  judge.  The  doctor  knew,  or 
ought  to  have  known,  that  they  whom  he  meant  to  oppose 


200      THE  doctor's  stating  the  question  examined. 

hold  that  no  unregenerate  sinner  strives  for  salvation  as  he 
may  and  ought  to  do  ;  and  if  he  had  believed  the  contrary,  he 
ought  not  to  take  it  for  granted,  in  stating  the  question  to  be 
disputed;  for  this,  instead  of  putting  the  question  in  a  fair, 
just,  and  plain  light,  is  really  begging  the  question.  But  as 
he  does  not  himself  believe  that  unregenerate  sinners  ever  strive 
thus,  but  has  affirmed  they  do  not,  this,  his  state  of  the  question, 
is  not  only  not  fair  or  just,  but  somewhat  surprising.  The 
question  really  is,  whether  unregenerate  sinners,  while  they 
do  nothing  but  what  is  consistent  with  a  state  of  unregen- 
eracy,  i.  e.,  reigning  wickedness  of  heart,  do  ever  so  strive  for 
salvation,  as  that,  by  their  thus  striving,  they  are  entitled  to 
those  gracious  promises  whereby  God  is  engaged  to  bestow 
eternal  life  upon  them. 

But  let  us  see  if  the  doctor  has  succeeded  better  in  his 
second  attempt.  This  is  in  the  following  words :  "  Whether 
the  gracious  declarations  and  promises  of  God  in  his  word 
are  such  as  will,  in  any  measure,  admit  of  the  supposition 
that  unregenerate  sinners,  to  whom  the  gospel  is  preached, 
may  desire,  strive,  and  earnestly  endeavor,  in  the  use  of  proper 
means,  to  obtain  the  salvation  revealed  therein,  seeking  to 
God  for  his  grace  and  assistance ;  and  yet  possibly  fall  short 
of  eternal  life,  and  perish  in  their  sins,  by  reason  that  God 
withholds  his  Spirit  and  grace  from  them."  He  thinks,  "the 
question,  thus  stated,  comes  precisely  to  the  same  thing  as  in 
the  former  way."  Perhaps  it  does  ;  but  if  so,  then  the  matter 
is  not  mended,  and  the  question  is  still  far  from  being  rightly 
stated,  as  has  been  shown.  All  the  difficulty  in  this  state  of 
the  question  lies  in  the  word  desire.  If  he  uses  this  word  in 
the  sense  in  which  it  is  commonly  used,  we  shall  all  agree 
with  him,  and  allow  that  the  gracious  declarations  and  prom- 
ises of  God  in  his  word  are  such  as  will  not  admit  of  the 
supposition  that  they  who  desire  the  salvation  revealed  in  the 
gospel  can  possibly  fall  short  of  eternal  life.  This,  therefore, 
is  not  the  question  in  dispute.  The  promises  of  the  gospel 
are,  beyond  question,  made  to  all  who  heartily  desire  the 
things  promised.  But  then  we  assert  that  no  unregenerate 
person  does  really  and  heartily  desire  these  things.  But  of 
this,  more  hereafter. 

The  doctor  goes  on  to  say,  "  It  may  be  reduced  to  another 
form,  and  still  narrower  compass,  thus,  viz.,  whether  unregen- 
erate sinners,  under  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  have  any 
day  of  grace  and  salvation  afforded  them,  in  such  a  sense  that 
they  shall  certainly  obtain  eternal  life,  provided  they  heartily 
desire  it  and  strive  to  that  end."  Still  we  are  all  agreed ;  none, 
I  trust,  will  deny  this. 


THE    doctor's    stating    THE    QUESTION    EXAMINED.         201 

He  says  he  has  expressed  the  true  point  in  question  in 
these  several  %vays,  not  merely  for  the  sake  of  having  it  under- 
stood, but  partly  because  he  supposed  that  the  bare  stating  it 
thus  would  go  a  considerable  ways  towards  a  proper  resolution 
of- it  with  those  who  are  tolerably  acquainted  with  the  general 
tenor  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  unless  their  minds  are  unhap- 
pily prepossessed  in  favor  of  some  unscriptural  scheme  of 
systematic  divinity.  If  he  has,  indeed,  expressed  the  true 
point  in  question,  it  appears  to  be  easily  resolved,  from  what 
has  been  observed  ;  for  nobody  seems  to  have  any  dispute 
with  him.  But  that  he  should  imagine  this  to  be  the  true 
point  in  question,  and  that  what  he  here  fixes  upon  as  the 
condition  of  the  promises  of  the  gospel  is  ever  come  up  to  by 
unregenerate  sinners,  must,  I  think,  be  owing  to  his  not  being 
tolerably  acquainted  with  the  general  tenor  of  Holy  Scripture ; 
unless,  perhaps,  his  mind  is  unhappily  prepossessed  in  favor 
of  some  unscriptural  scheme  of  ^^systematical  divinity.  But 
this  will  be  more  particularly  considered  by  and  by. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  whole  matter  in  dispute  is,  in  the 
doctor's  way  of  stating  the  question,  overlooked,  or,  rather, 
taken  for  granted  ;  for,  if  unregenerate  sinners  ever  actually 
do  what  he  supposes  they  must  do  in  order  to  have  an  inter- 
est in  the  promises,  without  question  promises  of  salvation 
are  made  to  their  doings.  But  that  unregenerate  men  ever 
do  thus,  lies  on  the  doctor  to  prove,  which  he  has  not  so  much 
as  attempted  any  where ;  but  as  he  has  taken  it  for  granted, 
in  stating  the  question,  he  has  done  so  through  his  whole  per- 
formance ;  and,  from  beginning  to  end,  entirely  misstated  the 
matter,  and  really  begged  the  whole  question  in  dispute. 

I  will  now  take  leave  to  give  what  appears  to  me  to  be  a 
fair,  just,  and  plain  state  of  this  important  question  before  us. 

Question.  Are  there  any  gracious  promises  of  salvation  to 
the  exercises  and  doings  of  unregenerate  sinners,  who  do  not 
strive  for  salvation  as  they  ought  to  do ;  who  have  no  true 
and  hearty  desires  of  the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel,  but 
are  so  far  from  it  that  they  are  under  the  reigning  power  of 
enmity  against  God  and  the  Savior,  and  do  with  their  whole 
heart  oppose  the  way  of  salvation  opened  in  the  gospel,  and 
continually  reject  the  salvation  itself,  and  obstinately  refuse  to 
have  any  part  therein,  notwithstanding  it  is  freely  offered  to 
their  choice  and  acceptance  ?  The  bare  stating  the  question 
thus,  I  suppose,  will  go  a  considerable  way  towards  a  proper 
solution  of  it,  even  with  all.  The  doctor  himself,  I  presume, 
will  fully  and  cheerfully  espouse  the  negative  of  this  question, 
thus  stated.  But  then  he  may,  perhaps,  complain  that  the 
true  point  in  question  is  not  expressed,  or  at  least  is  not  fairly 


202  UNREGENERATE    PERSONS    DESIRING    SALVATION. 

stated,  because  the  exercises  and  doings  of  unregenerate  sinners 
are  not  justly  represented,  and  that  is  taken  for  granted,  in 
this  state  of  the  case,  which  he  shall  dispute,  and  really  is  the 
only  thing  in  question.  But  would  not  such  a  complaint  be 
really  against  himself,  while  the  same  objection  lies  against 
his  own  state  of  the  question  ?  I  say,  the  doctor  has  raised 
the  unregenerate  man  too  high,  and  represented  him  as  doing 
more  than  ever  he  does.  On  the  other  hand,  he  says  I  sink 
him  too  low,  and  represent  all  his  exercises  and  doings  in 
much  too  bad  a  light.  Who  does  not  see  that  I  have  as  good 
a  right  to  take  for  granted  what  I  assert  of  the  doings  of  the 
unregenerate  man  as  he  has  what  he  has  asserted  ?  All  must 
see,  I  think,  by  this  time,  that  in  order  to  understand  and  set- 
tle the  question  before  us,  it  must  be  first  determined  what  can 
be  justly  predicated  of  the  doings  of  unregenerate  sinners  ;  and 
that  a  just  solution  of  this  will  put  an  end  to  the  dispijte.  If 
it  can  be  proved  that  the  doctor's  unregenerate  sinner  is  a 
creature  only  of  his  own  fancy,  —  a  kind  of  monster,  an  enemy 
to  God,  dressed  up  in  the  attire  of  a  saint,  a  contradiction 
almost,  in  terms,  —  then  all  he  has  said  and  attempted  to 
prove  of  such  a  one  is  really  nothing  to  the  purpose.  Here 
then  we  must  join  issue,  and  leave  it  to  the  world  to  judge 
who  is  on  the  right  side  of  the  question. 


SECTION   III. 

In  which  it  is  considered  what  is  meant  hy  desiring  Salva- 
tion ;  and  how  far,  and  in  what  Sense,  unregenerate  Persons 
may  be  said  to  do  so. 

The  doctor  often  speaks  of  sinners  desiring  salvation.  With 
relation  to  this,  he  uses  the  word  desire  above  thirty  times  in 
this  argument.  He  calls  it  a  sincere  desire,  a  real  and  a  hearty 
desire.  This  is  a  word  of  great  importance  with  him.  Ac- 
cording to  him,  they  who  do  not  heartily  and  earnestly  desire 
salvation  do  not  strive  for  it  so  as  to  obtain,  and  so  are  not  in 
the  way  to  it.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  he  often  speaks  of  this 
desire  of  salvation  as  that  which  will  not,  cannot  fail  of  suc- 
cess ;  as  if  it  was  the  only  necessary  condition,  on  the  sinner's 
part,  to  which  all  the  promises  in  the  gospel  are  made.  And 
most  of  his  arguments  derive  all  their  force  and  strength  from 
this  word.  It  is  proper,  therefore,  in  the  first  place,  particu- 
larly to  attend  to  this,  and  enter  into  the  true  meaning  of  it ; 
otherwise  we  may  dispute  altogether  in  the  dark. 

Since  the  doctor  makes  so  much  of  this  word,  and  speaks 


UNREGENERATE    PERSONS    DESIRING    SALVATION.  203 

SO  often  of  a  hearty  desire  of  salvation,  and  builds  so  much 
upon  it,  it  might  have  been  expected  that  he  would  have 
given  such  a  plain  definition  of  this  phrase,  and  so  explained 
the  matter,  that  none  could  be  left  at  a  loss  about  his  mean- 
ing. But  this  he  has  not  done;  we  must  therefore  find  out 
his  meaning  as  well  as  we  can,  by  considering  the  various  pas- 
sages in  which  he  uses  these  words,  together  with  what  they 
are  connected.  It  is  plain,  at  first  view,  that  he  means  to 
speak  of  the  desires  of  unregenerate  persons  ;  but  the  question 
is,  whether  he  means  only  those  desires  of  salvation  which  are 
indeed  compatible  to  an  unregenerate  man,  or  something 
which  is  never  found  with  such,  however  he  may  suppose  it, 
but  is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate. 

By  desiring  salvation,  or  eternal  life,  he  evidently  means  the 
same  with  choosing  it,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the  people 
of  Israel  were  exhorted  to  choose  life.  (Deut.  xxx.  19.)  The 
doctor,  speaking  of  that  passage,  observes,  that  life  was  set 
before  them  "  for  their  choice,"  and  then  has  the  following 
words :  "  And  if  so,  the  obtaining  it  depended  on  their  choice, 
or  was  connected  therewith.  And,  doubtless,  it  is  not  less 
truly  and  properly  set  before  sinners  now,  under  the  gospel 
dispensation,  than  it  was  before  the  Israelites  in  the  time  of 
Moses.  From  whence  we  may  conclude,  that  if  we  really 
desire,  and  strive  to  enter  into  life,  we  shall  not  fall  short  of 
it."  And  in  another  passage,  he  represents  this  real  desire  of 
salvation  as  being  the  same  with  accepting  of  it,  and  coming 
to  Christ  for  it,  or  at  least  as  implying  this.  Having  observed 
that  "the  Scriptures  speak  plainly  and  directly  of  sinners'  neg- 
lecting the  opportunity  allowed  them  for  obtaining  life,  as  the 
real  cause  of  their  death  or  destruction,"  he  proceeds  to  illus- 
trate this  by  various  passages  of  Scripture,  such  as,  "  How:^ 
shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ?  Ye  will 
not  come  untoliie^  that  ye  might  have  life.  O  Jerusalem, 
how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children,  and  ye  would 
not  I"  etc.,  and  then  says,  "These,  with  innumerable  other 
passages  of  Scripture,  most  clearly  and  strongly  express  this 
sentiment,  that  the  true  and  only  reason  why  sinners  perish  is, 
that  they  neglect  the  great  salvation  oflered  to  them,  and  will 
not  come  to  Jesus  Christ  for  life.  But  neither  of  these  things 
can  be  truly  and  properly  said  of  those  persons  who  are  awa- 
kened to  such  a  sense  of  their  sins  as  really  to  desire  the  salva- 
tion revealed,  and  to  strive  in  order  thereto."  From  these  and 
other  passages  of  the  same  import,  I  think  it  plainly  appears 
that,  by  a  real  desire  of  salvation,  he  means  a  hearty  choice  of 
life,  a  true  acceptance  of  salvation,  and  coming  to  Christ  for 
life,  or  a  taking  and  accepting  of  the  good  things  freely  oflfered 


204  UNREGENERATE    PERSONS    DESIRING    SALVATION. 

in  the  gospel.  He  has  therefore  set  himself  an  easy  task,  while 
he  undertakes  to  prove  that  they  who  thus  desire  salvation, 
aiwl  strive  in  the  exercise  of  these  desires,  shall  certainly  ob- 
tain ;  for  all  the  promises  of  the  gospel  are  constantly  made  to 
such,  without  all  question  ;  and  instead  of  fourteen  arguments, 
which  the  doctor  has  produced  to  prove  this,  one  might  easily 
assign  as  many  score,  perhaps  as  strong  and  as  much  to  the 
purpose.  But  that  the  unregenerate  ever  did  or  ever  will  thus  ' 
desire,  choose,  and  accept  of  this  salvation,  and  come  to  Christ 
for  it,  is  denied  by  those  whom  the  doctor  means  to  oppose ; 
and  what  is  more,  is,  in  the  strongest  and  most  express  terms, 
denied  by  our  Savior  himself.     He  says,  "  No  man  canj^orne 

/,unto  me,  except. the.  Patlier,  .which  .bath  sent  me,  dra\v  him. 

/   Every  man  therefore  that  hath  heard,  and  learned  ol  the  Fa- 

■,   ther,  Cometh  unto  me."    (John  vi.  44,  45.) 

The  doctor  says,  "  that  neither  of  these  things,"  i.  e.,  a  neg- 
lect of  the  great  salvation,  a  refusal  to  come  to  Christ  for  life, 
"can  be  truly  and  properly  said  of  those  persons  who  are 
awakened  to  such  a  sense  of  their  sins  as  really  to  desire  the 
salvation  revealed,  and  to  strive  in  order  thereto,  even  though 
they  are  not  (which  is  very  supposable)  already  in  a  regener- 
ate state."  This  is  very  supposable,  we  see ;  for  the  doctor 
has  abundantly  supposed  it,  through  the  whole  course  of  his 
argument,  and  built  all  upon  this  supposition,  as  has  been  ob- 
served. But  it  is  presumed  he  will  not  be  able  to  prove,  what 
has  been  with  him  so  very  supposable,  as  Jesus  Christ,  who 
doubtless  well  understood  this  matter,  has  not  only  supposed^ 
but  expressly  asserted  directly  the  contrary,  in  the  words  just 
quoted. 

The  doctor  allows  that  unregenerate  persons  are  not  true 
believers  or  real  Christians,  and  are  without  all  real  holiness. 
Consequently  they  do  not  love,  choose,  or  desire  holiness ;  but 
this  is  the  object  of  their  greatest  and  peculiar  aversion.  There- 
fore the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel,  which  is,  in  a  peculiar 
sense,  a  holy  salvation,  and  consists  summarily  in  true  holi- 
ness, they  are  so  far  from  desiring,  that  nothing  else  is  hated 
and  rejected  by  them  with  such  constancy,  and  so  much  with 
their  whole  heart,  as  this.  And  this  is  the  only  thing  that 
keeps  them  from  an  interest  in  this  salvation,  as  whoever  is 
willing  to  take  it  as  it  is  offered,  has  it;  and  it  is  certainly  be- 
stowed on  every  one  who  desires  and  chooses  it,  so  asks  for 
it;  which  is  the  same  with  coming  to  Christ  for  Hfe. 

Unregenerate  sinners  may,  while  they  continue  such,  in 
some  sense  desire  salvation.  They  may  desire  deliverance 
from  natural  evil,  between  which  and  salvation  there  is  no 
medium ;  and  they  may  desire  safety  and  happiness,  under  a 


UNREGENERATE    PERSONS    DESIRING    SALVATION.  205 

conviction  of  conscience,  that  it  is  to  be  had  in  no  other  way  but 
by  sharing  in  the  salvation  which  is  by  Jesus  Christ.  Sucli  a 
desire  as  this  every  person  under  the  gospel  has  in  some  de- 
gree, who  has  any  belief  of  the  truth  of  divine  revelation ;  and 
these  desires  are  strong,  and  influence  the  conduct  of  men  in 
proportion  to  their  attention  to  these  things,  and  their  appre- 
hension and  sense  of  the  importance  of  them  to  themselves. 
But  this  is  consistent  with  their  hating  the  true  character  of 
the  only  Savior,  and  the  salvation  which  he  offers  freely  for 
their  acceptance,  and  their  continuing  to  reject  it  with  their 
whole  hearts.  It  is  but  to  delude  sinners,  to  represent  to  them 
that  their  concern  and  desires  of  this  kind  are  the  least  evi- 
dence that  their  hearts  are  a  whit  the  nearer  a  true  submission 
to  Christ,  or  a  real  acceptance  of  salvation  as  offered  by  him, 
or  that  there  is  the  less  opposition  to  the  gospel  in  their  hearts. 
If  the  doctor,  by  his  desires  of  salvation,  means  such  desires 
as  these,  which  most  men  under  the  gospel  have  in  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  and  had  explained  himself,  most  of  his  argu- 
ments would  appear  in  their  true  weakness  to  every  one  at 
first  view.  But  these  are  not  truly  and  properly  desires  of  the 
salvation  offered  in  the  gospel  according  to  the  most  common 
and  natural  meaning  of  the  word ;  because  that  salvation  is 
not  properly  the  object  of  these  desires,  but  something  else  ; 
yea,  salvation  as  it  is  offered  is  not  desired,  but  rejected.  If 
any  particular  gift  or  privilege  is  offered  to  a  person,  and  noth- 
ing required  as  the  condition  of  his  having  it  but  his  hearty 
acceptance  of  it,  he  cannot  be  said  to  desire  it  according  to 
the  sense  in  which  the  word  is  generally  used,  if  the  gift  of- 
fered is  in  itself  undesirable  to  him,  or  if,  all  things  considered, 
he  is  not  willing  to  have  it,  and  refuses  to  take  it,  however  exer- 
cised he  may  be  about  the  matter,  and  whatever  pains  he  may 
take  with  relation  to  it. 

The  salvation  revealed  in  the  gospel  is  offered  freely  to  the  ac- 
ceptance of  all.  The  proclamation  is,  "  Whosoever  will,  let  him 
come  and  take  it."  And  they  who  dislike  and  reject  this  sal- 
vation, and  the  Savior  himself,  by  whom  it  is  offered,  and  are, 
on  the  whole,  all  things  considered,  unwilling  to  be  saved  by 
him,  cannot  be  properly  said  to  desire  this  salvation  ;  but  it 
may  truly  be  said  that  they  do  not  desire  to  be  saved  by  Christ. 
The  words  of  Isaiah  are  very  applicable  to  such,  and  of  such 
he  doubtless  speaks,  when  he  says,  "  When  we  shall  see  him 
(i.  e.,  the  Messiah)  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him. 
He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men."  (Isa.  liii,  2,  3.)  Despising 
and  rejecting  any  object  is  surely  inconsistent  with,  and  in  direct 
opposition  to,  desiring  it.  Therefore  there  is  not  one  instance  in 
Scripture  of  any  persons  being  spoFen  o£ai^esIring salvation^. 
"vol.  u^ "  — —iS- 


206  UNREGENERATE    PERSONS    DESIRING    SALVATION. 

who  were  not  heartily  willing  to  accept  it  as  it  is  offered,  but  such 
are  represented  as  not  desiring  it.  It",  therefore,  the  doctor  uses 
this  word  in  a  sense  directly  contrary  to  that  in  which  it  is 
used  in  Holy  Scripture  and  in  common  speech,  and  so  in  a 
very  strange  and  improper  sense,  it  might  reasonably  have 
been  expected  that  he  would  give  notice  of  it,  and  so  explain 
himself  as  to  prevent  mistake  and  delusion  in  this  matter,  in 
which  mistakes  are  so  easily  and  so  often  made,  especially  by 
the  inattentive  and  unwary.  But  as  it  is  evident  from  what  has 
been  taken  notice  of  already,  that  he,  at  least  sometimes, 
means  something  else  by  his  desires  of  salvation,  I  proceed  to 
observe, — 

Men  may  most  properly  be  said  really  and  heartily  to  desire 
salvation,  when  the  salvation  itself  is  the  object  of  their  de- 
sires, the  good  things  in  which  it  consists  being  what  they  are 
pleased  with,  and  choose  for  their  own  sake,  and  this  implies  a 
hearty  approbation  of  the  character  of  the  Savior,  and  the 
way  of  salvation  by  him.  They  who  have  such  a  desire  of 
salvation  as  this  do  truly  choose  life,  and  may  properly  be 
said  to  accept  of  salvation  ;  to  receive  Jesus  Christ  and  come 
to  him  for  life,  or  believe  on  his  name.  The  doctor  seems  to 
mean  such  kind  of  desires  as  these  by  the  desires  of  salvation 
he  speaks  so  much  of,  as  has  been  shown.  It  is  quoted,  as 
has  been  before  observed,  that  to  such  desires  as  these  the 
promises  of  the  gospel  are  made  ;  therefore,  they  who  thus  de- 
sire salvation  shall  not  fail  of  it.  But  such  desires  as  these 
are  holy  desires,  and  therefore  are  found  nowhere  but  in  a  re- 
generate heart.  The  love  of  holiness  is  itself  an  exercise  of 
holiness;  but  a  hearty  desire  of  holiness,  for  its  own  sake, 
implies,  and  is  indeed  itself,  an  exercise  of  love  to  holiness. 
Now,  to  desire  salvation  for  its  own  sake,  because  it  is  what  it 
is,  is  to  desire  holiness  for  its  own  sake ;  for  holiness  comes 
into  the  very  essence  of  this  salvation.  And  that  approbation 
of  the  character  of  the  Savior,  which  is  implied  in  true  de- 
sires of  salvation  by  him,  also  implies  love  to  him,  and  conse- 
quently is  an  exercise  of  love  to  holiness  ;  for  holiness  is  an 
essential,  and  the  most  important  part  of  the  character  of  the 
Savior,  without  which  he  could  not  be  the  Savior  of  sinners. 

The  salvation  which  the  gospel  reveals,  the  way  in  which  it 
is  bestowed,  and  the  Savior  himself,  are,  if  I  may  so  speak, 
so  clothed  with  holiness,  and  such  a  bright  expression  of  it, 
which  is  the  peculiar  excellency  and  glory  of  the  gospel,  that 
the  unholy  are  set  at  the  greatest  distance  from  these  things, 
and  men  never  will  desire  and  choose  them  until  they  have  a 
heart  friendly  to  holiness,  which  is  the  new  heart  given  in 
regeneration.     If  the  unregenerate  have  a  heart  to  desire  and 


UNREGENERATE    PERSONS    DESIRING    SALVATION.  207 

choose  the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel,  in  the  sense  now 
explained,  it  will  be  diiiicult  to  show  what  need  they  stand  in 
of  regeneration  in  order  to  be  saved,  or  to  tell  what  regenera- 
tion consists  in.  For  it"  men  have  a  heart  to  desire  and 
choose  holiness  for  holiness'  sake,  and  so  to  delight  in  it  as 
they  must  in  order  to  desire  and  choose  the  salvation  offered 
in  the  gospel,  and  come  to  Christ,  they  have  no  need  of  a  new 
heart  in  order  to  be  holy  and  hapj)y  in  God  and  the  Savior; 
this  same  principle  from  whence  such  desires  How  being  per- 
fected, they  will  be  perfectly  united  to  the  Savior,  and  com- 
pletely delivered  from  sin  and  misery,  and  in  lull  possession  of 
salvation.  The  need  men  stand  in,  therefore,  of  being  regen- 
erated, or  of  having  a  new  heart  given  them,  is  a  demonstra- 
tion that  the  unregenerate  have  no  such  desires. 

And  this  is  agreeable  to  the  whole  current  of  Scripture 
representation,  as  might  be  easily  shown  was  there  need  of  it. 
The  Scripture  ranks  all  mankind  in  two  classes  —  those  that 
love  God  and  his  ways,  who  know  and  choose  the  things  that 
are  excellent;  and  those,  the  language  of  whose  hearts  to  God 
is,  "  Depart  from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways ; "  who  are  enemies  to  the  just  God  and  Savior,  and 
neglect  and  refuse  the  salvation  offered.  Of  these,  some  may 
be  more  concerned  about  themselves  than  others,  and  so  have 
more  exercises,  and  take  more  pains  to  escape  eternal  misery ; 
but  still  their  hearts  are  as  opposite  to  reconciliation  with  God 
and  to  the  salvation  oflVred  as  ever;  they  have  still  a  heart 
of  stone,  a  stubborn,  rebellious  heart,  and  are  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins,  until  they  have  a  new  heart  given  them,  and  they  are 
quickened  by  regeneration. 

If  the  doctor  will  show  from  Scripture  that  there  are  some 
persons  who  are  neitljer  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  .UQr_.alive 
to  God ;  who  are  neither  enemies  to  God  and  the  Savior,  nor 
his  friends,  and  reconciled  to  him  ;  or  if  he  will  tell  what  need 
they  stand  in  of  regeneration  who  have  these  hearty  desires 
of  salvation,  which  are  inconsistent  with  a  hard  heart,  a  neg- 
lecting the  great  salvation  ollcred  them,  and  a  refusing  to  come 
to  Christ  for  life,  and  v^'ill  plainly  show  what  such  a  regenera- 
tion consists  in,  he  will  doubtless  greatly  oblige  the  Christian 
world.  But  till  this  is  done,  we  must  take  leave  to  conclude 
that  the  desires  of  the  unregenerate  he  speaks  of,  and  the  re- 
generation of  those  who  first  have  these  desires,  are  ^  figment 
of  his  own. 


208  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

SECTION    IV. 

An  Examination  of  nine  of  the  Doctor^ s  fourteen  Arguments. 

What  the  doctor  undertakes  to  support  is,  that  the  endeav- 
ors and  striving  of  the  unregenerate  have  a  promise  of  suc- 
cess, and  so  are  certainly  connected  with  salvation.  This  he 
attempts  to  prove  by  fourteen  arguments.  It  appears  at  first 
view  they  are  not  wanting  in  number ;  the  weight  and  strength 
of  them  is  now  to  be  inquired  into.  At  least  nine  of  these 
fourteen  have  all  their  strength  in  the  words  desire  of  salvation, 
or  words  to  the  like  purpose  ;  in  which  the  unregenerate  sinner 
is  supposed  to  have  such  a  desire  of  salvation  which  implies 
a  real  choice  of  it  as  it  is  offered,  and  a  hearty  acceptance  of 
it,  and  coming  to  Christ  for  it.  Now,  as  this  supposition  is 
entirely  groundless  and  contrary  to  the  truth,  as  has  been 
shown  in  the  last  section,  all  those  arguments  which  are  built 
wholly  upon  it  are  demolished,  and  fall  of  course.  But  that 
this  may  clearly  appear,  we  will  briefly  consider  each  of  them. 

Arg.  1.  "  Mankind,  being  considered  in  Scripture  as  in  a 
state  of  sin  and  death,  it  is  declared  that  Jesus  Christ  came 
into  the  world  to  save  them,  to  save  sinners,  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost."  The  doctor  proceeds  to  illustrate 
this  by  several  passages  of  Scripture,  and  then  adds,  "  Now, 
from  such  declarations  of  Holy  Scripture  we  may  fairly  infer 
that  all  those  to  whom  the  gospel  is  preached  have  therein  an 
offer  of  salvation  made  to  them.  And  if  it  really  makes  an 
offer,  or  points  out  a  method  of  salvation  to  all,  can  it  be  sup- 
posed that  any  sinner,  who  is  willing  and  desirous,  and  strives 
to  obtain  the  salvation  thus  revealed,  should  yet  be  rejected  of 
God  and  finally  perish  ?  Certainly  it  cannot."  Tihe  whole 
of  this  is  granted.  But  what  does  it  prove?  that  salvation  is 
offered  to  the  acceptance  of  all,  and  therefore  whoever  is  so 
"  desirous  "  to  obtain  the  salvation  thus  revealed  as  to  "  be  will- 
ing" to  have  it,  and  heartily  accept  of  it,  shall  not  be  rejected. 
Nothing  can  be  more  certain  than  this.  But  what  is  this  to 
ail  unregenerate  sinner,  who  will  not  come  to  Christ  forjna^ 
I ^nd  continues  to  make  light  of  it,  and  reject  the  salyatioiT_ofiered^ 
to  him  ? 

Aug.  2.  "  God  hath  declared,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  that 
he  hath  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  sinners.  (Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.) 
Yea,  it  is  declared  that  God  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved. 
Now,  if  what  these  declarations  most  obviously  and  strongly 
import  be  true,  surely  all  who  really  desire  and  strive  to  obtain 
eternal  life  will  certainly  obtain  it.    For,  if  God  himself  hath  no 


ruE  doctor's  arguments  examined.  209 

pleasure  in  their  death,  but  the  contrary,  and  if  they  themselves 
desire  life,  and  endeavor  to  obtain  it,  what  should  hinder  their 
salvation  ?  Can  the  devil  be  supposed  to  hinder  it  on  tiiese 
suppositions  ?  He  cannot,  unless  he  is  stronger,  not  only  than 
man,  but  than  God  himself."  Very  strongly  expressed,  and 
very  true  ;  but  what  is  all  this  to  the  case  in  hand  ?  to  the  unre- 
generate,  who  are  so  far  from  desiring  life,  that  they  choose  and 
love  death  rather  than  life,  (Pr.  viii.  3(3,)  and  are  the  children 
of  disobedience,  in  whom  the  devil  powerfully  worketh,  (Eph. 
ii,  2,)  yea,  the  children  of  the  devil,  whose  lusts  they  will  do, 
(John  viii.  44;  1  John  iii.  10,)  being  voluntarily  in  his  kingdom 
and  under  his  power  ? 

Arg.  3.  "  According  to  the  representation  of  Scripture,  God 
affords  to  sinners  a  space  for  repeutance,  a  day  of  grace  and 
salvation,  or  a  season  for  making  their  peace  with  him,  during 
which  time  he  is  said  to  be  near,  so  that  he  may  be  found  by 
them  that  seek  him.  Yea,  God  is  represented  as  long-suffer- 
ing towards  them,  being  unwilling  that  they  should  perish." 
Having  mentioned  a  number  of  texts  to  this  purpose,  he  says, 
"Now,  is  it  consistent  with  these  repeated  declarations  to 
suppose  that  sinners,  duriii2;jyijiJirns,_il.  their  visitation,  may- 
real///  desire  and  strive  to  enttu-,  in  at  the  strait  gate,  and  yet 
fall  short  of  salvation  ?  "  All  irue  yet,  if  really  desiring  and 
striving  imply  a  hearty  acceptance  of  offered  mercy ;  but  noth- 
ing to  the  purpose.  The  unregenerate  sinner,  whose  heart  is 
as  hard  as  a  stone,  who  refuses  to  repent  and  embrace  the 
gospel,  is  left  out  of  the  question,  and  may  perish,  notwith- 
standing all  these  declarations.  The  following  words,  upon 
this  argument,  are,  perhaps,  worthy  a  transcription  :  "  If  God 
is  long-sutTering,  not  willing  that  any  of  those  sinners,  to 
whom  the  gospel  is  preached,  should  perish,  but  that  all  should 
come  to  repentance,  certainly  he  puts  them  all  into  a  capacity 
for  attaining  salvation."  If  he  means  they  n;iay  be  saved  if 
they  will,  or  that  nothing  can  prevent  their  salvation  but  the 
want  of  their  good  will  in  the  case,  as  it  is  presumed  he  does, 
his  argument  is  acknowledged  to  be  just.  But  he  goes  on  to 
say,  "  To  suppose  that  any  are  left  in  such  a  state  that  they 
cannot  avoid  perishing,  though  they  desire  it,  or  in  such  a 
state  as  renders  repentance  impossible  for  them,  manifestly 
supposes  that  God  wills  them  to  perish,  that  he  would  not 
have  them  come  to  repentance,  nor  really  allows  them  a  space 
for  it  in  any  proper  sense  ;  and  so  is  directly  contrary  to  the 
doctrine  of  Scripture."  All  may  be  saved  who  truly  desire  it, 
and  repentance  is  impossible  to  none  who  are  willing  to 
repent.  But  if  the  unregenerate  do  always  refuse  to  repent, 
there  being  no  dilKculty  in  the  way  of  their  repentance  and 
18* 


210  THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED. 

salvation  but  the  obstinacy  of  their  own  will,  what  is  all  this 
to  the  doctor's  j)urpose  ?  In  this  passage,  the  doctor  fully 
shows  that  by  desiring  salvation  he  intends  the  sinner's  good 
will  in  the  case,  and  supposes  that  the  unregenerate  may  be 
so  well  disposed  towards  repentance  and  salvation  as  that,  if 
they  perish,  it  must  be  owing  not  to  any  deficiency  in  their 
hearts,  but  to  some  fatal  difficulty  which  God  has  laid  in  their 
way,  which  it  is  impossible  their  good  will  should  remove. 
He  adds,  "  But  let  the  unbiased  judge."  And  so  say  I;  let 
them  judge  whether  the  doctor  had  any  reason  to  make 
such  a  representation  as  this,  or  whether  it  is  any  thing  to 
the  purpose. 

Arg,  4.  "  It  is  further  to  be  remarked,  that  during  this  space 
given  for  repentance,  or  that  day  of  salvation  which  the  Scrip- 
tures so  plainly  assert,  sinners  are  earnestly  admonished,  ex- 
horted, and  commanded  to  seek  God,  to  be  reconciled  to  him, 
and  to  work  out  their  salvation."'  And  having  produced  a 
number  of  passages  to  this  purpose,  he  draws  the  consequence 
in  the  following  words :  "  These  exhortations  and  commands 
are  directed  more  especially  to  sinners,  to  the  wicked,  to  simple 
ones,  scorners,  and  fools ;  to  such  as  were  not  yet  reconciled 
to  God.  And  can  any  unprejudiced  man  think  it  consistent 
with  them  to  suppose  that  sinners  may  be  awakened  to  such 
a  sense  of  their  misery  in  being  in  a  state  of  alienation  from 
God,  as  to  desire  to  be  reconciled  to  him,  and  really  strive  to 
obtain  a  part  in  the  salvation  thus  revealed,  and  yet  fail  of  it? 
Judge  for  yourselves."  We  will;  and,  therefore,  conclude 
that  these  exhortations  and  commands,  being  given  to  the 
wicked,  scorners,  and  fools,  who  are  the  same  with  the  unre- 
generate, is  no  argument  that  they  require  nothing  but  what 
such  may  comply  with,  and  yet  remain  wicked,  scorners,  and 
fools ;  but  they  are  required  to  leave  off  scorning,  to  forsake 
the  foolish.  That  they  who  do  this,  and  so  truly  desire  to  be 
reconciled  to  God,  i.  e.,  are  in  any  degree  reconciled  to  God 
at  heart,  shall  not  fail  of  salvation.  But  simple  ones,  scorners, 
and  fools,  or  the  unregenerate,  never  do  this,  while  they  remain 
such.  And  now,  what  is  become  of  the  doctor's  arguments  ? 
Let  the  reader  judge  for  himself. 

Arg.  5.  "  Conibrmably  hereto,  life  and  death,  blessing  and 
cursing,  are  said  to  be  set  before  sinners  in  the  Word  of  God, 
and  they  are  admonished  to  choose  life.  (Deut.  xxx.  19.)  But 
with  what  truth  or  propriety  could  life  and  death  be  said  to 
be  set  before  sinners,  if,  though  they  desired  life,  and  heartily 
endeavored  to  obtain  it,  they  might  yet  fail  thereof?  "  Life  is 
undoubtedly  set  before  sinners  for  their  choice.  If,  therefore, 
they  comply  with  the  offer  and  exhortation,  and  choose  life, 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  211 

they  will  certainly  have  it.  But  what  is  this  to  the  sinner 
who  does  not  choose,  but  obstinately  refuses,  the  life  offered  to 
him  ?  This  is  true  of  every  unregenerate  person,  as  has  been 
shown. 

Arc.  6.  "  The  Scripture  speaks  of  some  sinners  as  wholly 
left  and  forsaken  of  God  in  this  world,  given  up  to  their 
own  hearts'  lusts,  to  incurable  blindness,  to  strong  delusion, 
etc.,  that  they  might  be  damned.  Now,  if  there  is  any  such 
thing  as  such  like  passages  of  Scripture  seem  to  assert,  and  as 
they  are  usually  understood,  it  will  even  from  hence  follow, 
that  the  persons  thus  given  up  of  God  were,  antecedently 
hereto,  in  a  salvable  state ;  that  they  had,  in  some  measure, 
the  restraints  and  strivings  of  God's  Spirit;  that  they  were 
really  put  into  a  capacity  for  obtaining  salvation,  had  they  de- 
sired it;  and  that  their  not  doing  so  was  the  reason  of  their 
being  thus  forsaken." 

It  is  sufficient  to  observe  upon  all  this,  that  there  is  no  ad- 
vance made  by  this  argument,  it  being  the  same  with  the 
foregoing,  only  in  a  little  different  words.  All  that  the  doctor 
attempts  to  prove  here  is,  that  if  the  sinner  under  the  gospel 
is  not  saved,  but  is  given  up  to  ruin,  it  is  because  he  does  not 
desire  and  choose  salvation  when  offered  to  him,  but  neglects 
and  refuses  it.  But  how  does  this  help  the  unregenerate,  who 
always  do  this  ? 

-  Arg.  7.  "  The  Scriptures  speak  plainly  and  directly  of  sin- 
ners' neglecting  the  opportunity  allowed  them  for  obtaining 
life,  as  the  real  cause  of  their  death  or  destruction."  Hence 
he  infers,  in  allusion  to  the  Scriptures  he  here  quotes,  "  that  the 
true  and  only  reason  why  sinners  perish  is,  that  they  do  not 
regard  the  hand  of. God  .stretched  out  to  sa.ye  them  ;  that  they 
grieve^Timr  by  their  obduracy  in  sin ;  that  they  neglect  the 
great  salvation  offered  to  them,  and  will  not  come  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  life.  But  neither  of  these  things  can  be  truly  and 
properly  said  of  those  persons  who  are  awakened  to  such  a 
sense  of  their  sins  as  really  to  desire  the  salvation  revealed, 
and  to  strive  in  order  thereto,  even  though  they  are  not 
(which  is  very  supposable)  already  in  a  regenerate  state. 
And,  therefore,  all  such  persons,  unless  they  cease  to  desire 
and  strive  thus,  shall  be  saved."  It  is  well  he  has  thought  of 
his  perseverance  to  the  end  of  life  once  —  which  he  had  hith- 
erto in  every  argument  entirely  forgot,  or,  rather,  implicitly 
denied  —  as  necessary  in  order  to  be  interested  in  the  prom- 
ises. But  he  goes  on :  "  Not,  to  be  sure,  without  being  born 
of  God  ;  but  they  shall  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds, 
and,  consequently,  enter  into  life."  What  has  been  said  upon 
this  passage,  in  the  last  section,  is  sufficient  to  convince  any 


212  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

attentive,  imjDartial  person,  I  trust,  that  what  the  doctor  here 
takes  to  be  "  very  supposable,"  is  plainly  contrary  to  Scrip- 
ture and  all  reason ;  and,  therefore,  the  argument  being  built 
upon  a  most  evidently  false  hypothesis,  as  are  all  the  other, 
is  much  too  weak  to  bear  its  own  weight. 

I  shall  at  present  pass  over  the  next  five  arguments,  leaving 
tbeni  to  be  more  particularly  considered  by  and  by  ;  and  now 
attend  to  the  two  last,  as  they  seem  to  be  exactly  of  the  same 
stamp  with  those  already  mentioned,  and,  therefore,  most 
properly  put  with  them. 

Arg.  13.  "  It  is  very  generally  allowed,  that  all  those  in 
general,  who  hear  the  gospel,  are  inyited_and  reguired^  not_ 
only  to  believe  it,  but  to  repent  of  their  sins,^  and  to  become  _ 
the  true  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is,  moreover,  universally 
acknowledged,  that  the  gospel  promises  eternal  life  to  all  who 
do  thus,  or  to  all  real  Christians;  and  it  is  represented  as  a 
wonderful  manifestation  of  the  goodness  of  God  to  men,  that 
he  should,  in  this  way,  promise  salvation  to  them.  Now,  if 
these  conceptions  and  representations  are  just,  as  they  un- 
questionably are,  it  may  from  hence  be  clearly  inferred,  that 
there  is  grace  accompanying  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel, 
sufficient  to  render  it  effectual  to  the  salvation  of  those  who 
hear  it,  provided  they  are  really  desirous  of,  and  endeavor  after 
it."  All  very  true.  But  what  if  they  are  not  really  desirous 
of  it,  but  oppose  and  reject  it?  And  if  this  is  true  of  all  the 
unregenerate,  the  argument  comes  to  nothing. 

Arg.  14.  "  It  is  very  generally  allowed,  that  those  who, 
having  had  the  gospel  preached  unto  them,  do^  iiot  actually 
comply  with  the  method  of  salvation  revea,led  tlT_erein,_and  so 
finally  obtain  eternal  life,  will  have  an  aggrav^ated  coiideni- 
nation  at  the  last  day.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  representations 
of  Scripture  in  many  places.  But  what  reason,  what  justice, 
would  there  be  in  this,  if  these  sinful  and  unhappy  men  were 
never  really  put  into  a  capacity  for  obtaining  this  salvation; 
or  never  had  it  made  possible  to  them,  though  they  desired  a^ui. 
endeavored  to  become  partakers  of  it  ?  " 

I  answer,  no  reason  or  justice  at  all.  But  what  is  this  to 
his  purpose?  All  sinners  under  the  gospel  are  "really  put 
into  a  capacity  for  obtaining  salvation,"  and  that  whether 
they  desire  and  accept  of  this  salvation  or  not;  it  being  freely 
offered  to  their  choice  and  acceptance.  In  this  sense  it  is 
made  possible  to  all ;  and  their  constantly  neglecting  and  re- 
fusing to  desire  and  endeavor  to  become  partakers  of  it  does 
not  alter  the  case  with  respect  to  this.  If,  therefore,  they  miss 
of  this  salvation,  because  they  do  not  desire  it,  but  neglect  and 
refuse  it,  which  is  true  of  all  unregenerate  men,  then  this  is 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  213 

very  consistent  with  their  falling  under  "  an  aggravated  con- 
demnation," because  they  "do  jiot  actuajly  comply  with  the 
method  of  salvation  revealed." 

Nine  of  the  doctor's  fourteen  arguments  have  now  been  con- 
sidered; and  as  they  are  all  built  upon  one__hy-piitliesisr  which 
has  no  truth  in  it,  the  falsehood  of  that  being  detected,  they 
appear  to  be  perfectly  weak  and  inconclusive. 

Indeed,  these ,  nine  argumeuts  are  really  but  one,  As  they 
are  all  built  on  one  hypothesis,  so  the  predicate  in  each  is 
much  one  and  the  same,  as  the  attentive  reader  may  easily 
see  by  looking  over  them.  The  number,  therefore,  adds 
nothing  to  the  weight.  They  may  be  easily  reduced  to  one ; 
and  that  to  nothings  Or,  if  he  had  pleased,  he  might  have 
added  a  hundred,  yea,  as  many  as  there  are  promises  in  the 
Bible,  as  weighty  and  as  much  to  the  purpose  as  any  of  these. 

"  But  let  the  unbiased  jud^e." 


SECTION    V. 

In  which  three  of  the  remaining-  Jive  of  the  Doctor's  Argu- 
ments are  examined. 

The  doctor's  eighth,  tenth,  and  eleventh  arguments  are  so 
nearly  one,  or  at  least  run  so  much  into  one  and  the  same 
thing,  that  they  may  be  considered  together.  These  are  stated 
in  the  following  words :  "  Sinners  have  a  promise  of  the  spirit 
of  wisdom,  or  of  spiritual  wisdom,  with  which  eternal  life  is 
connected,  if  they  hearken  to  God's  reproof  and  diligently 
seek  it.  Turn  you  at  my  reproof;  behold  I  will  pour  out  my 
spirit  unto  you;  I  will  make  known  my  words  unto  you. 
(Pr.  i.  23.)  Hear  instruction  and  be  wise,  and  refuse  it  not. 
Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth  me,  watching  daily  at  my 
gates,  and  waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors."  (Pr.  viii.  33,  34.) 
And  "our  Savior  pronounces  a  blessing  on  those  that  hunger 
and  thirst  after  righteousness ;  adding,  that  they  shall  be  filled." 
And  "to  this  promise  of  our  Lord  another  may  be  subjoined, 
which  is  also  found  in  his  Sermon  on  the  Mount:  Ask,  and  it 
shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find,"  etc. 

The  doctor  attemp^ts  to  prove  that  the  condition  to  which 
these  promises  of  spiritual,  saving  blessings  are  made,  intends 
the  exercises  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate.  His  arguments 
for  this  are  now  carefully  to  be  inquiredlnto. 

He  having  observed,  that  "  it  will  perhaps  be  said,  that  none 
but  a  regenerate  man  can  be  supposed  to  turn  at  God's,  or 
wisdom's  reproof,  or  to  wait  at  the  posts  of  her  doors,  in  the 


214  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

sense  here  intended,"  goes  on  to  say,  "  But  this  were  an  arbi- 
trary assertion ;  one  for  whicli  there  is  not  the  least  color  or 
foundation.  For  the  persons  here  addressed  are  spoken  to 
under  the  character  of  simple  ones,  scorners,  and  fools,  who 
certainly  need  wisdom  the  most  of  any  ;  and  the  promise  is 
apparently  made  for  the  encouragement  of  such  to  turn  at  her 
reproof,  and  to  watch  daily  at  her  gates,  that  they  might  find 
her,  and  thereby  find  life.  This  was,  therefore,  to  be  done  by 
them  antecedently  to  their  obtaining  spiritual  wisdom,  not  in 
the  actual  exercise  of  it." 

The  persons  here  addressed  are  indeed  "  simple  ones,  scorn- 
ers, and  fools,  who  certainly  need  wisdom  the  most  of  any." 
But  does  it  hence  follow,  that  they  are  not  called  upon  and 
required  to  obey  and  be  wise ;  but  to  do  something  while  they 
remain  scorners  and  fools,  or  antecedent  to  their  obtaining 
wisdom  ?  I  think  not ;  but  directly  the  contrary,  viz.,  that 
they  are  required  to  embrace  wisdom,  or  be  wise;  to  cease 
from  scorning,  and  become  obedient;  to  forsake  the  foolish, 
and  live.  I  trust  the  doctor  will  not  deny  that  turning  at 
wisdom's  reproof  implies  thus  m.uch ;  and  if  so,  it  cannot 
mean  any  thing  to  be  done  by  them  while  they  continue  fools 
and  scorners,  or  consistent  with  their  continuing  such.  It 
appears  to  me  an  odd  way  of  arguing,  to  say,  that  seeing  they 
are  addressed  in  the  character  of  simple  ones,  scorners,  and 
fools,  therefore  they  are  called  upon  to  act  according  to  this 
character ;  that  is,  like  simple  ones,  scorners,  and  fools.  But 
thus  argues  the  doctor. 

And  this  is  not  the  only  instance  of  the  doctor's  arguing  at 
this  rate.  In  order  to  prove  that  the  asking,  seeking,  and 
knocking  our  Savior  speaks  of  intends  the  desires,  prayers, 
and  endeavors  of  the  unregenerate,  he  says,  "  The  words  were 
spoken  by  him  to  the  promiscuous  multitude  of  his  professed 
followers,  and  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  all  these 
were  in  a  regenerate  state."  This  is  as  if  a  doctor  of  divinity 
should .  gravely  undertake  to  prove  that  the  moral  law,  con- 
tained in  the  ten  commands,  requires  nothing  but  what  unholy, 
wi(,-ked  men  do,  while  such  ;  because  it  was  published  to  a 
promiscuous  multitude,  many,  if  not  most  of  whom  were  such. 
The  doctor  allows,  that  "all  those  in  general  who  hear  the 
gospel  are  invited  and  required  to  repent  of  their  sins,  and  to 
become  the  true  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ."  He  represents 
those  who  will  not  allow  this,  to  be  "  men  of  a  disordered 
mind,  hardly  fit  to  be  reasoned  with."  If  the  doctor  will  not 
rank  himself  among  these,  he  must  allow  that  our  Savior, 
when  he  preached  the  gospel  on  the  mount,  did  invite  and 
require  all  his  hearers  to  repent  and  become  his  trvie  disciples, 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  215 

and  as  such,  with  a  penitent,  humble.  Christian  temper  of 
mind,  to  ask,  seek,  and  knock,  however  far  he  knew  most  of 
them  then  to  be  from  such  a  temper.  But  this  is  to  give  up 
the  argument  under  consideration,  as  fit  to  be  used  only  by 
«  men  of  a  disordered  mind,  hardly  fit  to  be  reasoned  with." 
But  to  return. 

The  doctor  goes  on  to  argue,  that  if  the  promise  of  wisdom 
in  the  texts  quoted  is  not  "  made  to  the  turning,  waiting,  and 
watching  of  an  unregenerate  man,"  then  it  amounts  to  no 
more  than  this,  that,  upon  their  first  becoming  wise,  they  shall 
then  have  wisdom  given  them.  But  such  a  promise  he  thinks 
not  "agreeable  to  the  wisdom  of  God." 

This,  with  his  words  just  now  quoted  relating  to  these 
Scriptures,  leads  to  the  following  remarks:  — 

1.  It  does  not  appear  that  there  is  any  promise  of  wisdom 
in  these  texts,  of  which  they  have  no  degree,  who  hearken  and 
turn  at  wisdom's  reproof.  The  thing  required  here  is  wisdom. 
They  are  exhorted  to  act  directly  contrary  to  what  scorners 
and  fools  do,  which  surely  is  to  act. wisely.  "Hear  instruc- 
tion and  be  wise,  and  refuse  it  not.  Blessed  is  the  man  that 
heareth  me,  watching  daily  at  my  gates,"  etc.  Hearing  in- 
struction is  here  spoken  of  as  the  same  with  being  wise,  or  as 
that  in  which  wisdom  consists;  and  not  as  something  which 
a  fool  must  do,  as  such,  or  while  he  continues  a  fool,  and 
antecedent  to  his  exercising  any  wisdom,  therefore  such  are 
pronounced  blessed  who  hearken  to  wisdom,  watching  daily 
at  her  gates,  etc.,  which  is  itself  an  exercise  of  wisdom.  We 
have  the  same  exhortation  in  a  little  different  words,  in  the 
context :  "  O  ye  simple,  understand  wisdom ;  and,  ye  fools,  be 
ye  of  an  understanding  heart."  (Pr.  viii.  5.)  None  can  sup- 
pose that  what  is  required  here  is  something  to  be  done  by 
the  simple  and  fools,  "  antecedently  to  their  obtaining  wis- 
dom ;"  but  they  are  called  upon  to  be  wise. 

The  same  is  evident  with  respect  to  the  other  passage  re- 
ferred to  by  the  doctor.  "  How  long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye 
love  simplicity?  and  the  scorners  delight  in  their  scorning, 
and  fools  hate  knowledge  ?  Turn  you  at  my  reproof."  Here 
it  is  supposed!  that  they  must  cease  from  loving  simplicity, 
and  no  longer  delight  in  scorning,  and  hate  knowledge,  in 
order  to  turn  at  wisdom's  reproof;  or,  rather,  that  this  is  im- 
plied in  the  turning  required.  Therefore,  turning  is  an  exer- 
cise of  wisdom  and  obedience,  in  opposition  to  folly  and 
stubbornness.  How  the  doctor  could  imagine  that  here,  and 
in  the  words  before  considered,  wisdom  is  promised  by  doing 
something  in  which  no  wisdom  is  implied,  I  am  at  a  loss. 

It  is,  indeed,  here  promised  that,  upon  their  turning,  wis- 


216  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

doin  will  make  known  her  words  unto  them.  But  this  only 
intends  that  they  siiall  be  taken  into  the  school  of  wisdom,  in 
consequence  of  their  being  so  wise  as  to  embrace  her,  and 
shall  be  trained  up  by  her,  as  the  children  of  wisdom,  to  greater 
degrees  of  knowledge  and  understanding.  For  "  the  Lord 
layeth  up  sound  wisdom  for  the  righteous."  (Pr.  ii.  7.)  "  To 
him  that  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abun- 
dance. Give  instruction  to  a  wise  man,  and  he  will  be  yet 
wiser;  teach  a  just  man,  and  he  will  increase  in  learning." 
(Pr.  ix.  9.) 

^I'his  leads  to  another  remark. 

2.  It  is  contrary  to  reason  and  common  sense,  yea,  a  plain 
contradiction,  to  suppose  that  any  person  does  hearken  to  the 
reproofs  and  instruction  of  wisdom,  and  obey  her  dictates, 
while  a  fool,  and  antecedent  to  his  having  and  exercising  any 
wisdom.  To  hearken  to  wisdom  and  turn  at  her  reproof,  is 
surely  itself  wise,  or  an  instance  and  exercise  of  wisdom.  If 
the  dictates  of  wisdom  itself  are  wise,  then  it  is  not  folly,  but 
wisdom,  to  hearken  to  them.  If  this  is  not  wisdom,  it  will  be 
difficult  to  show  what  is  wisdom,  or  that  there  is  any  such 
thing  in  the  universe. 

The  doctor  concludes  this  argument  by  saying,  "I  may 
venture  to  appeal  to  any  wise  man  whether  such  a  promise 
would  be  agreeable  to  the  wisdom  of  God."  I  will  venture 
my  character  for  wisdom  with  the  public,  and  with  the  doctor 
himself,  so  far  as  to  say,  that  whatever  promise  is  made  to 
hearkening  to  wisdom  and  turning  at  her  reproof,  is  a  promise 
made  to  a  wise  act,  or  the  exercise  of  wisdom,  and  that  such 
a  promise  may  be  agreeable  to  the  wisdom  of  God.  And  I 
hope  the  doctor  will,  for  time  to  come,  be  so  wise,  and  so 
much  of  a  divine  and  philosopher,  as  not  to  assert,  or  even 
think,  the  contrary. 

I  come  now  to  consider  the  doctor's  arguments  to  prove 
that  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteousness  intends  the 
exercises  of  the  unregenerate.  He  says,  "  There  is  not  the 
least  ground  to  doubt  but  that  convinced,  awakened  sinners 
may  and  do  often  thus  hunger  and  thirst  after  rigiiteousness." ' 

I  answer,  hungering  and  thirsting  supposes  and  implies, 
yea,  consists  in  a  relish  of,  and  appetite  to,  the  things  hun- 
gered and  thirsted  after.  So  far,  therefore,  as  sinners  are  with- 
out any  real,  true  appetite  to  holiness  or  righteousness,  and 
have  no  relish  and  love  for  it,  but  an  aversion  to  it,  just  so  far 
there  is  ground  to  doubt  whether  they  hunger  and  thirst  after 
it;  yea,  there  is  ground  of  assurance  that  4^^hey  do  not.  But 
the  unregenerate  have  no  such  appetite;  for  their  unregen- 
eracy  consists  in  the  want  of  it,  and  the  perfect  prevalence  and 


THE  doctor's  arguments  EXAMINED.  217 

dominion  of  an  inclination  and  appetite  directly  contrary 
hereto.  Therefore,  whatever  else  they  may  hunger  and  thirst 
after,  they  do  not  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness. 

Besides,  if  these  words  of  our  Savior  are  considered  in  their 
connection,  it  will. appear  unreasonable  to  apply  them  to  the 
unregenerate.  Hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteousness  is 
spoken  of  as  an  abiding,  constant  exercise,  and  points  out  a 
character  as  much  as  any  of  the  rest  of  these  beatitudes  — 
such  as  the  poor  in  spirit,  the  merciful,  the  pure  in  heart,  etc. 
The  doctor,  I  conclude,  will  not  suppose  that  the  other  exer- 
cises or  characters  mentioned  here  intend  the  transient  acts  of 
the  unregenerate,  but  the  abiding  exercises  and  character  of 
true  Christians,  which  are  peculiar  and  essential  to  them  as 
such.  And  there  is  no  reason  why  this  one  expression  should 
be  singled  out  as  belonging  to  the  unregenerate  only,  and  not 
to  those  whose  temper  and  exercises  Christ  is  characterizing 
through  this  whole  passage. 

But  against  this  the  doctor  argues  in  the  following  words : 
"  If  any  should  say  that  the  regenerate  only,  or  such  as  have 
already  attained  unto  righteousness,  can  be  supposed  to  hun- 
ger and  thirst  after  righteousness,  this  were  altogether  as  con- 
trary to  reason  and  good  sense  as  to  say  that  a  man  must  eat 
a  good  meal  in  order  to  be  hungry, in  a  literal  sense;  and  that 
he  must  drink  a  hearty  draught,  in  order  to  be  athirst." 

The  misrepresentation  and  absurdity  contained  in  these 
words  must  appear,  I  think,  to  all  who  will  calmly  attend  to  the 
matter.  Regeneration  does  not  consist  in  any  exercise  of  the 
mind,  or  any  enjoyment ;  but  by  being  regenerated  a  founda- 
tion is  laid  in  the  mind  for  holy  exercises,  for  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  righteousness,  and  eating  and  drinking  in  a  spir- 
itual sense.  In  regeneration  is  given  what  may  be  called  an 
appetite  to  holiness,  or  a  right  taste  and  disposition.  And  the 
exercises  of  this  new  taste  or  appetite,  in  which  the  mind 
hungers  and  thirsts,  eats  and  drinks,  and  enjoys  spiritual 
objects,  follow  regeneration  and  are  the  eflect  of  it.  The  re- 
generate, therefore,  have  not  "  attained  unto  righteousness," 
or  active  holiness,  neither  have  they  ate  and  drank  so  as  to 
be  satisfied  until  the  appetite  given  in  regeneration  is  exer- 
cised in  hungering  and  thirsting  after  holiness;  which  appe- 
tite, thus  exercised,  is  always  gratified  in  the  enjoyment  of 
the  object  towards  which  it  is  exercised.  And  thus  the  prom- 
ise of  Christ  is  always  fulfilled  ;  for  men  never  are  filled  or 
satisfied,  but  in  the  exercise  of  holiness ;  that  is,  in  loving  and 
delighting  in  divine  things,  or  in  hungering  and  thirsting  after 
righteousness.  But  in  this  way,  they  never  fail  of  being  sat- 
isfied or  filled.     The  doctor,  therefore,  wholly  misrepresents 

VOL.  III.  19 


218 


THE    DOCTORS    ABGUMKNTS    EXAMINED. 


the  matter.  If  he  had  piif  the  case  properly,  and  according 
to  truth,  it  would  stand  thus  :  "  If  any  should  say  that  the 
regenerate  only  can  be  supposed  to  hunger  and  thirst  after 
righteousness,  this  were  altogether  as  contrary  to  reason  and 
good  sense  as  to  say,  that  a  man  must"  have  a  stomach  pre- 
pared, or  an  appetite  to  relish  food  and  drink,  in  order  to  his 
hungering  after  or  desiring  them.  But  that  this  is  perfectly 
agreeable  to  reason  and  good  sense,  I  trust  will  not  be  disput- 
ed by  any  one  who  has  the  least  degree  of  either.  And  it  may 
be  therefore  added,  that  to  suppose  that  the  unregenerate  do 
ever  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  as  the  hungry  man 
desires  food,  or  the  thirsty  drink,  is  altogether  as  contrary  to  all 
reason  and  good  sense  as  to  say  that  a  man  wholly  destitute 
of  any  appetite  to  food  and  drink,  or  with  a  perfect  antipathy 
against  them,  is  hungry  and  thirsty  in  a  literal  sense,  and 
earnestly  longs  for  them. 

The  doctor  goes  on  to  say,  "  This  benediction  and  promise 
more  especially  respect  unregenerate,  heavy-laden  sinners,  as  do 
also  such  gracious  invitations  and  promises  as  these :  Ho, 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters.  Hearken  dili- 
gently unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good.  (Isa.  Iv.  1,  2.) 
Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall 
never  thirst.  (John  iv,  14.)  I  am  the  bread  of  life;  he  that 
Cometh  unto  me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  believeth  on 
me  shall  never  thirst.  (John  vi.  35.)  If  any  man  thirst,  let 
him  come  unto  me  and  drink.  This  he  spake  of  the  Spirit, 
which  they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive.  (John  vii.  37— 
39.)  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 
(Rev.  xxii.  17.) 

Concerning  these  passages  of  Scripture  it  may  be  observed, 
1.  That  if  the  invitations  and  promises  contained  in  them  are 
made  to  unregenerate  sinners,  and  wholly  respect  their  exer- 
cises and  doings  while  such,  then  the  unregenerate,  while 
such,  come  to  the  waters  of  life,  and  do  actually  drink  of  this 
water :  yea,  they  come  to  Christ  and  believe  on  him ;  for  the 
invitation  is  to  this,  and  to  this  only  the  promise  is  made.  Of 
this  any  one  may  be  certain  by  carefully  reading  the  quoted  pas- 
sages over.  It  seems  the  doctor  supposes  the  unregenerate  do 
all  this,  by  his  thus  quoting  these  words,  as  otherwise  they  are 
not  to  his  purpose.  When  he  shall  prove  this,  we  will  acknowl- 
edge he  has  gained  his  point,  but  till  then  we  must  be  con- 
fident that  none  come  to  Christ,  unless  they  are  drawn  by  the 
regenerating  influences  of  God's  Spirit,  and  that  they  who 
believe  on  him  are  born  of  God,  and  that  men's  unwillingness, 
or  opposition  of  heart  to  coming  to  Christ,  to  coming  and 
taking  the  water  of  life,  is  the  only  ground  of  the  necessity  of 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  219 

their  being  born  again,  in  order  to  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 
If,  therefore,  these  passages  are  parallel  to  that  under  consider- 
ation, which  I  am  ready  to  allow,  then  hungering  and  thirsting 
after  righteousness  is  the  same  with  coming  to  Christ  and 
believing  on  him  ;  therefore,  is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate.  This 
leads  me  to  observe, — 

2.  That  the  hungering  and  thirsting  mentioned  in  these  pas- 
sages does  not  intend,  at  least  in  all  of  them,  a  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  righteousness,  but  something  else.  When  Christ 
says,  "  He  that  cometh  unto  me  shall  never  hunger,  and  he 
that  believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst,"  he  does  not  mean  a 
hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteousness.  He  makes  no  prom- 
ise here  to  this  hungering  and  thirsting,  which  he  does  to  hun- 
gering and  thirsting  after  righteousness ;  but  the  promise  is  made 
to  coming  to  him  and  believing  on  him ;  and  he  expressly  dis- 
tinguishes the  hungering  and  thirsting  he  here  speaks  of  from 
believing,  etc.,  and  represents  it  as  inconsistent  with  it.  He  that 
believeth  on  him  shall  not  hunger  and  thirst :  the  one  is  not,  cannot 
be,  where  the  other  is.  Moreover,  our  Savior  here  asserts  that 
they  who  come  to  him,  etc.,  shall  never  have  any  more  of  that 
hunger  and  thirst  he  here  speaks  of.  But  will  any  Christian  be- 
lieve that  no  real  saint  ever  hungers  and  thirsts  after  righteous- 
ness ?  Have  they  not  a  relish  and  thirst  for  the  waters  of  life  ? 
Surely  they  have  strong  desires  after,  and  their  souls  thirst  for 
God,  even  the  living  God ;  and  as  new-born  babes,  they  desire 
the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  they  may  grow  thereby.  By 
hungering  and  thirsting,  then,  Christ  here  means  a  being  in  a 
miserable,  destitute  state,  or  unsatisfied  desires,  uneasiness  and 
want,  without  any  thing  to  alford  relief;  which  is  sometimes, 
if  not  often,  meant  by  hungering  and  thirsting  in  Scripture. 
He  here  promises  that  they  who  come  to  him  and  drink  the 
water  of  life  shall  never  hunger  and  thirst  again  in  this  sense, 
shair  no  more  be  in  that  destitute,  miserable  state  in  which 
they  were  before ;  which  may  well  be  represented  by  a  person 
famishing  with  hunger  and  thirst,  without  any  thing  to  relieve 
and  satisfy  him. 

Let  us  now  hear  the  doctor's  argument  from  these  words. 
"How  unreasonable,  how  unscriptural,"  says  he,  "were  it  to 
suppose  that,  by  those  who  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness, our  Lord  intends  only  the  regenerate,  or  such  as  have 
already  eaten  and  drank  of  that  spiritual  bread  and  water 
which  he  giveth,  especially  when  he  declareth  above  that 
such  persons  shall  neither  hunger  nor  thirst  again ! " 

As  all  the  strength  of  the  argument  in  these  words  lies  in 
the  supposition,  that  when  our  Lord  says,  he  that  cometh  to 
him  shall  neither  hunger  nor  thirst  again,  he  means  hungering 


220 


THE    DOCTORS    ARGUMENTS    EXAMINED. 


and  thirsting  after  righteousness,  what  has  been  just  observed 
serves  to  show  how  groundless  and  absurd  it  is.  It"  the  doc- 
tor's argument  is  good,  it  proves  that,  by  those  who  hunger 
and  thirst  after  righteousness,  our  Lord  intends  only  the  un- 
regenerate ;  and  that  the  regenerate  never  do  thus  hunger  and 
thirst,  so  have  no  true  desires  after  God  and  holiness ;  yea,  it 
proves,  according  to  the  doctor's  sense  of  the  words,  that  the 
regenerate  do  not  desire  salvation.  By  hungering  and  thirsting 
after  righteousness,  is  meant  "  strong  and  ardent  desires  to  attain 
the  righteousness,  and  so  the  salvation  revealed  in  the  gospel," 
as  the  doctor  explains  it.  Therefore,  according  to  him,  the 
regenerate  never  hunger  nor  thirst  after  righteousness,  nor 
earnestly  desire  salvation,  this  being  peculiar  to  the  unregen- 
erate.  According  to  this,  neither  David,  nor  Paul,  nor  any  of 
the  worthies  we  have  on  sacred  record  were  regenerate,  for 
they  hungered  and  thirsted  after  righteousness ;  they  had 
strong  and  ardent  desires  after  righteousness  and  salvation. 

If  these  things  are  duly  considered,  it  will,  I  believe,  appear 
that  this  argument  of  the  doctor's  takes  all  its  seeming 
strength  only  from  a  jingle  of  words,  by  jumbling  several  texts 
together,  which  have  not  the  same  meaning,  and  which,  if 
they  were  taken  in  the  doctor's  sense  of  them,  would  be  in- 
consistent with  each  other,  with  the  rest  of  the  Bible,  with 
common  sense,  and  eren  with  the  doctor  himself. 

And  now  the  reader  is  to  judge  whether,  in  this  view  of  the 
case,  the  doctor  had  any  real  ground  for  the  following  words  : 
*'  Can  any  man  read  this,  and  yet  suppose  that  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  righteousness,  in  the  sense  of  our  Savior,  is  al- 
ways subsequent,  never  prior,  to  coming  to  him,  or  to  regener- 
ation ?  If  he  can,  however  good  his  heart  may  be,  no  one  has 
much  reason  to  envy  him  his  head." 

Why  does  the  doctor  express  himself  so  guardedly  ?  "  Al- 
ways subsequent,  never  prior,  to  regeneration."  If  his  argu- 
ment above  is  good,  and  the  Scriptures  referred  to  any  thing 
to  the  purpose,  it  follows,  as  has  been  shown,  that  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  righteousness,  or  a  desire  of  salvation,  is 
never  subsequent,  but  always  prior,  to  regeneration,  and  if  this 
is  not  true,  the  argument  comes  to  nothing.  If  any  man  may 
think  hungering  and  thirsting  is  ever  consequent,  and  not 
always  prior,  to  regeneration,  he  may,  as  consistently  with  all 
the  doctor  has  said,  think  this  is  always  subsequent,  never 
prior,  to  regeneration  ;  but  if  the  doctor  had  truly  and  fully  ex- 
pressed the  geimine  consequence  of  his  premises,  he  would 
have  quite  spoiled  his  argument,  and  it.  would  have  appeared 
at  first  view  that  he  had  proved  too  much  for  himself  or  any 
body  else. 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  221 

It  appears,  by  the  last  sentence  quoted,  that  I  have  sufficient- 
ly endangered  my  head  to  the  doctor.  However  good  the 
doctor's  may  be  in  the  main,  most  readers,  I  imagine,  will  take 
leave  to  think  it  was  not  perfectly  right  in  this  instance, 
at  least;  and  I  will  presume  to  say  in  my  turn,  Can  any  man 
read  this,  and  yet  think  the  doctor's  arguments  strong  and  con- 
sistent? If  he  can,  no  one,  I  am  sure,  has  any  reason  to  envy 
him  his  head. 

The  doctor's  argument,  to  prove  that  when  our  Savioi 
promises  good  things  to  them  that  ask  for  them  he  means  the 
asking  of  the  unregenerate,  shall  be  next  considered.  He  hav- 
ing observed  that  "  the  good  things  promised  are  such  as  are 
comprehended  in  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,"  goes  on  to  say,  "  The 
promise  of  which,  in  consequence  of  asking,  seeking,  and 
knocking,  is  so  far  from  supposing  that  the  persons  who  do  so 
are  already  regenerate,  or  that  the  Spirit  is  given  them  prior  to 
their  asking,  that  it  rather  implies  the  direct  contrary,  viz.,  that 
they  had  not  the  Spirit  in  the  sense  here  intended ;  for  if  they 
are  supposed,  at  the  time  of  their  asking,  to  have  the  Spirit  of 
God  dwelling  in  them,  to  abide  with  them  forever,  as  all  the 
sons  of  God  by  regeneration  have,  what  becomes  of  the  prom- 
ise? What  are  they  to  have  in  consequence  of  asking?  Is 
it  only  the  continuance  of  the  Spirit,  or  larger  measures  of  it? 
But  these  are,  I  think,  never  called  giving-  the  Spirit,  in  the 
language  of  Scripture,  which  means  the  original  bestowment 
of  it  (or  him)  on  such  as  were  destitute  of  it,  in  consequence 
of  which  they  are  said  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit,  or  of  God." 
As  a  man  is  but  once  born  of  God,  or  of  the  Spirit,  so  the 
Spirit  is,  properly  speaking,  "  never  given  more  than  once ; 
for  being  once  given,  he  is  to  be  in,  and  abide  with,  believers 
forever." 

If  the  following  things  are  attended  to,  it  will  be  easily  seen 
how  little  weight  there  is  in  this  argument. 

1.  The  regeneration  is  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;  yet 
in  effecting  this  change  he  is  not  given,  properly  speaking,  to 
abide  in  them  forever,  as  a  promised,  abiding  principle  of  ho- 
liness ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit  is  thus  given,  after  regeneration, 
in  consequence  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  to  which  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit  is  often  and  always  promised.  The  Spirit  of  God, 
in  regenerating  men, operates  not  as  a  promised  gift  or  agent; 
but  regeneration  is  efiected  as  an  unpromised  favor.  There 
are  no  promises  to  any  particular  persons  of  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit,  in  this  sense,  to  produce  this  change  in  them,  in 
which  they  are  wholly  passive,  nor  are  there  any  promises  in 
the  Bible  to  regeneration  itself  or  to  the  regenerate,  antecedent 
to  any  exercise  of  holiness,  but  only  to  those  exercises  which 
19* 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED. 

are  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  regeneration.  This  remark 
is  sufficient  to  show  the  doctor's  mistake,  in  supposing  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  given  in  regeneration  as  the  Spirit  of 
promise,  to  abide  with  them  forever;  on  which  mistalie  the 
whole  force  of  his  argument  rests.  But  this  will  be  more  fully- 
confirmed  by  what  follows. 

2.  Though  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  a  sense  given  in  regener- 
ation, as  it  is  an  elfect  produced  by  the  Spirit,  yet  he  is  not 
herein  given  as  he  is  to  the  believer,  as  a  promised,  abiding 
principle  of  holiness.  In  this  latter  sense,  in  which  sense  alone 
he  is  promised,  he  is  given  to  those  who  believe,  or  those  who 
ask  him,  which  are  really  one  and  the  same  thing,  as  will  be 
more  fully  considered  by  and  by,  Christ  promises  the  Spirit 
to  those  who  come  to  him  or  believe  on  him.  "Jesus  stood 
and  cried,  saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me 
and  drink.  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath 
said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water.  This 
spoke  he  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  him  should 
receive."  (John  vii.  37-39.)  Now  I  trust  the  doctor  will  not 
deny  that  men  must  be  regenerated,  or  born  of  God,  ante- 
cedent to  their  believing  on  Christ,  or  in  order  to  this ;  if  he 
should,  the  apostle  John  will  confute  him,  for  he  says,  "  Who- 
soever believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God." 
(1  John  V.  1.)  If  they  who  believe  on  Christ  are  already  born 
of  God,  then,  when  Christ  promises  the  Spirit  to  them  who 
believe  on  him,  he  means  something  by  the  gift  of  the  Spirit 
which  is  not  given  in  regeneration,  and  something  more,  even 
that  he  should  be  in  them  forever  as  an  abiding  principle  of 
spiritual  life  or  holiness.  Exactly  parallel  to  this  are  the 
words  spoken  by  the  same  person,  long  before:  "  Turn  you  at 
my  reproof;  behold,  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  unto  you." 
(Pr.  i.  23.)  To  turn  at  wisdom's  reproof  is  the  same  with 
coming  to  Christ,  or  believing  on  him ;  and  in  consequence  of 
this,  the  Spirit  is  promised  to  be  poured  out  upon  them,  as 
our  Savior  promises  the  Spirit  to  those  who  come  to  him,  by 
the  same  metaphor  —  water.  We  may  not  hence  infer  that 
persons  are  to  turn  to  Christ  without  the  Spirit,  or  antecedent 
to  regeneration  ;  but  that,  being  regenerated  by  the  unpromised 
influence  of  the  divine  Spirit,  they  turn  at  wisdom's  reproof, 
come  to  Christ,  and  believe  on  him,  and  so  ask  him  for  all 
good  things;  to  which  the  Spirit  is  promised,  to  be  in  them 
forever.  We  hence  see  how  greatly  mistaken  the  doctor  was 
in  supposing,  in  the  passage  above  quoted,  that  when  the 
Scripture  speaks  of  giving  the  Spirit,  it  always  means  "  the 
original  bestowment  of  him,  in  consequence  of  which  men  are 
said  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit  of  God."     For  our  Savior  speaks 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  223 

of  giving  the  Spirit  to  them  who  believe  on  him ;  but  beUev- 
ing  on  him  is  in  consequence  of  the  original  bestowment  of 
the  Spirit  in  regeneration ;  for  such,  St.  John  says,  are  already- 
born  of  God.  Therefore,  after  men  have  received  the  Spirit, 
so  far  as  is  necessary  in  order  to  their  being  born  of  God,  they 
must  believe  on  Christ,  or  come  to  him,  and  ask  him,  in  order 
to  receive  the  Spirit  in  the  sense  in  which  he  is  promised 
by  Christ. 

Exactly  agreeable  to  this  are  the  words  of  St.  Paul.  "  That 
we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith." 
(Gal.  iii.  14.)  "  In  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were 
sealed,  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise."  (Eph.  i.  13.)  Here 
he  speaks  of  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  as  promised  to  men,  in 
which  he  doubtless  has  reference  to  the  promise  of  Christ  now 
under  consideration,  among  others ;  and  this,  he  says,  they 
received  through  faith,  and  after  they  had  believed;  therefore, 
after  they  were  regenerate.  Faith,  then,  is  the  condition  of 
this  promise,  and  not  any  doings  of  the  unregenerate.  Again 
he  says,  "  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the 
Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts."  (Gal.  iv.  6.)  He  here 
speaks  of  the  gift  or  bestowment  of  the  Spirit  in  consequence 
of  their  being  the  sons  of  God,  and  he  had  just  told  how  they 
became  the  sons  or  children  of  God,  viz.,  that  they  were  "all 
the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus."  (Gal.  iii.  26.) 
And  it  is  worthy  of  remark  here,  that  the  promise  which 
Christ  makes  of  the  Spirit  to  his  disciples,  to  abide  with  them 
forever,  to  which  the  doctor  alludes,  is  made  to  those  who  were 
already  regenerate ;  and  he  expressly  says,  the  world,  that  is, 
the  unregenerate,  cannot  receive  the  Spirit  in  the  sense  in 
which  he  is  here  promised.  (See  John  xiv.  16, 17.)  He,  there- 
fore, does  not  mean  what  the  doctor  calls  "the  original  be- 
stowment" of  the  Spirit.  If  the  doctor  had  well  attended  to 
all  this,  the  paragraph  of  his,  now  under  consideration,  would 
most  probably  never  have  seen  the  light. 

3.  Though  the  Spirit  operates  in  a  sense  and  degree  in  re- 
generation, yet,  as  he  does  not  regenerate  men  as  being  given 
as  an  abiding  principle  of  life,  but  this  change  is  produced  as 
an  unpromised  favor,  which  neither  unites  them  to  Christ  nor 
gives  them  an  interest  to  any  promise  in  the  Bible,  there  ap- 
pears great  propriety  in  promising  the  Spirit  as  an  abiding 
principle  of  eternal  life,  which  comprehends  all  good  things  to 
those  exercises  or  acts  by  which  the  regenerate  actively  unite 
themselves  to  Christ,  and  come  to  him,  trust  in  him,  and  ask 
in  his  name  for  this  great  benefit;  and  our  being  directed  to 
believe  on  Christ  in  order  to  this,  and  ask  for  the  Spirit  in  this 
sense,  with  a  promise  that  he  shall  be  given,  is  no  argument 


224  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

that,  in  order  to  thus  believing  and  asking,  we  must  not  first 
be  born  of  God ;  therefore,  the  doctor's  argument  is  wholly 
without  foundation.  The  doctor  himself  allows  that  persons 
must  have  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  order  to 
strive,  or  ask  for  the  Spirit,  so  as  to  be  entitled  to  the  promise. 
Therefore,  they  have  the  Spirit  in  some  sense  when  they  ask, 
and  in  order  to  their  asking;  and,  therefore,  according  to  him, 
the  promise  of  the  Spirit  to  them  who  ask  does  not  imply 
that  persons  must  not  have  the  Spirit  in  order  to  ask.  If, 
therefore,  there  is  any  reason  in  what  he  says,  which  indeed 
there  is  not,  it  is  as  much  against  himself  as  any  body  else. 

4.  It  is  acknowledged  that  the  Spirit  is  given  but  once,  as 
he  is  promised  by  our  Savior.  He  is  given  to  believers  never 
to  be  taken  away  ;  but  this  gift  of  the  Spirit  men  never  receive 
in  regeneration,  as  has  been  shown,  but  in  consequence  of 
that  faith,  that  coming  to  Christ,  and  asking  him,  for  which 
regeneration  lays  the  only  foundation ;  and  as  this  gift  is 
promised  to  believing  and  asking,  so  it  can  be  received  in  no 
other  way,  and  never  is  given  but  in  consequence  of  asking. 

5.  As  this  gift  is  first  received  in  a  way  of  believing  and 
asking,  so  it  is  continued,  and  the  Spirit  abides  in  believers  by 
the  exercise  of  faith,  or  their  continuing  to  ask  for  the  Spirit 
in  a  persevering  way ;  therefore,  men  are  not  only  to  ask  for 
the  Spirit  in  order  to  their  first  receiving  this  gift,  but  are  to 
continue  to  ask,  in  order  to  the  Spirit's  abiding  in  them,  and 
perfecting  the  work  he  has  begun.  This  direction  and  promise 
of  our  Savior  is,  therefore,  applicable  to  true  Christians  at 
all  times. 

The  doctor  does  not  expressly  deny  this;  but  the  whole  of 
what  he  says  is  inconsistent  with  it.  If  believers  having  the 
Spirit  dwelling  in  them,  with  a  promise  that  he  shall  abide 
with  them  forever,  renders  it  absurd  for  them  any  more  to 
ask  for  this  favor,  which  comprises  all  good  things,  then  cer- 
tainly they  must  ask  no  more,  where  once  they  are  born  of 
God,  and  have  received  the  Spirit;  and  if  true  Christians  are 
never  to  ask  for  the  Spirit,  because  he  is  in  them,  and  they 
have  the  promise  that  he  shall  abide  with  them  forever,  then 
they  are  never  more  to  ask  for  any  good  thing,  as  all  these 
are  comprised  in  the  gift  of  the  Spirit.  Does  the  doctor  mean 
to  represent  prayer  as  inconsistent  and  absurd  in  the  true 
Christian,  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  It  certainly  is 
so,  if  there  is  any  reason  or  propriety  in  what  he  says. 

If,  as  the  doctor  justly  observes,  all  spiritual  blessings  and 
good  things  are  comprehended  in  the  gift  of  the  Spirit,  and, 
therefore,  asking  for  the  Spirit  is  the  same  with  asking  for 
spiritual  blessings,  or  good  things  in  general,  —  and  if,  when  the 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  225 

Spirit  is  once  given,  as  he  is  to  all  the  regenerate,  there  is  no 
reason  or  propriety  in  asking  for  the  Spirit,  upon  which  posi- 
tion the  doctor's  argument  is  wholly  grounded,  —  then  they 
who  are  regenerate  have  no  spiritual  good  thing  to  ask  for ;  con- 
sequently, prayer  is  no  part  of  their  duty.  This  belongs  only 
to  the  unregenerate.  How  contrary  to  this  is  the  Scripture 
account  of  the  matter!  This  teaches  true  Christians  to  pray 
without  ceasing;  to  pray  always  with  all  prayer;  and  this, 
although  they  already  have  the  Spirit,  and  pray  by  the  Spirit. 
There  we  find  such  words  as  these  :  "  Likewise  the  Spirit  also 
helpeth  our  infirmities ;  for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray 
for  as  we  ought ;  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for 
us  with  groanings  that  cannot  be  uttered."  (Rom.  viii.  26.) 
"  Praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spir- 
it." (Eph.  vi.  18.)  »  Praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Jude  20.) 
6.  On  the  wimple,  it  appears  that  turning  at  wisdom's  re- 
proof, coming  to  Christ,  or  believing  on  him,  a  willingness  to 
take  of  the  water  of  life,  and  asking  good  things  of  God,  are 
all  one  and  the  same  thing,  or  at  least  imply  each  other ;  and, 
therefore,  the  promise  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  sum  of  all 
good,  is  made  to  this.  But  in  order  to  men's  coming  up  to 
this  condition  of  the  promise,  they  must,  according  to  Scrip- 
ture, first  be  born  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  In  order  really  and 
heartily  to  ask  for  good  things,  there  must  be  a  real  and  hearty 
willingness  to  have  them,  or  a  desire  of  them  considered  as 
what  they  are;  and,  indeed,  asking  is  nothing  but  a  proper 
exercise  and  expression  of  such  willingness  and  desire.  But 
this  is  the  same  with  coming  to  Christ,  receiving  him,  or  be- 
lieving on  him  ;  in  order  to  which  men  must  be  regenerated, 
as  has  been  before  shown.  They  who,  with  their  whole  hearts, 
reject  all  the  good  things  the  gospel  offers,  surely  do  not  in 
any  true  sense  ask  for  them.  But  this  is  true  of  all  unregen- 
erate men. 

SECTION   VI. 

The  Doctor's  ninth  and  twelfth  Ari^uments  examined. 

We  now  come  to  the  ninth  argument  which  the  doctor 
has  produced  in  favor  of  his  hypothesis.  This  is  in  the  fol- 
lowing words :  "  In  Ezekiel  (chap.  36)  God  declares  his  pur- 
pose to  do  many  things  for  the  people  of  Israel,  and,  among 
the  rest,  to  give  them  a  new  heartj  and  a  new  spirit.  But  he 
adds  afterwards,  I  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel, 
to  do  it  for  them  ;  which,  unquestionably,  relates  in  part  to  the 
new  heart  and  new  spirit  spoken  of  before.     Upon  which  we 


226  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

may  briefly  remark,  that  eternal  life,  or  salvation,  is  conneeted, 
in  Scripture,  witii  the  having  a  new  heart;  that  such  a  heart  is 
the  gift  of  God ;  that  he  gives  such  a  heart,  not  prior  to,  but 
in  consequence  of,  being  inquired  of,  or  sought  to,  for  it;  and, 
consequently,  that  the  inquiring  of  God  here  intended  is  the 
act,  not  of  the  regenerate,  but  the  unregenerate,  who  are 
awakened  to  desire  and  seek  after  it." 

If  this  passage  of  Scripture  is  duly  attended  to,  it  will  ap- 
pear, I  doubt  not,  that  it  aft'ords  no  foundation  for  what  the 
doctor  attempts  to  argue  from  it. 

There  are  two  things  promised  by  God,  in  this  chapter, 
which  he  would  do  in  behalf  of  the  people  of  Israel,  now  under 
his  correction  for  their  sins,  both  of  which  depended,  not  on 
them,  but  on  God's  sovereign  determination  to  do  it,  not  for 
their  sakes,  but  for  his  own  holy  name's  sake.  This  is  re- 
peatedly declared  in  this  very  passage.  (Ez«k.  xxxvi.  22,  23.) 
God  is  through  this  whole  passage  represented,  not  as  waiting 
for  them  to  do  something  in  order  to  his  bestowing  good 
things  promised  to  them  on  this  condition,  but  declares  what 
shall  be,  in  which  he  himself  is  the  first  mover,  and  which  he 
will  accomplish  in  and  for  them,  independent  of  them. 

1.  One  thing  promised  is,  that  he  would  bring  them  from 
the  state  of  captivity  and  affliction  in  which  they  now  were  in 
Babylon,  and  resettle  them  in  the  land  of  Canaan  in  a  state 
of  prosperity,  and  there  greatly  increase  and  multiply  them. 

2.  The  other  thing  which  God  here  promises  is,  that  in 
order  to  prepare  them  for  this  deliverance  and  prosperity,  that 
it  might  be  for  their  good  and  the  glory  of  his  name,  he  would 
take  away  the  hard,  obstinate,  impenitent,  prayerless  heart 
which  they  now  appeared  to  have,  and  give  them  a  new, 
penitent,  obedient,  praying  heart.  They  had  now  no  heart  to 
repent,  and  humble  themselves,  and  seek  the  Lord,  but  were 
stitf-necked,  hard-hearted,  and  most  rebellious.  (Ezek.  ii.  iii.) 
Instead  of  humbling  themselves  under  God's  corrections,  they 
were  disposed  to  justify  themselves,  and  complained  that  they 
were  injured,  and  that  God's  ways  towards  them  were  not 
just  and  equal.  (Ezek.  xviii.  33.)  God  here  promises  that  he 
will  take  away  this  hard,  rebellious  heart,  and  give  them 
"a  heart  of  flesh,"  a  penitent  heart,  a  heart  to  humble  them- 
selves, to  loathe  and  abhor  themselves  for  their  iniquities  and 
abominations,  (Ezek.  xviii.  31,)  a  heart  to  know  their  depend- 
ence on  him,  and  seek  him  for  that  deliverance  he  had  prom- 
ised to  grant.  When  God  says,  "  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired 
of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them,"  the  meaning  is, 
that  they  should  be  brought  to  seek  him  in  a  sense  of  their 
dependence  upon  him  for  that  deliverance  and  enlargement 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  227 

which  he  had  promised,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  words  im- 
mediately preceding  and  following  these.  And  this  seeking 
God  is  so  far  from  being  the  condition  of  their  obtaining  a 
humble,  penitent,  obedient  heart,  that  such  a  heart  is  necessary 
in  order  to  this,  and  is  implied  in  it.  A  heart  to  seek  God 
was  a  new  heart,  a  heart  entirely  different  from,  and  opposite 
to,  the  tem))er  and  disposition  they  then  had,  and,  therefore,  is 
the  very  thing  promised  when  God  says,  "  I  will  give  them  a 
heart  of  flesh." 

This  restoration  of  the  people  of  Israel,  and  return  to  their 
own  land,  after  they  had  been  long  captivated  and  oppressed 
by  their  enemies,  is  many  times  spoken  of,  and  the  temper 
and  exercises  of  mind  w^hich  they  should  be  brought  to,  in 
order  to  this,  is  often  mentioned  in  Scripture,  and  represented 
by  the  following  expressions:  "If  they  shall  confess  their  in- 
iquity and  the  iniquity  of  their  fathers,  with  their  trespass 
which  they  have  trespassed  against  me,  and  that  also  they 
have  walked  contrary  unto  me  :  if  then  their  uncircumcised 
hearts  be  humbled,  and  they  then  accept  the  punishment  of 
their  iniquity,  then  will  I  remember  my  covenant  with  Jacob," 
etc.  (Lev.  xxvi.  40,  41.)  "  But  if  from  thence  thou  shalt  seek 
the  Lord  thy  God,  thou  shalt  find  him,  if  thou  seek  him  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul.  If  thou  turn  to  the  Lord 
thy  God,  and  shalt  be  obedient  unto  his  voice,"  etc.  (Deut.  iv, 
29,  30.)  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  when  all  these  things 
are  come  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  call  them  to  mind  among 
the  nations  whither  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  driven  thee,  and 
shalt  return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  shalt  obey  his  voice, 
according  to  all  that  I  command  thee  this  day,  with  all  thine 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  then  the  Lord  thy  God  will 
turn  thy  captivity,"  etc.  (Deut.  xxx.  1-3.)  "  And  the  Lord 
thy  God  will  circumcise  thine  heart  to  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thine  heart,  and  thou  shalt  return  and  obey 
the  voice  of  the  Lord,"  etc.  (Deut.  xxx.  6,  8.)  "  Yet  if  they 
shall  bethink  themselves  in  the  land  whither  they  shall  be  car- 
ried captives,  and  repent,  and  make  supplication  unto  thee, 
in  the  land  of  them  that  carried  them  captives,  saying,  We 
have  sinned,  and  so  return  unto  thee  with  all  their  heart,  and 
with  all  their  soul,  and  pray  unto  thee,  towards  their  land,  then 
hear  thou  their  prayer  and  their  supplication,"  etc.  (1  Kings 
viii.  47-49.)  "  For  I  will  set  mine  eyes  upon  them  for  good, 
and  I  will  bring  them  again  to  this  land.  And  I  will  give 
them  a  heart  to  know  me,  that  I  am  the  Lord,  and  they  shall 
be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God ;  for  they  shall  return 
unto  me  with  their  whole  heart."  (Jer.  xxiv.  6,  7.)  "  Then 
shall  ye  call  upon  me,  and  ye  shall  go  and  pray  unto  me,  and 


228  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

I  will  hearken  unto  you.  And  ye  shall  seek  me,  and  find  me, 
when  ye  shall  search  for  me  with  all  your  heart.  And  I  will 
be  found  of  you,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  turn  away  your 
captivity,"  etc.  (Jer.  xxix.  12-14.)  "  Behold,  I  will  bring  them 
from  the  north  country,  etc.  They  shall  come  with  weepinof, 
and  with  supplications  will  I  lead  them."  (Jer.  xxxi.  8,  9.) 
"  And  they  that  escape  of  you  shall  remember  me  among  the 
nations  whither  they  shall  be  carried  captives,  and  they  shall 
loathe  themselves  for  the  evils  which  they  have  committed  in 
all  their  abominations.  And  they  shall  know  that  I  am  the 
Lord."  (Ezek.  vi.  9,  10.)  "  And  I  will  give  them  one  heart, 
and  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within  you,  and  I  will  take  the 
stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  a  heart  of 
flesh,  that  they  may  walk  in  my  statutes."  (Ezek.  xi.  19,  20.) 
"  A  new  heart,  also,  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put 
within  you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  And  I  will  put  my 
Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and 
ye  shall  keep  my  judgments,  and  do  them.  Then  shall  ye 
remember  your  own  ways,  and  your  doings  that  were  not 
good,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight  for  your 
iniquities  and  for  your  abominations.  Not  for  your  sakes  do 
I  this,  saith  the  Lord  God,  be  it  known  unto  you ;  be  ashamed 
and  confounded  for  your  own  ways,  O  house  of  Israel.  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the 
house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them ;  I  will  increase  them  with 
men  like  a  flock."  (Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27,  31,  32,  37.) 

From  these  passages,  thus  put  together  and  compared,  and 
duly  considered  with  the  context,  I  think  the  following  things 
will  be  evident  beyond  dispute:  — 

1.  That  to  have  their  uncircumcised  heart  humbled  and  cir- 
cumcised to  love  the  Lord,  a  heart  to  know  the  Lord,  and  a  new 
heart,  is  the  same  thing;  and  that  this  implies,  or  is  the  only 
foundation  of,  repentance  and  turning  to  the  Lord,  obeying  his 
voice,  doing  his  commandmenfs,  and  walking  in  his  statutes 
with  their  whole  heart,  which  also  implies,  and  is  really  the 
same  with  confessing  their  iniquity,  loathing  themselves  for 
their  iniquities  and  abominations,  seeking  the  Lord,  and  search- 
ing for  him  with  all  the  heart  and  with  all  the  soul,  praying  and 
making  supplications  to  him,  and  inquiring  of  him  to  do  these 
things  for  them,  i.  e.,  to  deliver  and  save  them.  The  temper  and 
exercises  of  heart  denoted  in  these  several  passages,  and  by 
these  different  expressions,  are,  as  to  substance,  one  and  the 
same ;  at  least,  any  one  of  these  things  here  mentioned  does  im- 
ply all  the  rest;  so  that  where  that  is  found,  there  the  others 
are,  as  connected  with,  and  implied  in  it.     These  Scriptures 


THE  doctor's  arguments  EXAMINED.  229 

cannot  be  reconciled,  or  even  understood,  on  any  other  suppo- 
sition. The  heart  with  which  they  were  to  make  supplication 
to  God,  inquire  of  him  and  seek  him  for  what  they  wanted, 
was  not  an  uncircumcised,  stupid,  ignorant,  hard,  impenitent, 
rebellious,  proud  heart,  but  a  heart  of  flesh,  a  penitent,  hum- 
ble, obedient  heart ;  a  heart  to  confess  and  forsake  their  sins, 
and  loathe  themselves  for  them. 

All  these  predictions  and  promises  were  exemplified  and 
fulfilled  in  Daniel,  Ezra,  and  Nehemiah,  and  all  the  pious  Jews 
who  were  returned  from  the  Babylonish  captivity.  They  had 
a  new  heart;  a  heart  directly  opposite  to  the  prevailing  tem- 
per and  disposition  of  their  fathers,  who  went  into  captivity. 
They  inquired  of  God,  sought  him  with  their  whole  heart,  for 
the  salvation  they  needed ;  and  returned  with  weeping  and 
supplications,  with  repentance  and  confession  of  their  sins, 
and  the  sins  of  their  fathers.  (See  Dan.  ix.  1—19.  Ez.  vii. 
10 ;  viii.  21—23 ;  ix.  5—15.  Neh.  i.  and  ix.)  And  it  may  be  of 
use  here  to  observe,  that  Nehemiah  represents  the  condition 
of  their  finding  mercy,  not  to  be  a  seeking  God  with  a  hard, 
impenitent  heart,  but  a  penitent,  obedient  one,  which  is  the 
same  with  a  desire  to  fear  God's  name.  "  Remember,  I  be- 
seech thee,  the  word  that  thou  commandest  thy  servant  Mo- 
ses, saying.  If  ye  transgress,  I  will  scatter  you  abroad  among 
the  nations;  but  if  ye  turn  unto  me,  and  keep  my  command- 
ments, and  do  them,"  etc.  "  O  Lord,  I  beseech  thee,  let  thine 
ear  be  attentive  to  the  prayer  of  thy  servants,  who  desire  to 
fear  thy  name."    (Neh.  i.  8,  9-11.) 

And  as  this  temporal  salvation  was  promised  to  seeking 
God  with  their  whole  hearts,  and  inquiring  of  him  to  do  it  for 
them,  so  that  eternal  salvation,  of  which  this  was  an  emblem, 
is  promised  to  this  same  condition.  "  The  humble  shall  see 
this  and  be  glad  ;  and  your  heart  shall  live  that  seek  God." 
(Ps.  Ixix.  32.)  "Let  all  those  that  seek  thee  rejoice,  and  be 
glad  in  thee ;  and  let  such  as  love  thy  salvation  say  continu- 
ally, Let  God  be  magnified."  (Ps.  Ixx.  4.)  "Blessed  are  the 
undefiled  in  the  way,  who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord. 
Blessed  are  they  that  keep  his  testimonies,  and  that  seek  him 
with  their  whole  heart."  (Ps.  cxix.  1,  2.)  "  Seek,  and  ye  shall 
find."  (Matt.  vii.  7.)  "  Whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved."  (Rom.  x.  13.)  But  who  are 
they  who  seek  God  with  their  whole  hearts?  Not  the  proud, 
impenitent,  disobedient,  and  hard-hearted;  but  the  humble; 
they  who  love  the  salvation  of  God,  they  who  are  undefiled  in 
the  way,  who  walk  in  the  law  of  the  Lord ;  who  have  clean 
hands  and  a  pure  heart.  (See  Ps.  xxiv.  3-6.)  The  Psalm- 
ist says,  "  The  wicked,  through  the  pride  of  his  countenance^ 
VOL.  III.  20 


230  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

will  not  seek  after  God."  (Ps.  x.  4.)  And  St.  Paul  tells  us,  in 
a  quotation  from  the  Psalmist,  that  there  is  no  man  in  his 
natural,  unrenewed  state,  that  seeketh  after  God.  (Rom,  iii. 
11.)  And  who  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord?  Not  the 
blind,  rebellious,  and  unbelieving,  as  all  the  unregenerate  are; 
for  how  shall  they  call  on  him,  in  whom  they  have  not  be- 
lieved ?    (Rom.  X.  14.) 

2.  It  is  also  evident  that  this  condition  of  their  deliverance 
and  salvation,  the  whole  of  it  taken  together,  is  itself  promised 
by  God,  as  what  he  would  work  in  them.  God  himself  prom- 
ises not  only  to  deliver  them  out  of  captivity,  but  to  circum- 
cise their  hearts,  to  give  them  a  heart  of  llesh,  by  which  they 
should  become  a  humble,  penitent  people,  and  turn  to  him,  and 
seek  him  with  all  their  heart,  as  a  proper  preparative  for  the 
outward  deliverance  he  had  promised.  When  God  says,  in 
the  text  under  consideration,  "  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired 
of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them,"  it  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  promise  that  he  \Yill  bring  them  to  this,  by  giving 
them  a  humble,  praying  heart,  which  they  were  far  from  then ; 
which,  therefore,  must  be  a  new  heart.  God  promises  that  he 
will  bring  them  to  seek  him  with  their  whole  hearts,  which  is 
expressed  thus  in  words  before  cited :  "  They  shall  come  with 
weeping,  and  with  supplications  will  I  lead  them."  But  they 
could  not  be  brought  to  this  while  their  hearts  were  uncir- 
cumcised,  and  hearts  of  stone  ;  but  in  order  to  this,  God  must 
circumcise  their  hearts  to  love  him,  and  give  them  a  heart  of 
flesh ;  and  it  was  impossible  to  accomplish  it  in  any  other 
way.  So  far  is  this  seeking  God  from  being  antecedent  to 
a  new  heart,  and.  required,  as  what  must  take  place  in  order 
to  it. 

What  do  they  mean  who  flatter  sinners  that  they  may  sin- 
cerely and  heartily,  or  with  their  whole  hearts,  seek  a  new 
heart,  as  the  condition  of  obtaining  it,  and  that  to  which  a 
new  heart  is  promised  ?  Are  not  all  the  exercises  of  an  im- 
penitent, rebellious  heart,  impenitent,  rebellious  exercises? 
and  does  not  the  old  heart  perfectly  hate  and  oppose  a  new 
heart?  Does  not  the  flesh  lust  against  the  spirit?  and  are  not 
these  contrary  the  one  to  the  other  ?  What  sincerity  and 
heartiness,  then,  is  there  in  asking  for  a  new  heart  with  a  heart 
so  perfectly  opposite  to  the  thing  asked  for?  The  doctor  says, 
"  It  were  highly  absurd  to  suppose  that  a  man  must  have  a 
new  heart,  in  order  to  his  inquiring  of,  or  seeking  God,  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  obtain  such  a  heart  of  him."  It  may  be  re- 
plied, Not  more  absurd  than  to  suppose  that  a  person  under- 
the  dominion  of  a  hard,  impenitent,  rebellious  heart,  does,  with 
such  a  heart,  even  with  all  his  heart,  desire  a  humble,  broken 


THE    doctor's    arguments    EXAMINED.  231 

heart,  and  truly  and  sincerely  seek  for  it  For  this  is  as  ab- 
surd as  to  suppose  that  sin  and  obstinacy  itself  is  reconciled 
to  holiness  and  subjection  to  God's  law.  There  is  no  such 
thing  supposed  in  the  Bible;  nor  will  common  sense  admit 
of  it,  however  commonly  it  has  been  supposed,  and  though  the 
doctor  has  done  it,  not  only  in  the  argument  under  consider- 
ation, but  through  all  his  performance. 

On  the  whole,  does  it  not  appear  beyond  contradiction,  from 
this  view  of  the  case,  that  inquiring  of  God,  in  the  text  under 
consideration,  is  the  same  with  what  is  called  by  Jeremiah, 
when  speaking  of  the  same  thing,  seeking  God,  and  search- 
ing for  him  with  their  whole  hearts,  and  that  this  is  seeking 
God  with  a  new  heart?  If  so,  the  doctor  has  wholly  perverted 
this  passage.  I  have  been  the  more  particular  on  this  text, 
because  it  is  so  strangely  misunderstood,  not  only  by  the  doc- 
tor, but  by  many  others. 

The  doctor  takes  his  twelfth  argument  from  the  following 
words  of  the  apostle  Peter :  "  According  as  his  divine  power 
hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and  godli- 
ness, through  the  knowledge  of  him  that  hath  called  us  to 
glory  and  virtue ;  whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great 
and  precious  promises,  that  by  these  you  might  be  made  par- 
takers of  the  divine  nature,  having  escaped  the  corruption  that 
is  in  the  world  through  lust."    (2  Pet.  i.  3,  4.) 

By  the  "  things  pertaining  to  life  and  godliness,"  the  doctor 
understands  the  external  privileges  of  the  gospel,  among  which 
he  reckons  "  the  great  and  precious  promises,"  the  end  of 
which,  he  says,  is,  our  being  made  "  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature,"  which  is  the  same  with  a  new  heart ;  and  "  escaping 
the  corruptions  that  are  in  the  world  through  lusts,"  he  takes 
to  be  the  same  with  striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ; 
and  he  finally  observes,  "that  this  divine  nature  or  new  heart 
is  given  in  a  way  of  promise,  or  in  the  fulfilment  of  the  prom- 
ises." Hence  he  infers  that  there  are  promises  of  a  new  heart 
to  the  unregenerate  who  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate. 

If  by  "  all  things  pertaining  to  life  and  godliness  "  are  meant 
the  gifts,  qualifications,  and  peculiar  advantages  bestowed  by 
the  divine  power,  even  that  mighty  power  which  is  exercised 
towards  them  who  believe,  (Eph.  i.  19,)  bestowed,  I  say,  on 
true  Christians,  to  whom  the  apostle  is  speaking,  who  have 
obtained  precious  faith,  through  or  in  the  righteousness  of 
God,  and  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  (verse  1,)  —  if  by  "exceed- 
ing great  and  precious  promises  "  are  meant  the  promises  of 
all  good  things,  made  to  God's  people,  but  more  especially  of 
the  heavenly  inheritance,  —  and  by  "  partaking  of  the  divine 
nature  is  meant  this  perfect  purity  and  holiness  for  which  all 


232  THE  doctor's  arguments  examined. 

true  Christians  are  candidates;  for  which  they  are  longing, 
and  to  which  they  shall  all  be  finally  brought,"  —  and  by 
"  escaping  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust  is 
meant  crucifying  the  llesh  with  the  aftections  and  lusts  puri- 
fying ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,  (2  Cor.  vii.  1,)  and  purifying  our- 
selves as  Christ  is  pure,"  (1  John  iii.  3,)  being  encouraged  and 
animated  hereto  by  the  great  and  precious  promises  made  to 
the  people  and  servants  of  God,  thus  to  "  press  towards  the 
mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus," 
(Phil.  iii.  14,)  "not  being  slothful,  but  followers  of  them  who, 
through  faith  and  patience,  inherit  the  promises,"  (Heb.  i.  12;) 
I  say,  if  these  several  phrases  are  thus  understood,  the  true 
sense  of  the  whole  passage  will  be  found  in  the  following 
paraphrase  :  — 

"  I  Peter,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  write  this  epistle  to  all 
true  believers.  My  beloved  brethren,  as  you  have  entered 
upon  the  Christian  life,  so  I  earnestly  wish  you  may  make 
great  progress,  and  that  all  divine  gifts  and  graces  may  be 
multiplied  and  abound,  in  and  by  an  increase  in  the  knowledge 
of  God  and  the  Savior.  This  it  is  most  proper  for  me  to  wish 
for  you,  and  I  am  especially  encouraged  to  do  it,  since  by  the 
exceeding  greatness  of  God's  power,  which  has  been  exercised 
towards  every  one  that  believeth,  you  have  been  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  quickened  by  the  partaking  of  spiritual  life  and 
true  holiness,  in  the  knowledge  of  him  who  has  hereby  effect- 
ually called  and  furnished  you  to  press  on  to  the  perfect  holi- 
ness and  glory  of  his  eternal  kingdom. 

"  And  has  also  given  you  exceeding  great  and  precious 
promises,  that  by  these  you  might  be  encouraged  and  animated 
to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  cleansing  yourselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  in  the  denial  of  all  un- 
godliness and  every  worldly  lust." 

Very  parallel  to  these  words  are  those  of  St.  Paul.  "  Hav- 
ing therefore  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  our- 
selves from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  God."  (2  Cor.  vii.  1.)  And  several  other 
passages  which  might  be  mentioned. 

The  most  natural  and  easy  sense  of  these  words,  and  the 
most  agreeable  to  parallel  passages  of  Scripture,  being  given, 
there  appears  to  be  no  foundation  in  them  for  the  argument 
the  doctor  attempts  to  find  in  them.  It  is  therefore  needless 
particularly  to  show  how  groundless  and  forced  is  the  meaning 
which  he  puts  upon  them. 

The  doctor's  arguments  have  been  now,  I  trust,  fairly  and 
fully  considered.     And  it  must  be  left  to  those  who  interest 


A    SHORT    AND    PLAIN    STATE    OF    THE    CASE.  233 

themselves  in  this  question  to  judge,  whether  he  has  in  any 
measure  proved  that  there  are  any  promises  in  the  Bible  of 
regenerating  grace  or  salvation,  to  the  doings  of  the  unregen- 
erate.  The  doctor  is  very  sanguine  in  the  matter,  and  concludes 
that  he  has  produced,  "  not  only  satisfactory  and  conclusive 
evidence  of  it,  but  a  full  blaze  of  it,  so  as  to  take  away  even 
the  possibility  of  doubt  from  any  person  of  a  tolerable  com- 
prehension of  mind,  who  seriously  attends  to  it,  unless  he 
is  under  the  influence  of  some  very  unhappy,  though  he  does 
not  say  criminal,  prejudice."  On  which  side  the  evidence 
lies,  where  the  prejudice  is,  and  how  far  criminal,  let  the  un- 
prejudiced judge.  That  all  may  be  under  the  better  advantage 
to  do  this,  the  following  sections  are  added. 


SECTION   VII. 

A  short  and  plain  State  of  the   Case. 

While  we  have  been  attending  to  the  doctor's  state  of  the 
question,  and  his  arguments  to  support  the  tenet  he  espouses, 
some  things  have  been  said  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  help  to  set 
this  matter  in  a  true  light.  However,  it  may  not  be  improper 
here  to  collect  the  whole  of  this  kind,  so  as  to  give  a  plain, 
short  view  of  the  case. 

Man  is  not  only  by^in  plunged  into  a  state  of  infinite  guilt, 
from  which  he  cannot  be  delivered,  consistent  with  the  law 
and  moral  government  he  is  under,  unless  he  is  interested  in, 
or  united  to,  the  Mediator,  but  he  has  also  by  his  apostasy 
lost  the  moral  image  of  God,  or  all  true  holiness ;  and  conse- 
quently is  wholly  corrupt,  and  under  the  dominion  of  appetites 
jmd  inclinations  directly.  c.oatrai:y,.,,fe0ui2lod..swj4,vh  This 

*  Dr.  Mayhew  allows  that  men  are  destitute  of  all  true  holiness  until  they 
are  born  again,  or  have  a  new  heart  given  them  in  regeneration.  Yet  he  repre- 
sents the  exercises  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  as  having  something  of  the 
nature  of  obedience  to  God  in  them,  and  therefore  good  ;  and  consequently  not 
wholly  unpleasing  to  God.  I  should  be  glad  to  know  of  the  doctor  what  that 
obedience  is  which  falls  wholly  short  of  true  holiness.  If  it  is  obedience  to 
God's  law,  it  is  true  holiness,  if  there  is  any  such  thing  in  nature ;  if  it  is  not 
obedience  to  God's  law,  how  and  in  what  sense  is  it  any  obedience  at  all  ?  He 
will  be  pleased  also  to  tell  us  what  that  is  in  the  exercises  and  doings  of  the 
unregenerate  which  is  of  the  nature  of  good,  and  yet  has  nothing  of  the  nature 
of  true  holiness.  The  world  has  yet  found  out  but  two  sorts  of  good,  viz., 
natural  and  moral  —  holiness  and  happiness.  But  as  the  doctor  means  neither 
of  these  by  the  good  that  is  found  with,  unregenerate  men,  he  would  oblige 
the  world  if  he  would  tell  what  this  new-discovered  good  is. 

The  doctor's  rejjresenting  the  doings  of  wicked  men  as  good,  and  in  some 
degree  pleasing'  to  God,  brings  to  my  mind  the  words  of  Malachi,  (chap.  ii. 
17.)     "  Ye  h'-  >«JJed  the  Lord  with  youx  words.    Yet  ye  say,  Wherein  have 


234       A  SHORT  AND  PLAIN  STATE  OF  THE  CASE. 

is  the  carnal  mind,  which  the  Scripture  says  "  is  enmity  against 
God ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of"  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be."  (Rom.  viii.  7.)  This  corruption  or  viciousness  of 
heart  being  so  great  and  universal,  the  sinner  will  not  repent, 
or  have  any  right  exercises  towards  God  and  his  law,  uiitUbJs'^ 
v/h.eart  is  in  some  degree  renewed  and  set  right.  In  this  state 
the  gospel  finds  man;  in  which  pardon  and  salvation, through 
a  Mediator,  are  freely  offered  to  his  acceptance,  and  all  are 
invited  to  come  to  Christ,  believe  on  him  and  trust  in  him,  for 
all  they  want;  being  assured  that,  on  this  condition,  Christ, 
with  all  his  benefits,  shall  be  theirs. 

But  as  the  way  in  which  this  salvation  is  given  is  in  a 
peculiar  manner  adapted  to  do  honor  to  the  law  which  the 
sinner  has  broken,  and  vindicate  the  divine  character,  to  which 
he  is  a  perfect  enemy ;  and  as  the  Savior  himself,  in  all  he 
has  done  in  the  character  of  a  Mediator,  has,  above  all  others, 
condemned  sin,  and  manifested  his  love  of  righteousness  and 
hatred  of  iniquity ;  and  as  the  salvation  itself  which  he  gives 
consists  summarily  in  deliverance  from  sin,  and  the  exercise 
and  enjoyment  of  true  holiness,  —  the  sinner  is  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  an  enemy  to  the  gospel,  to  the  Mediator,  viewedJri 
his  true  character,  to  the  way  in  which  he  saves  sinners,  and 
to  the  salvation  itself.  And  he  always  continues  so  while  an 
enemy  to  holiness,  and  an  impenitent;  or  until  his  heart  is  -..^ 
changed,  and  he  comes,  to  a  new  temper  and^disposition. 
This  change  of  the  corrupt  heart  is,  in  Scripture,  spoken  of  aS- 
the  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  which  sinnersare  said  to  be 
born  of  the  Spirit;  to  have  the  stony  Heart  taken  away,  and  a 
heart  of  flesh,  or  a  new  heart,  given  ;  to  be  quickened,  or  made 
alive  from  the  dead ;  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works. 

i  It  is  also  called  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  the  renewing 

*i  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

As  men  do  in  their  natural  state,  with  their  whole  hearts, 
reject  the  good  things  offered  in  the  gospel,  and  their  doing 
so  is  wholly  owing  to  an  inexcusable  wickedness  of  heart, 
God  is  not  obliged,  in  reason  or  justice,  to  remove  this  volun- 

'  tary,  wicked,  inexcusable  opposition,  and  bring  them  to  a 
willing  compliance  with  his  proposals.  Neither  has  he  obliged 
himself  to  do  this  for  any,  by  promises  to  any  thing  which 

•we  wearied  him  ?  When  ye  say,  Every  one  that  doeth  evil  is  good  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord,  and  he  delighteth  in  them."  Our  Savior  says,  "A  corrupt  tree 
cannot  bring  forth  good  fruit."  Very  agreeable  to  this,  a  noted  author  well 
observes,  "  It  is  the  good  tree  only  that  bringeth  forth  good  fruit ;  and  it  is  only 
a  good  man,  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his  heart,  that  bringeth  forth  good 
things.  A  holy  principle  within  is  considered  in  Scripture  as  prior  to  good 
works,  the  latter  being  the  exertions  and  operations  of  the  former."  (Dr.  May- 
hew's  Sermons  on  various  Subjects,  p.  191.) 


A  SHORT  AND  PLAIN  STATE  OF  THE  CASE.       235 

they  shall  do,  as  the  condition  of  it.  Therefore,  whenever, 
and  in  whatever  instance,  God  takes  away  the  heart  of  stone 
and  gives  a  new  heart,  he  acj^s  as  being  unobligcd,  or  sover- 
eignly, and  bestows  an  unpromised  favor;  and  so  "has  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  harden- 
eth  ; "  i.  e.,  leaves  under  the  dominion  of  a  hard,  stony  heart. 
But  when  God  gives  a  new  heart  in  regeneration,  a  foundation 
is  laid  in  the  mind  for  a  discerning  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
in  their  real  beauty  and  excellency,  (to  which  the  unregenerate 
heart,  or  the  mind  under  the  dominion  of  lust,  is  wholly  blind,) 
and  for  those  right  exercises,  in  which  faith  or  Christian  holi- 
ness consists.  And  a.11  the  promises  of  the  gospel  are  made 
to  these  exercises  of  the  ramd,  in  which  the  mind  discerns 
divine  truth  in  some  measure  as  it  is,  and  heartily  embraces 
the  gospel.  And  the^  first  exercise  of  this  kind  entitles  the 
person  to  all  divine  promises ;  to  pardon  of  sin  and  eternal 
life,  and  to  all  those  divine  influences  by  which  he  shall  per- 
severe in  faith  and  holiness,  until  he  shall  be  perfectly  delivered 
from  all  sin,  and  awake  complete  in  God's  likeness. 
2h  There  must,  therefore,  be  a  distinction  kept  up  between 
■^  regeneration,  which  is  the  work  of  God  in  giving  a  new  heart, 
and  in  which  men  are  perfectly  passive,  and  active  conversion 
in  which  men,  being  regenerated,  turn  from  sin  to  God,  in  the 
exercise  of  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  towards  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  in  consequence  of  w"hich  they  are 
pardoned  and  received  to  favor,  and  a  title  to  eternal  life,  and 
have  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  to  dwell  with  them  forever,  as  an 
abiding  principle  of  life  and  holiness.  All  tins,  with  every 
benefit  which  men  receive  by  Christ,  is  promised  to  those  who 
believe  or  heartily  embrace  the  gospel,  and  not  to  regeneratip_n  ; 
for  to  this,  considered  as  antecedent  to  all  action,  and  only  as 
the  foundation  of  right  exercise,  no  promise  is.  oiade.  Neither 
are  those  influences  by  which  men  are  regenerated  in  this 
sense  meant  by  giving  or  receiving  the  Spirit,  as  the  Spirit  of 
promise,  by  which  believers,  and  they  only,  are  sealed  to  the 
day  of  redemption.  But  men  receive  the  Spirit,  in  this  sense, 
as  a  Spirit  of  adoption,  by  which  all  God's  children  are  led  by 
faith,  or  a  hearty  receiving  Christ  with  all  his  benefits.  (See 
John  i.  12.  Gal.  iii.  14,  2(3.  Eph.  i.  13.)  They  who  will  not 
make  and  understand  this  distinction,  must  think  and  talk  in 
some  measure  unintelligibly  on  this  point. 

This  change,  therefore,  called  regeneration,  by  which  a  new 
heart  is  given,  as  the  foundation  of  all  true  discerning  of  the 
things  of  God's  moral  kingdom,  and  of  all  right  exercises  of 
heart ;  this  change,  I  say,  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  im- 
mediately and  instantaneously,  and  altogether  imperceptibly 


236       A  SHORT  AND  PLAIN  STATE  OF  THE  CASE. 

to  the  person  who  is  the  subject  of  it,  —  it  being  impossible  that 
he  should  know  what  God  has  done  for  him  but  by  a  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  views  and  exercises,  which  are  the  fruit 
and  consequence  of  the  divine  operation,  —  these  views  and 
exercises  of  the  regenerate,  in  which  they  turn  from  sin  to 
God,  or  embrace  the  gospel,  are  often  in  Scripture  spoken  of 
as  included  in  that  change  which  is  called  a  being-  born  ag-ain; 
as  all  the  change  which  is  perceptible,  and  in  which  man  is 
active,  consists  in  this.  And  this  is  sometimes  called,  by 
divines,  active  conversion,  to  distinguish  it  from  regeneration, 
or  that  change  in  which  men  are  passive. 

Men  being  washed  by  regeneration  and  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  hard,  rebellious  heart  being  subdued  in  a  de- 
gree, and  a  new  and  opposite  bias,  which  is  by  our  Savior 
called  an  honest  and  g-ood  heart,  being  given,  the  light  and 
truth  of  God's  word  enters  into  the  mind,  and  it  discerns  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  their  reality,  beauty,  wisdom, 
glory  :  and  in  this  view  and  sense  of  divine  truth  the  heart  ap- 
proves of  the  divine  character,  comes  to  Christ  for  life,  or  believes 
on  him,  and  sincerely  and  heartily  asks  for  the  Spirit,  or  that 
living  water  which  Christ  gives,  and  which  comprehends  all 
good  things.  And  to  this  hungering  and  thirsting  after  right- 
eousness, coming  to  Christ,  believing  on  him  and  trusting  in 
him ;  to  this  asking,  knocking,  seeking,  divine  promises  are  made, 
even  to  the  first  and  lowest  degree  of  this  kind  of  exercise.  To 
such  the  Spirit  is  given  as  a  fountain,  "a  well  of  living  water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  (John  iv.  14.)  And  by  this 
actively  cleaving  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  a  view  of  his  true  character 
as  Mediator  and  Savior,  and  uniting  themselves  to  him,  a  proper 
foundation  is  laid  for  their  being  looked  upon  and  treated  as 
being  in  him,  and  in  a  sense  one  with  him  ;  so  that  on  his  ac- 
count, out  of  respect  to  his  merit  and  worthiness,  they  are 
pardoned  and  received  to  favor;  they  become  the  children  of 
God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  heirs  of  eternal  life.  And  as 
they  have  thus  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  they  walk  in 
him  ;  the  life  they  live  is  by  faith  on  the  Son  of  God,  and 
consists  in  cleaving  to  Christ  in  all  proper  ways,  in  coming  to 
him,  living  upon  him,  asking  and  receiving  all  good  things 
from  hitn  as  a  free  gift  to  the  infinitely  unworthy. 

The  unregenerate  sinner  may  be  in  a  sort  convinced  in Jiig 
judgment  and  conscience  that  he  has  by  his  sin  exposed  him- 
self to  eternal  destruction  ;  that  he  can  be  delivered  from  this 
evil  and  obtain  salvation  only  by  .Tesus  Christ,  by  coming  to 
him  and  believing  on  him,  and  that  in  order  to  this  he  must 
have  a  new  heart  given  him  by  God.  And  he  may  have  sucti 
a  sense  of  his  danger  and  misery  and  of  the  awfuLcoQseciVience 


NO    PROMISES    OF    SALVATION    TO    THE    UNREGENERATE.       237 

of  sin,  as  to  fill  his  mind  with  great  uneasiness  and  distress. 
This  may,  while  it  continues,  deaden  1iim"fo'a11  carnal  gratifi- 
cations, and  make  him  afraid  to  in.dulge^himself  in  any  overt 
acts  of  known  sin,  and  lead  him  to  make  deliverance  from  fu- 
ture misery  his  great  concern,  and  earnestly  to  seek  this  in  the 
use  of  all  means ;  being  all  attention  to  the  great  concerns  of 
his  soul,  and  a  future  world.  But  all  this  does  not  alter  the 
reigning  temper  and  disposition  of  the  heart.  There  may  be 
yet  no  more, true  hatred  of  sin  than  before,  and  a  reigning  en- 
mity against  the  divine  character,  and  law,  and  against  the 
gospel ;  and  the  heart  may  therefore  be  asjar  from  repentance 
and  acceptance  of  offered  salvation  by  Jesus'  Christ  as^gver, 
and  really  reject  and  abhor  the  good  things  offered  in  the  gos- 
pel, and  'so  be  far  from  truly  desiring  and  asking  for  them. 
And  thjs^is  certainly  the  case\vith  every  unregenerate  person, 
whatever  concern  and  exercises  he  may  have  about  the  salva- 
tion of  his  soul,  and  whatever  he  may  pretend  and  think  of 
himself  If  he  thinks  better  of  himself,  as  thousands  do,  it  is 
all  delusion.  And  they  who  go  about  to  strengthen  and  con- 
firm men  in  such  delusion  are  strengthening  the  cause  of  the 
prince  of  darkness,  instead  of  promoting  the  interest  of  Christ, 
and  the  salvation  of  sinners. 

I  shall,  therefore,  think  myself  doing  God  service,  and  that 
/  which  tends  to  promote  the  good  of  mankind,  while  I  attempt 
to  prove  that  there  are  no  promises  of  regenerating  grace  or 
salvation  made  to  these  exercises  and  doings  of  the  unre- 
generate in  the  Holy  Scripture.  This  is  the  design  of  the  fol- 
lowing section. 

SECTION    VIII. 

Arg-mnents  to  prove  that  there  are  no  Promises  of  regenerating 
Grace  or  Salvation,  in  the  Scripture,  to  the  Exercises  and 
Doings  of  Unregenerate  Men. 

That  the  doctor's  arguments  to  support  the  affirmative  of 
the  question  before  us  are  by  no  means  satisfactory  and  con- 
clusive, I  have  endeavored  to  show.     I  shall  now  attempt  to 
prove  the  negative,  by  suggesting,  as  briefly  as  I  can,  some  of 
the   most   obvious    arguments  which    have    occurred   to   my 
mind. 
y         Arg.   1.    That    there    are    no    promises    of    regenerating 
)  grace"lTm3e    to    the    exercises    and    doings  of   the    unregen- 
\  erate,  may  be  argued  from  many  particular  passages  in  Holy 
■  Scripture. 

In   Scripture   men  are  required  to_re45ejnt  and  brieve,  and 


238 


NO    PROMISES    OF    SALVATION    TO 


turn  to  God,  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  and  are  declared 
to  be  in  a  state  of  condemnation  until  they  do  so.  "  Except 
ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  (Luke  xiii.  3.)  "He 
that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God."  (.John 
iii.  18.)  "He  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life; 
but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  (J,ohn  v.  36.)  "  He 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  (Mark  xvi,  16.)  If  he 
fiiat  believeth  not  shall  be  damned,  is  now  under  condemna- 
tion, and  has  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on  him,  surely  he  has 
not  at  the  same  time,  even  while  he  does  not  believe,  a  promise 
of  God's  favor  and  eternal  life  ;  for  to  be  condemned,  and  un- 
der God's  wrath,  and  to  be  interested  in  the  promises  of  God's 
favor  and  eternal  life  at  the  same  time,  is  a  contradiction,  and 
absolutely  impossible.  But  if  the  promises  of  the  gospel  are 
made  to  the  doings  of  unregenerate  sinners,  then  they  have  a 
title  to  God's  favor  and  eternal  salvation,  antecedent  to  faith, 
or  while  they  are  unbelievers  ;  and,  therefore,  while  they  are 
condemned  and  under  the  doom  of  eternal  damnation.  They 
are  therefore,  at  the  same  time,  interested  in  all  the  divine 
promises,  under  God's  favor  and  smiles,  and  accepted  of  him 
to  a  title  to  life  ;  and  yet  under  all  the  curses  written  in  God's 
book,  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  and  under  the  wrath  of 
God.  We  cannot  avoid  this  glaring  absurdity  and  contradic- 
tion, without  concluding  that  there  are  no  promises  of  saving 
mercy  made  to  sinners,  upon  any  condition  short  of  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ;  and  therefore  may  be  sure  there  are  no  such 
promises.* 

*  Dr.  Mayhew  himself  asserts,  that  all  unregenerate  men  are  under  a  sentence 
of  condemnation  and  death.  "As  sinful  creatures,"  says  he,  "Ave  are  already 
exposed  to  perdition  from  the  avenging  justice  of  God;  yea,  we  are  actually 
under  a  sentence  of  condemnation  and  death,  till  such  time  as  we  are  deUvered 
therefrom,  by  having  an  interest  in  the  redemption  wrought  out  by  Christ. 
For  it  is  to  them  only  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  so  in  him  as  to  walk,  not 
after  the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit,  that  there  is  no  condemnation."  How  he 
"will  reconcile  this  with  unregenerate  persons  who  are  not,  even  according  to 
him,  in  Christ,  and  do  not  walk  after  the  Spirit  but  after  the  flesh,  being  inter- 
ested in  promises  of  God's  eternal  favor,  Avhile  such,  and  on  the  account  of 
what  they  have  done,  I  am  not  able  to  imagine.  He  may,  perhaps,  attempt  it 
now,  though  he  once  verj'  justly  thought  it  impossible.  This  appears  from  the 
following  words  of  his:  "There  are  no  promises  of  future  glory  and  happi- 
ness made  in  the  Scriptures  to  impenitent,  persevering  transgressors.  They 
are  all  made  to  those  who  confess  and  forsake  their  sins.  The  gospel  is  so  far 
from  giving  any  title  to  future  glory  to  the  impenitent  Avorkers  of  iniquit}%  that 
it  expressly  condemns  them,  and  cuts  them  ofl"  from  it."  [He,  having  cited 
several  passages  of  Scripture  to  prove  this,  goes  on  in  the  folloAving  Av^ords, 
Avhich  arc  Avorthy  of  special  note  :]  "  It  is  not  surely  possible  that  the  same 
gospel  Avhich  speaks  thus  to,  and  of,  the  Avicked  and  disobedient,  condemning 
them  to  future  avoc  and  punishment,  should,  at  the  same  time,  entitle  them,  by 
its  promises,  to  life  everlasting."     (Sermons  on  several  Subjects,  p.  221.) 

It  seems  t^e  doctor  now  believes  that  there  are  promises  of  future  glory  and 


THE    DOINGS    OF    THE    UNREGENERATE.  239 

Again :  the  first  thirteen  verses  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  seem  not  consistent  with  the  notion 
that  there  are  promises  of  salvation  to  the  unregenerate.  It  is 
there  said  that  "to  be  carnally  minded  is  death."  (Rorn.  viii. 
6.)  And  that  they  who  "  live  after  the  llesh  shall  die."  (Rom. 
viii.  13.)  And  they  are  represented  as  in  a  state  of  condemna- 
tion. (Rom.  viii.  1.)  And  here  all  are  represented  as  carnally 
minded,  and  being  in  the  flesh,  and  walking  after  the  flesh, 
who  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  do  not  walk  after 
the  Spirit.  (Rom.  viii.  4,  9.)  But  unregenerate  persons  have 
not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  do  .not  walk  in  the  Spirit;  there- 
fore, they  are  those  who  are  in  the  flesh,  and  walk  after  the 
flesh. 

All  unregenerate  persons  then  are,  according  to  this,  in  a 
state  of  condemnation  and  death,  and  are  in  the  way  to  eter- 
nal destruction.  But  this  cannot  be  true  if  any,  while  in  an 
unregenerate  state,  have  a  title  to  life,  or  are  interested  in  the 
promises  of  salvation.  For  he  who  has  a  title  to  life,  or  is 
doing  that  to  which  the  promises  of  salvation  are  made,  is  not 
in  the  way  to  death,  but  in  that  which  leadeth  to  life  ;  neither 
is  there  any  condemnation  to  him.  They  who  assert  that 
there  are  promises  of  God's  favor  and  eternal  life  to  the  exer- 
cises and  doings  of  unregenerate  men,  point  out  a  way  for 
them  to  walk  in,  while  they  are  in  the  flesh  and  walk  after  the 
flesh,  which,  they  say,  is  the  way  to  life,  and  by  walking  in 
which  they  shall  not  die,  but  live.  But  St.  Paul  says  it  is  the 
way  to  death,  and  by  walking  in  it  they  shall  die,  none  being 
free  from  condemnation  and  in  the  way  to  life  but  they  who 
have  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling  in  them,  do  live  after  the 
Spirit,  do,  through  the  Spirit,  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body, 
are  in  the  Spirit,  and  led  by  the  Spirit,  and  so  are  the  sons  of 
God.  Therefore,  these  men  do  not  agree  with,  but  directly 
contradict  St.  Paul,  or,  rather,  the  Holy  Ghost  speaking  by  him. 

StJP_ajil_  here  divides  men  into  two  classes,  and  no  more : 
one  are  the  sons  of  God,  who  have  the  sjairit  of  Christ  dwell- 
ing in  them,  who  walk  after  the  Spirit,  and  are  led  by  the 
Spirit,  and  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the 
body.  These  are  free  from  condemnation  and  death,  and  in 
the  sure  way  to  life.  In^he^gp^osit^e  class  aje  comprehended 
all  others ;  who,  being  in  the^jleslii  and  _waiking  after  the  fleshy 

happiness  made  in  Scripture  to  impenitent,  hard-hearted  sinners,  and  who  do 
not  confess  and  forsake  their  sins ;  and  that  it  is  very  possible  that  the  same 
gospel  which  condemns  unbelievers  to  future  woe  and  punishment,  does,  at 
the  same  time,  entitle  them,  by  its  promises,  to  life  everlasting,  and  has  wrote 
a  book  to  prove  it.  But  as*  there  is  a  real  impossibility  and  direct  contradic- 
tion in  the  case,  no  wonder  his  attempt  has  proved  very  unsuccessful. 


240 


NO    PROMISES    OF    SALVATION    TO 


are  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  and  in  tiie  way  which  leadeth 
to  eternal  destruction.  This  is  exactly  agreeable  to  our  Sa- 
vior's representation,  when  he  speaks  of  but  two  ways  in 
which  men  are  going,  viz.,  the  broad  way  which  leadeth  to 
destruction,  and  the  narrow  way  which  leadeth  to  life.  The 
former  is  the  way  of  the  ungodly,  the  unholy,  the  unregen- 
erate,  who  walk  after  the  Hesh,  are  under  the  dominion  of  a 
carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity  against  God,  and  is  not  subject 
to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  The  latter  is  the 
way  of  good  men,  the  way  of  righteousness,  the  way  of  holi- 
ness, in  which  the  redeemed,  and  none  but  such,  do  walk.* 

Moreover,  it  is  observable,  that  when  the  apostles  went  forth 
to  preach  the  gospel,  they  never  directed  men  who  applied  to 
them  to  know  what  they  should  do  to  be  saved  to  any  en- 
deavors and  doings  short  of  true  repentance  and  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,  as  what  would  save  them  ;  but  expressly  told  them 
that  they  must  repent  E^nd  believe  on  Christ  in  order  to  this. 
(Acts  ii.  37,  38 ;  xvL  30,  31.)  And'^St'.  Paul  speaks  of~TTis 
preaching  as  consisting,  summarily,  in  inculcating  "  repentance 
towards  God,  and  faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Acts 
XX.  21.) 

Now,  we  cannot  account  for  this,  on  supposition  the  en- 
deavors and  doings  of  men  —  which  are  short, of. jepentance 
and  faith  —  are  the  condition  of  salvation,  having  the  prom- 
ise of  it  made  to  them.  For,  were  this  the  case,  they  must 
have  directed  them  to  these  endeavors  and  doings  as  what 
they  must  do  in  order  to  be  saved,  and  by  doing  which  they 
should  certainly  obtain  the  salvation  they  inquired  after.  And 
this  must  have  been  the  drift  and  sum  of  their  preaching, 
and  not  repentance  and  faith,  such  as,  indeed,  has  been  the 
preaching  of  many  since  that  time.  We  may,  therefore,  be 
sure  the  apostles  did  jiot  believe  there  wer^  any  promises 
made  to  doings  jihort  of  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ,  but 
that  these  were  the  lowest  condition  of  salvation.  This  leads- 
me  to 

Arg.  2.  To  suppose  that  there_are_j3romises  of  salvation 
made  to  the  doings  of  unregenerate  persons,  is  to  make  these 
doings  the  condition  of. salvation,  and  not  faith  or  repentance^ 
or,  indeed,  any  thing  else  which  the  Scripture  represents 
as  such. 

That  to  which  the  promises  of  life  and  salvation  are  made, 
so  that  he  who  has  it,  or  attains  to  it,  has  a  sure  title  to  sal- 
vation, is  certainly  the  condition  of  salvation  ;  but  the  exer- 
cises and  doings  of  the  unregenerate  are  this  condition,  if 

*  See  a  more  full  representation  of  this,  p.  195. 
\  \>  ^  p 

0 


THE    DOINGS    OF    THE    UNREGENERATE,  241 

promises  of  salvation  are  made  to  them.  Yea,  according  to 
this,  the  doings  ot  the  unregenerate  are  the  condition,  and 
only  condition,  of  justification.  For  they  who  have  a  title 
to  God's  favor,  and  eternal  life,  are  no  longer  in  a  state  of 
condemnation,  as  has  been  shown ;  to  have  a  title  to  God's 
special,  eternal  love  and  favor,  and  be  heir  of  eternal  life,  cer- 
tainly implies  every  thing  that  is  contained  in  justification.  If, 
then,  men  are  not  forgiven  till  they  repent  of  their  sins,  are  jus- 
tified by  faith,  and,  therefore,  not  until  they  believe  and  hearti- 
ly embrace  the  gospel,  —  in  short,  if  one  tittle  of  the  New 
Testament  is  true,  there  are  no  promises  of  salvation  made  to 
thejdoings  of  the  unregenerate.* 
^  Arg.  3.  That  there  are  no  promises  of  salvation  made  to 

'  the  exercises  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate  will  be  evident^, 
if  it  be  considered  that  sijch  do,  with  their  whole  hearts,  op; 
pose  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and  reject  the  salvation 
offered  by  him.  That  this  is  true  of  all  the  unregenerate, 
has  been  shown  ;  f  so  that  there  is  no  need  of  dwelling  -long 
upon  it  here.  It  has  been  observed,  thaj;  in  this  men's  unre- 
generacy  consists,  so  that  to  suppose  them  to  be  in  any  degree 
friendly  to  the  gospel  at  heart,  is  to  suppose  them  to  be  regen- 
erate ;  or,  at  least,  that  they  stand  in  no  need  of  regeneration, 
in  order  to  salvation.  To  suppose  the  unregenerate  are  not 
at  heart  enemies  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and  that 
any  of  the  exercises  of  their  hearts  about  this  salvation  are 
not  consistent  with  enmity  against,  and  opposition  to  it,  is  to 

I  jtake  away  all  distinction  between  the  regenerate  and  unregen- 
erate ;  to  be  sure,  it  taKes_a\vay  that  by  \\^iich  alone  they  are 
distmguished  in  Scriptiire.  IT^any  are  at  a  loss  about  this, 
let  them  read  their  Bibles  over  with  a  special  view  to  this 
point,  and  then  let  them  tell  what  is  meant  by  the  unregen- 
erate, what  unregeneracy  consists  in,  and  what  regeneration 
is,  on  supposition  the  unregenerate  do  not  with  their  whole 
hearts  reject  Jesus  Christ  and  oppose  the  way  of  salvation  by 
him,  as  being  enemies  to  God  and  the  Savior.  If_ they  are 
jiot  willing  to  be  at  this  pains,  let  them  turn  to  the  eighth  chap- 
ter to  the  Romans,  the  passage  just  now  under  consideration. 
There  it  is  said,  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  —  is 
not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."     That 

*  "  Whatsoever  is  necessary  according  to  the  terms  laid  down  in  the  gospel, 
in  order  to  our  having  a  title  to  eternal  life  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  noces-. 
sary  in  order  to  our  being  justified  in  this  world.  But  in  order  to  our  having 
such  a  title,  it  is  necessai-y  that  we  repent  of  our  sins,  and  obey  the  gospel;  this 
is,  therefore,  necessary  in  order  to  justification."  (Dr.  Mayhew's  Sermon  on 
Justification  by  Faith,  p.  219.) 

t  See  Section  III. 

VOL.  III.  21 


242  NO    PROMISES    OF    SALVATION    TO 

by  the  carnal  mind  is  meant  the  unregenerate  heart,  in_disr. 
tinction  from  those  who  are  spiritually  minded,  have  the  sjDirit 
of"  Christ,  and  walk  after  the  Spirit,  who  love  God,  and  are  his 
children,  has  been  just  now  proved.  And  I  know  not  how 
any  one  can  doubt  of  this  who  will  carefully  read  that  chap- 
ter. But  if  the  carnal,  unregenerate  heart  is  full  of  enmity 
against  God  and  his  law,  it  is  equally  an  enemy  to  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  gospel ;  for  the  divine  character  and  the  holy 
law  of  God  are  more  fully  vindicated  and  honored,  and  are 
set  in  a  clearer  view,  by  Jesus  Christ  in  the  gospel,  than  other- 
wise they  could  be,  and  are  so  interwoven  through  the  whole 
gospel  scheme,  that  it  cannot  be  understood  and  approved  of, 
any  further  than  God's  law,  and  his  character  therein  expressed, 
are  seen  and  loved,  and,  therefore,  every  degree  of  enmity 
against  God  and  his  law  is,  to  the  same  degree,  and  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner,  enmity  against  Christ  and  the  gospel. 

Now,  that  exercises  of  enmity  against  Christ,  and  oppo- 
sition to  the  gospel  and  the  salvation  therein  revealed  and  of- 
fered, or  those  which  are  consistent  with  this,  are  made  the 
condition  of  a  title  to,  and  interest  in,  this  salvation,  so  as 
that  all  the  promises  of  the  gospel  are  madie  to  such  exercises 
and  acts,  I  presume  none  will  believe.  This  seems  to  be  so. 
self-evident,  that  it  is  needless  to  go  about  to  prove  it.  Noth- 
ing, therefore,  seems  necessary  to  decide  the  point  we  are 
upon,  but  to  keep  in  view  the  true  state  of  the  case,  and  attend 
to  the  real  character  of  the  unregenerate,  and  the  nature  and 
quality  of  all  their  actions. 

It  is  therefore  observable,  that  men,  in  arguing  t_hat  there 
are  promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  do  always 
overlook  the  true  character  of  such,  and  of  their  exercises ; 
yea,  suppose  them  to  be  in  a  degree  friendly  to  Christ  and  the 
salvation  by  him.  In  order  to  prove  that  there  are  promises 
to  the  unregenerate,  they  dress  them  up  in  the  character  wljich 
belongs  only  to  the  regenerate ;  so  that,  by  stripping  them  of 
this  disguise,  the  boasted  arguments  vanish  into  nothing  but 
weakness  and  absurdity,  and  the  truth  arises  into  view,  and 
becomes  clear  beyond  dispute.* 

Arc.  4.  If  salvation  is  offered  to  all  who  heartily  desire  it, 
really  choose  and  accept  of  it,  and  so  truly  ask  for  it,  it  is 
offered  on  terms  low  enough,  as  low  as  any  can  reasonably 
desire ;  yea,  on  the  lowest  conceivable  or  even  possible  terrris. 
v/But  no  unregenerate  person  comes  up  to  these  terms.  There- 
fore, salvation  is  not  offered  or  promised  to  any  doings  of  the 
unregenerate. 

*  How  far  this  is  true  of  Dr.  Mayhew's  performance,  whicn  has  been  under 
consideration,  they  who  have  read  the  foregoing  section  must  judge. 


THE    DOINGS    OF    THE    UNREGENERATE.  243 

If  a  free  gift  is  offered  and  promised  to  any  one  that  desires 
it,  and  is  willing  to  take  it,  it  cannot  be  offered  on  lower  or 
easier  terms.  It'  any  should  say,  "  Yes,  it  may  be  pftered  or 
promised  to  a  person,  whether  he  will  have  it  or  no,  so  that 
he  shall  have  it,  even  contrary  to  his  will  and  choice;"  I  an- 
swer, This  is  not  to  offer  it  on  lower  and  easier  terms.  It  is  not 
to  offer  it  on  any  terms ;  neither  is  it  properly  any  offer  or 
promise  at  all.  It  is  only  a  declaration  of  what  shall  be; 
which  is,  all  things  considered,  contrary  to  the  will  and  incli^ 
nation  of  the  person.  But  indeed  there  can  be  no  such  decla- 
ration properly  and  truly  made.  A  person  while  unwilling  te 
accept  of  and  have  any  gift  and  enjoyment,  and  while  he 
rejects  it  with  his  whole  heart,  is  not  capable  of  receiving  it,  or 
of  cordially  entertaining  the  offer  of  it ;  and,  therefore,  is  not  a 
subject  capable  of  such  an  offer,  with  a  promise  that  it  shall 
be  his,  even  while  he  undervalues,  despises,  and  refuses  to  re- 
ceive it.  If  it  is  offered  with  a  promise  that  it  shall  be  his  as 
soon  as  he  is  heartily  willing  to  accept  of  it,  and  upon  this  con- 
dition only,  it  is  offered  on  the  lowest  terms  that  ever  any  offer 
was  or  can  be  made.  Now,  it  is  granted  that  the  gospel  offers 
salvation  to  all  who  will  accept  of  it,  or  are  truly  willing  to 
have  it ;  but  as  no  unregenerate  person  is  thus  willing  to  ac- 
cept of  salvation,  no  such  one  ever  did,  or  ever  will,  come  up 
to  these  lowest  possible  terms  on  which  salvation  is  offered 
and  promised.*  Jt  would  bejhighly  absurd  and_  ridiculous  to 
ofl'er  that  to  any  one  which  is  the  object  of  his  peculiar  aver- 
sion and  hatred,  under  the  notion  of  its  being  his  by  something 
he  is  to  do  as  the  condition  of  it,  while  he  continues  thus 
averse 'to  it;  and,  therefore,  no  such  offer  was  ever  seriously 
and  really  made.  We  may,  therefore,  be  certain  God  has 
never  done  this ;  but  that  the  lowest  terms  on  which  salva- 
tion is  offered  and  promised  imply  a  real  choice  of  this  salva- 
tion, or  a  hearty  acceptance  of  it.f 

If  it  should  here  be  said,  that  though  unregenerate  sinners 
are  not  willing  to  accept  of  salvation  which  is  freely  offered, 
and  that  this  is  both  their  sin  and  calamity,  yet  God  may 
offer  them  regenerating  grace,  and  promise  to  bring  them  to  a 
willingness  to  accept  of  salvation,  by  giving  them  a  new  heart, 
upon  terms  which  they,  while  unregenerate,  may  come  up  to; 
and  so  regeneration,  and  consequently  the  whole  of  salvation, 

*  This  last  proposition  has  been  proved  in  the  third  section,  and  under  the 
last  argument. 

t  Dr.  Mayhcw  has  supposed  and  allo-\ved  this,  through  the  whole  course  of 
his  arguments,  and  in  all  he  says  upon  this  subject,  as  the  attentive  reader  has 
observed.  The  only  thing  he  can  dispute  is,  that  the  unregenerate  do  not  come 
up  to  these  terms.  When  he  will  prove  they  do,  he  will  gain  his  point.  For 
this,  therefore,  the  public  must  wait  on  him. 


S44  NO    PROMISES    OF    SALVATION    TO 

may  be  connected  with  this  condition,  which  really  is  some- 
thing short  of  a  hearty  acceptance  of  salvation,  —  for  this  is  one 
thing  promised  to  be  given,  and  is  implied  in  regeneration, — 
I  answer:  If  we  suppose  the  grace  of  regeneration  or  a  new 
heart,  which  implies  a  heart  to  accept  of  and  trust  in  Christ 
for  salvation,  to  be  offered  and  promised  to  the  unregenerate, 
on  some  condition  which  they  are  to  come  up  to  and  perform 
while  unregenerate,  yet  still  this  is  an  offer  of  that  to  which 
their  hearts  are  as  much  averse  as  to  salvation  itself;  they  are 
as  far  from  accepting  of  such  an  offer  as  they  are  from  ac- 
cepting of  salvation,  and  reject  and  despise  it  as  much.  The 
grace  of  regeneration,  or  a  new  heart,  is  as  contrary  to  the 
unregenerate  heart  as  salvation  or  holiness  itself;  the  unre- 
generate do  oppose  and  reject  this  with  their  whole  hearts ; 
for  it  is  supposed  their  hearts  are  now  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  new  heart  offered,  otherwise  they  would  stand  in  no  need 
of  a  new  heart.  If,  therefore,  God  offers  and  promises  to  give 
them  a  new  heart,  on  any  condition,  which  consists  in  their 
exercises  and  doings,  he  makes  this  offer  and  promise  to  exer- 
cises and  doings  which  imply,  or  are  consistent  with,  a  real 
opposition  to,  and  rejection  of,  the  thing  offered  and  promised. 
The  unregenerate  heart  hates  and  opposes  a  new  heart,  just 
as  much  as  it  does  the  divine  character  and  law,  or  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  gospel ;  and,  therefore,  is  no  more  willing  to 
receive  the  former  than  the  latter,  but  rejects  it  with  perfect 
abhorrence.  Therefore,  there  is  nothing  which  the  unregen- 
erate may  be  supposed  to  do,  in  order  to  obtain  a  new  heart, 
which  is  not  itself  an  act  of  opposition,  or  consistent  with  the 
most  perfect  opposition,  to  that  which  he  is  supposed  to  be 
seeking.  For  instance:  if  we  should  suppose  that  God  offers 
and  promises  to  give  the  unregenerate  a  new  heart,  on  con- 
dition they  will  ask  him  for  such  a  favor,  this  must  mean  an 
asking  without  any  true  desire  of  the  thing  asked  for;  yea,  an 
asking  which  is  consistent  with  an  opposing  and  rejecting  the 
favor  offered ;  and,  therefore,  really  no  asking  at  all  for  a  new 
heart,  but  for  something  else.  For  so  far  as  the  new  heart  is 
opposite  to  the  heart  of  the  unregenerate,  just  so  far  does  the 
unregenerate  heart  oppose  and  hate  the  new  heart,  and  reject 
the  offer  of  it;  and  that  constantly,  and  in  all  its  exercises 
which  have  any  relation  to,  and  respect  the  new  heart,  which 
is  the  thing  offered. 

Thus  it  appears  that  there  is  the  same  difBculty  and  ab- 
surdity in  supposing  that  a  new  heart  is  offered  and  promised 
to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  by  which  they  would  become 
willing  to  accept  of  Christ  and  salvation,  as  there  is  in  sup- 
posing that  eternal  life  is  offered  on  some  condition  lower  than 
*•;  real  willingness  to  accept  of  it. 


THE    DOINGS    OF    THE    UNREGENERATE.  245 

In  a  word,  if  we  will  not  go  beyond  reason  and  plain  com- 
mon sense  in  this  matter,  we  shall  conclude,  that  whatever 
offer  of  any  favor  or  free  gift  God  makes  to  men,  he  offers  it 
to  their  free  accejDtance,  and  promises  that  on  this  condition  it 
shall  be  theirs ;  and,  consequently,  that  they  can  have  no  title 
to  it  on  any  condition  shart_of  a  hearty  acceplailC£^f -it ;  and 
that  an  offer  niade^Jo  ajower  or  easier  condition  cannot  be 
reasonably  desired,  or  even  supposed.  Therefore,  God  in  the 
gospel  makes  no  offers  and  promises  of  salvation,  or  of  any 
thing  connected  with  it,  to  the  exercises  and  doings  of  the 
unregenerate. 

^  Arg.  5.  For  God  to  offer  and  promise  salvation  to  those 
who  with  their  whole  hearts  hate  and  reject  Jesus  Christ  in 
his  character  of  Mediator,  would  be  altogether  unbecoming, 
and  reallj;  inconsistent  j\^jth  the  gospel,  and  overthrow.it. 
The  gospel  opens  a  way  of  salvation  for  sinners  through  a 

/Mediator,  in  which  they  are  pardoned,  and  received  to  favor 
and  a  title  to  everlasting  life,  purely  out  of  respect  to  his 

'  merits  and  worthiness ;  so  on  his  account  and  in  his  name. 
And  in  this  way  alone  can  God  pardon  the  sinner,  receive 
him  to  favor,  and  bestow  eternal  life  on  him,  consistent  with 
his  honor  and  in  a  way  becoming  his  character  as  supreme 
Lawgiver  and  Judge.  But  to  pardon  the  sinner  and  receive 
him  to  favor,  and  promise  eternal  life  to  him,  while  he  remains 
an  enemy  to  this  Mediator,  and  opposes  and  rejects  him  in 
this  character,  would  be  to  act  directly  contrary  to  this  plan, 
and  really  to  dishonor  the  Mediator,  and  set  him  aside. 

Therefore,  in  the  gospel,  sinners  are  represented  as  being 
saved  (i.  e.,  brought  into  a  statFoTpardon  and  acceptance  with 
God,  and  to  a  title  to  eternal  life)  by  the  blood  of  Christ ;  or 
by  his  merit  and  worthiness  being  imputed  to  them  or  reck- 
oned to  their  account.  Accordingly,  it  is  by  virtue  of  their 
union  to  him,  or  being  in  him,  that  they  are  delivered  from 
condemnation,  justified,  etc.  In  this  way  God  may  be  just, 
may  act  a  wise  and  honorable  part,  so  as  in  no  degree  to  in- 
jure his  own  character  as  moral  Governor,  even  while  he  justi- 
fies, pardons,  and  promises  salvation  to  him  who,  though 
infinitely  unworthy  and  ill  deserving  in  himself,  believeth  in 
Jesus  the  Mediator ;  i.  e.,  who,  in  a  view  of  his  true  character, 
heartily  approves  and  accepts  of  him,  so  as  actively  to  unite, 
himself  to  him,  and  be  in  him.  (Rom.  iii.  26;  v.  1,  2;  viii.  12.) 
He  being  thus  in  Christ,  a  proper  foundation  is  laid  for  his 
being  interested  in  the  Mediator's  merits  and  worthiness,  so 
that  he  is  received  to  favor  and  a  title  to  eternal  life  purely 
out  of  respect  to  him.  Therefore,  all  the  promises  of  God  to 
sinners  are  said  to  be  in  him^  unto  the  glory  of  God.  (2  Cor. 
21*^ 


H'xO        NO  PROMISES  OF  SALVATION  TO  THE  UNREGENERATE. 

i.  20.)  They  would  not  all  be  in  him,  if  sinners  were  inter- 
ested in  them  while  they  continued  to  hate  and  reject  him,  so 
were  out  of  him  ;  consequently  would  not  be  to  the  glory  of 
God,  as  this  would  be  directly  contrary  to  the  plan  of  pardon- 
ing and  receiving  sinners  to  a  title  to  life  in  and  by  a  Mediator.* 

*  Dr.  Mayhew  spends  some  time  to  answer  an  objection  against  there  being  any 
promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  viz.,  that  this  supposes  God  to  make 
promises  to  these  actions  which  are  not  truly  holy.  If  truly  holy  actions  might 
be  done  by  men,  and  yet  they  continue  out  of  Christ  and  in  opposition  to  him, 
as  the  unregenerate  do,  it  must  be  confessed  there  would  be  no  more  reason  why 
divine  promises  should  be  made  to  them  than  to  actions  which  are  not  holy,  for 
all  sinners  considered  as  out  of  Christ,  or  not  united  to  him  so  as  to  be  interested 
in  his  merits,  are  on  a  level  in  this  resiject,  whether  holy  or  unholy ;  they  are 
infinitely  unworthy  and  ill  deserving,  and  cannot  be  received  to  favor  with 
God,  and  a  title  to  life,  until  they  are  united  to  the  Mediator  so  as  to  be  inter- 
ested in  his  merit  and  worthiness.  If  the  doctor  therefore  represents  this  ob- 
jection in  its  fall  strength  and  import,  it  must  be  owned  it  is  as  feeble  as  he 
supposes  it  to  be.  But  if  the  objectors  mean  that  the  unregenerate  do  nothing 
in  that  holy  manner  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  their  hearts  being  united  to 
Christ  the  Mediator,  so  as  to  be  a  proper  ground  of  their  being  accepted  in  him, 
the  doctor  has  not  in  the  least  degree  answered  the  objection.  There  may  be 
a  sufficient  reason  why  no  promises  should  be  made  to  the  exercises  of  sinners 
which  have  no  degree  of  holiness  in  them,  viz.,  because  such  exercises  do  not 
unite  to  Christ,  or  imply  any  union  of  heart  to  him,  but  the  contrary.  It  has 
been  observed  that  the  gospel,  or  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  are 
so  holy  that  the  unholy  heart  cannot  be  pleased  with,  but  must  hate  and  opjiose 
them.  Therefore,  that  exercise  of  heart  by  which  sinners  embrace  the  gospel, 
or  unite  themselves  to  Jesus  Christ  by  an  acceptance  of  him,  must  be  a  holy 
exercise.  In  this  view  it  is  unreasonable  and  absurd  to  suppose  that  there  arp 
any  promises  of  salvation  made  to  the  unholy  doings  of  sinners,  and  therefore 
the  objection  stands  good.  But  there  may  be  good  reason  why  salvation  should 
be  promised  to  the  holy  exercises  of  the  regenerate  ;  because,  however  imper- 
fect they  are,  they  are  really  an  acceptance  of  Christ,  and  unite  them  to  him ; 
so  that  they  lay  a  pi'oper  foundation  for  their  being  accepted  in  him,  and  re- 
ceiving a  title  to  the  heavenly  inheritance  for  his  sake.  For,  as  the  doctor  well 
expresses  it,  "  it  is  for  Christ's  sake  that  these  promises  are  made  to  them."  But 
it  has  been  shoAvn  that  such  promises  cannot  be  made  for  Christ's  sake  to  those 
who  hate  and  reject  Jesus  Christ.  But  if  promises  are  made  to  such,  heaven 
and  Christ  himself  are  promised  to  them  for  their  own  sakes,  or  rather,  for  the 
sake  of  their  own  unholy,  wicked  exercises  and  doings. 

The  doctor,  indeed,  endeavors  to  palliate  this  matter  a  little.  What  he  says 
is  to  this  effect :  "  The  temper  and  actions  of  his  strivers  are  really  different 
from  those  who  are  proceeding  headlong  in  their  criminal  courses  ;  and  to  say 
the  least,  are  not  so  displeasing  to  God.  And  their  doings  may  properly  be 
called  obedience  to  God,  and  therefore  have  sometliing  of  the  nature  of  (/ood, 
and  so  cannot  be  wholly  \inpleasing  to  God.  It  must  therefore  render  them 
more  suitable  objects  of  his  favor  and  mercy  than  these  are  who  do  not  strive, 
but  commit  iniquity  with  greediness."  The  doctor  seems  to  be  conscious  that 
there  must  be  some  (/ood  qualification  in  the  sinner  in  order  to  render  him  a 
suitable  object  of  God's  favor  and  mercy,  otherwise  he  would  not  take  so  much 
pains  to  find  something  of  this  kind  in  those  whom  he  supposes  the  objects  of 
this  favor.  But  what  does  he  mean  by  tlieir  being  suitable,  or  more  suitable 
objects  of  God's  favor  and  mercy,  antecedent  to  their  union  to  Christ,  and 
interest  in  his  worthiness,  and  considered  as  in  themselves  ?  Does  he  mean 
there  is  a  proper  moral  suitableness  or  fitness  —  some  moral  excellency  which 
recommends  to  God's  favor,  as  a  reason  why  they  should  have  mercy  rather 
than  others  ?  If  this  is  the  case,  then  they  need  not  the  merit  of  Christ  to 
recommend  them  to  God's  favor,  for  they  have,  upon  this  supposition,  merit 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  247 

I  have  now  produced  some  of  the  principal  arguments  which 
occurred  to  me,  to  prove  that  there  are  no  promises  of  salvation 
made  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  I  am  far  from  con- 
cluding that  these  are  the  strongest  and  best  that  might  be 
thought  of,  or  that  they  are  set  in  the  most  striking  and  con- 
vincing light  possible.  Whether  they  are  conclusive  or  not, 
let  the  attentive,  impartial  reader  judge. 


SECTION  IX. 

Containing^  an  Ansicer  to  tifjo   Objections. 

Obj.  1.  It  is  said  that  the  doctrine  contended  for  in  the 
preceding  section  is  greatly  to  the  dishonor  of  God's  goodness^ 
and  even  inconsistent  with  it. 

'"TJr.nVlayhew  insists  upon  it,  that  such  a  notion  is  inconsist- 
ent with  the  appearance  of  any  goodness  of  God  to  sinners, 
in  the  oti'ers  made  to  them  in  the  gospel ;  yea,  that  it  is  not 
consistent  with  justice.  And  agreeably  to  this,  he  looks  on 
what  he  has  done,  in  proving  that  there  are  promises  to  the 
doings  of  the  unregenerate,  as  "a  clear  and  full  vindication, 
both  of  the  justice  and  goodness  of  God." 

Answer.  This  objection  seems  to  have  its  foundation  in  a 
supposition  for  which  there  is  no  ground,  and  is  indeed  directly 
contrary  to  the  truth  of  the  case,  viz.,  that  if  salvation  is  not 
offered  and  promised  to  the  exercises  and  endeavors  of  unregen- 
erate men,  then  it  is  offered  to  them  on  terms  impracticable, 
though  they  are  never  so  well  disposed,  and  have  a  good  will 
in  the  case,  and  so  are  not  at  all  to  blame  for  not  coming  up 
to  the  terms  proposed  ;  there  being  some  difficulty  in  the  case 
which  is  insurmountable,  however  good  and  great  their  inclina- 
tion and  desire  may  be  to  do  it.  As  the  objectors  seem  to  view 
the  case,  it  may  be  represented  by  the  following  comparison  :  A. 
[certain  lord,  as  he  was  visiting  one  of  his  plantations,  saw  a  large 
I  building  on  fire,  and  when  he  came  to  it  he  found  a  number  of 
this  servants  confined  in  it.  He,  knowing  their  situation,  calls 
•to  them,  tells  them  the  dreadful  case  they  are  in,  and  earnestly 
icalls  upon  them  to  arise  and  come  to  the  door,  i^itli..a,promise 

enough  of  their  own  to  answer  this  end.  The  doctor  repeatedly  disclaims  the 
notion  of  merit ;  but  if  this  is  what  he  means,  he  holds  to  the  doctrine  of  merit 
to  all  intents.  If  any  sinner  has  any  moral  good  or  worth  Avhich  recommends 
him  to  the  divine  favor  on  the  account  of  its  acccptableness  in  God's  sight,  and 
on  this  account  is  a  reason  why  God  shows  favor  to  him  rather  than  to  another, 
he  has  as  real  merit  as  it  is  possible  any  creature  should  have,  though  it  may 
not  be  to  so  great  a  degree.  But  if  by  being  a  suitable  or  fit  object  of  God's 
favor  he  means  any  other  kind  of  fitness,  he  would  oblige  us  by  showing  what  it  is. 


248  OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 

that  upon  their  so  doing  he  will  unlock  it,  and  deliver  them. 
At  the  same  time,  both  he  and  they  know  that  they  are  fas- 
tened down  with  chains  which  they  have  been  trying  with  all 

I  their  might  to  deliver  themselves  from,  but  find  it  impossible. 

{  They  cry  to  him  for  help,  and  do  their  utmost,  but  all  in  vain ; 

I  he  stands  by  and  sees  them  perish  in  the  devouring  fiames! 
Dr.  Mayhew  represents  the  state  much  in  this  light  in  many 
passages  in  his  sermons,  as  well  as  in  the  following  words : 
"  Is  there  any  real  kindness,  mercy,  or  goodness,  in  offering 
salvation  to  guilty  creatures,  and  inviting  them  to  accept  it, 
on  such  terms  as  are  to  them  impracticable,  though  they  desire 
it  and  strive  to  this  end  ?  Impracticable,  I  mean,  with  all  the 
helps  and  advantages  that  God  affords,  or  wili-affgrd  to  them, 
though  they  seek  them  in  the  best  manner  their  circumstances 
will  admit  of.  I  must  confess  I  canngt^^ee  anj  goodness 
herein." 

/■  I  am  as  ready  to  confess  as  the  doctor,  that  were  the  case 
as  is  here  supposed,  there  would  be  no  goodness,  or  propriety 
in  the  offers  of  the  gospel.  But  in  truth,  it  is,  as  it  were,  infi- 
nitely otherwise.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  the  sinner's  com- 
plying with  the  offers  of  the  gospel,  but  what  lies  in  his  want 
of  an  inclination  and  true  desire  to  accept  the  salvation  offered, 
and  a  strong  and  obstinate  inclination  to  the  contrary.  The 
case  really  is  as  if  the  above-mentioned  lord  should  find  his 
servants  in  the  house  consuming  by  fire,  confined  by  nothing 
but  thejr  o\yn  jnclinatiprLand  lust,  all  engaged  in  gaming  and 
drinking;  he  opens  the  door  and  calls  upon  them  to  escape 
for  their  lives,  and  promises  them  that  if  they  are  willing  to 
come  to  him,  and  engage  in  his  service,  they  shall  be  safe  and 
happy.  But  they  have  such  a  dislike  to  his  person  and  service, 
and  are  so  attached  to  their  gaming,  etc.,  that  they  absolutely 

,  refuse  to  comply  with  the  proposal.  They  had  rather  run  the 
venture  of  perishing  in  the  flames,  and  continue  there  under 
the  repeated  admonitions  and  calls  of  their  kind  Lord,  until 
inevitable  destruction  comes  upon  them. 

If  it  should  be  said  that,  "  though  this  similitude  may  fitly 
represent  the  case  of  sinners  who  pay  no  regard  to  the  gospel, 
but  run  with  greediness  in  a  course  of  sin,  yet  the  case  of 
convinced  sinners,  who  are  concerned  about  themselves,  and 
earnestly  seeking  deliverance,  is  different," — it  may  be  observed 
that  there  is  no  material  dillerenee,  so  as  any  way  to  affect  the 
case  under  consideration.  The  sinner,  however  exercised  and 
concerned  he  is  about  himself,  and  whatever  pains  he  takes  to 
better  iiis  case,  and  obtain  deliverance,  if  still  he  does  not 
actually  accept  of  salvation,  does  refuse  so  to  do  from  the 
fixed  opposition  of  his  heart  to  the  salvation  offered;  which 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  249 

opposition  of  heart  is  of  the  same  nature  and  kind  with  that 
of  the  secure  sinner,  and  is  really  as  voluntary,  and  every  way 
as  inexcusable,  and  indeed  is  more  apparent,  and  exercises 
itself  in  a  stronger  manner  than  that  of  the  secure  sinner;  as 
the  former  actually  resists  more  light  and  conviction  of  con- 
science than  the  latter. 
y  Suppose  two  criminals  under  confinement  and  sentence  of 
death,  for  some  treasonable  practices  against  their  prince  ;  the 
prince  offers  to  pardon  and  restore  them  to  his  favor  if  they 
will  heartily  repent,  ask  his  pardon,  and  submit  to  his  govern- 
ment and  laws,  as  excellent  and  good.  One  of  them  pays  no 
regard  to  the  proposal ;  but,  unconcerned  about  what  he  has 
done,  and  what  is  coming  upon  him,  follows  his  cups,  and 
does  not  so  much  as  seriously  attend  to  the  sad  case  he  is  in. 
The  other  thinks  of  the  death  that  is  before  him  with  horror, 
and  can  neither  eat  nor  sleep  in  peace;  but,  on  the  whole, 
cannot  find  in  his  heart  to  comply  with  the  offer.  The  more 
he  thinks  of  it,  the  more  his  heart  rises  against  his  prince.  He 
cannot  be  willing  to  ask  his  pardon,  nor  does  he  desire  to  live 
under  his  government  and  laws.  He  tries  every  way  he  can 
think  of  to  escape  death,  short  of  complying  with  these  terms. 
He  sends  petitions  every  day  and  hour  to  his  prince,  hoping 
to  gain  his  favor  upoji^soiTie.otheL  conditions ;  but  the  longer 
he  tries  the  more  he  is  convinced  that  he  must  perish,  unless 
he  heartily^complies  with  the  proposals  made  him,  and  the 
more  clearly  he  sees  and  feels  the  opposition  of  his  heart 
thereto.  Now  which  of  these  traitors  is,  on  the  whole,  the 
greatest  criminal  in  the  sight  of  the  prince?  Does  the  latter 
do  any  thing  that  tends  to  recommend  him  to  the  prince? 
And  if  after  all  he  dies  in  consequence  of  his  refusing  to  ac- 
cept of  the  oliered  pardon  and  deliverance,  is  it^any  imputa-_ 
tion  on  the  g^ood^e.^s  of_ the,  prince?  or  does  it  appear  to  b^, 
the  less  goodness  in  him  because  the  traitor  refused  to  take 
the  advantage  of  it  ?  Let  common  sense  decide  the  question. 
And  by  this,  the  question  before  us  will  be  decided. 

The  terms  on  which  God  offers  pardon  and  salvation  to 
sinners  are  not  "to  them  impracticable,  though  they  desire  it." 
They  are  no  more  impracticable,  and  in  no  other  sense,  than 
are  the  terms  on  which  pardon  and  safety  are  offered  by  the 
prince  to  the  traitor,  in  the  instance  mentioned.  If  sinners 
perish  under  the  gospel,  it  is  through  their  own  obstinate,  con- 
tinued, voluntary  refusal  to  accept  of,  or  truly  desire  and  ask 
for,  offered  salvation.  And  shall  this  refusal  of  offered  mercy, 
this  dnect  and  continued  abuse  of  God's  goodness,  render  it 
no  goodness,  and  so  change  the  nature^of  it  as  to  turn  it  into 
cruelty?     This  is  impossible.    ' 


250  OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 

If  God  puts  men  tinder  advantages  to  be  holy  and  happy, 
gives  them  all  proper  means,  and  sets  before  them  all  proper 
motives,  and  they  fail  of  holiness  and  happiness  by  a  neglect 
and  abuse  of  these  advantages,  means,  and  motives,  God's 
goodness  is  still  most  perfect,  and  it  is  not  owing  to  any  de- 
ficiency in  this  that  they  are  not  holy  and  happy.*  Wisdom 
itself  represents  the  matter  in  this  light:  "Because  I  have 
called,  and  ye  refused,  ye  have  set  at  nought  all  my  counsel, 
and  would  none  of  my  reproof;  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  ca- 
lamity ;  for  that  they  hated  knowledge  and  did  not  choose  the 
fear  of  the  Lord.  They  would  none  of  my  counsel ;  they  de- 
spised all  my  reproof.  Therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the  fruit  of 
their  own  way,"  etc. 

The  doctor  seems  to  think  he  has  done  much  to  set  the 
wonderful  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  in  a  clear  and  striking 
light,  by  proving  that  there  are  promises  to  the  unregenerate. 
He  therefore  makes  the  following,  which  he  calls  an  impor- 
tant inference :  "  We  see  from  hence  the  wonderful  goodness 
and  mercy  of  God,  inasmuch  as  he  has  given  us  the  strongest 
assurance  of  pardon  and  eternal  life  on  such  terms  as,  by  his 
offered  grace,  we  may  all  comply  with,  if  we  desire  to  do  it." 
With  the  doctor's  good  leave,  I  will  say,  that  the  goodness 
and  mercy  of  God  appears  equally  wonderful,  on  supposition 
there  are  no  promises  made  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate. 
For  even  on  this  supposition,  "  he  has  given  us  the  strongest 
assurances  of  pardon  and  eternal  life,  on  such  terms  as  we 
may  comply  with  if  we  really  desire  it."  I  have,  therefore,  as 
good  a  right  to  this  inference  from  my  doctrine  as  the  doctor 
has  from  his.  Yea,  I  presume  to  say,  a  much  better.  In  this 
sentence,  the  doctor  supposes  that  the  terms  on  which  pardon 
and  salvation  are  offered  are  so  d;ffiicult,  that  a  real  desire  to 
comply  with  them  does  not  get  over  the  difficulty,  but  there  is 
yet  need  of  God's  "  offered  grace,"  to  assist  and  help  over  that 
which  is   otherwise    insuperable  by  the    best  desire  and  the 

*  If  this  needs  anj'  testimony  besides  that  of  the  Holy  Scripture  and  com- 
mon sense,  Dr.  Mayhew's  may  be  produced.  "  God  may,"  says  he,  "  properly 
be  said  to  be  good  and  merciful  to  all  those  for  Avhose  Avelfare  he  pro\-idos,  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  natures  and  capacities,  however  inferior.  If  these 
are  upon  the  whole  happy,  or  if  those  of  a  higher  order  might  be  so  did  they 
not  abuse  the  divine  goodness,  God  is  certainly  good  to  them."  (Sermons  on 
the  Nature,  etc.,  of  the  Divine  Goodness,  p.  29.)  And  again,  (p.  67,)  in  order 
to  show  how  the  punishment  of  the  finally  impenitent  is  consistent  with 
God's  goodness,  he  says,  "  God  certainly  exercises  great  goodness  and  mercy 
towards  such  sinners  in  this  world,  not  only  in  supplying  their  temporal  Avants, 
but  in  affording  them  sucli  means  of  knowledge  and  eternal  happiness  as  noth- 
ing but  their  own  wilful  blindness  and  perverseness  can  render  ineffectual  to 
that  end.  All  arc  invited  and  persuaded,  in  the  most  gracious  and  pathetic 
terms,  to  accept  of  eternal  life,  through  Him  that  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all.'' 


.       OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  251 

utmost  good  will  in  the  matter.  Whereas,  according  to  the 
doctrine  he  opposes,  a  real  desire  to  comply  is  the  compliance 
itself,  and  is  the  condition  on  which  pardon  and  salvation  are 
ofle.red ;  there  being  no  difficulty  in  coming  up  to  the  terms 
but  what  there  is  in  having  a  real  desire  and  hearty  good  will, 
or  a  being  truly  willing  to  accept  of  pardon  and  salvation. 
He  who  comes  to  this  has  no  need  of  any  "  oflered  grace  "  to 
help  him  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  salvation,  as  the  doctor 
supposes,  but  has  already  complied,  and  has  pardon  and  sal- 
vation insured  to  him.  If  the  doctor's  scheme,  then,  shows 
the  "  wonderful  goodness  and  mercy  of  God,"  that  which  he 
opposes  does  so  much  more  abundantly. 

But  what  does  the  doctor  mean  by  his  "offered  grace,"  to 
help  those  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  salvation  who  "really 
desire  to  do  it "  ?  If  there  is  a  real  desire  to  comply,  the  heart 
is  really  gained,  and  there  is  a  real  compliance  of  heart  or 
will,  and  what  more  there  is  required  as  the  condition  of  par- 
don and  salvation,  in  which  the  heart  or  will  has  no  concern, 
and  so  is  not  the  compliance  of  the  heart,  but  of  something 
else,  in  order  to  which  compliance  we  stand  in  need  of  God's 
"  offered  grace,"  even  when  the  heart  has  really  complied  ;  I 
say,  what  this  is,  and  how  God's  "  offered  grace  "  helps  to  it, 
the  doctor  has  not  told,  and  I  am  not  able  to  conceive.  Until 
the  doctor  shall  explain  this  matter,  I  shall  conclude  that  there 
is  no  "offered  grace"  to  enable  men  to  comply  with  the  terms 
of  salvation  whose  hearts  do  already  really  comply,  and  yet  can- 
not comply  until  by  this  "  offered  grace  "  they  come  up  to  a 
compliance  in  which  the  heart  is  not  concerned,  it  being  some- 
thing more  than,  and  different  from,  a  hearty  compliance.  I 
believe  that  no  compliance  with  the  terms  of  salvation  is  re- 
quired but  a  hearty  compliance  ;  and,  if  men  are  by  God's 
grace  assisted  to  such  a  compliance,  they  have  all  the  assist- 
ance they  want  in  the  case,  in  order  to  obtain  pardon,  and, 
therefore,  that  God  does  not  offer  any  other  assistance  in 
order  to  a  compliance. 

But  let  us  attend  a  minute  longer  to  this  extraordinary  pas- 
sage of  the  doctor's.  He  says  the  wonderful  goodness  and 
mercy  of  God  appears,  "inasmuch  as  he  has  given  us  the 
strongest  assurances  of  pardon  and  eternal  life,  on  such  terms 
as,  by  his  offered  grace,  we  may  all  comply  with,  if  loe  realbj 
desire  to  do  it."  But  what  if  we  do  not  really  desire  to  do  it  ? 
Will  this  in  the  least  sully  the  goodness  of  God  in  making  the 
offer  on  such  low  terms?  The  doctor  supposes,  in  his  very 
putting  the  case,  it  will  not.  What,  then,  if  none  of  mankind 
will  really  desire  to  comply,  or,  in  other  words,  really  and  hearti- 
ly comply  with  the  terms  on  which  pardon  and  salvation  are 


252 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 


offered,  until  they  are  regenerated,  and  have  a  new  heart  given 
them  ?  Is  not  the  goodness  of  God  to  be  vindicated,  and  does 
it  not  appear  to  be  wonderful  in  oflering  pardon  and  eternal 
life  to  every  one  who  is  heartily  willing  and  desirous  to  have 
them,  however  far  mankind  may  be  from  a  heart  to  comply 
with  this  condition? 

Dr.  Mayhew  himself  is  as  clear  and  full  in  this  as  any  one 
can  be,  as  appears,  not  only  from  passages  already  quoted, 
but  the  following  words  of  his,  in  the  sermons  under  consid- 
eration :  "  He  [God]  has  provided  and  revealed  a  way  of  sal- 
vation for  sinful,  guilty,  and  lost  creatures,  through  the  media- 
tion, the  sufferings,  and  death  of  his  own  dear  Son,  and  saith. 
Whosoever  will,  let  him  come,  etc.  God  exerciseth  patience 
and  forbearance  towards  his  sinful  creatures,  thereby  giving 
them  time  and  opportunity  for  repentance,  and  working  out 
their  salvation.  Now,  if  you  should  neglect  this  method  of 
deliverance  from  condemnation,  and  think  everlasting  life  not 
worth  your  striving  after,  you  will  not  only  remain  under  the 
guilt  of  your  Other  sins,  but  will  be  justly  chargeable  also  with 
despising  the  goodness  of  God,  even  the  riches  of  his  good- 
ness, forbearance,  and  long  suffering." 

If  the  language  of  the  gospel  to  sinners  is.  Whosoever  will, 
let  him  come,  "  and  all  are  invited  and  persuaded,  in  the  most 
gracious  and  pathetic  terms,  to  accept  of  eternal  life,"  and  sin- 
ners' refusal  to  comply  with  these  offers  and  slighting  them 
is  a  "despising  the  goodness  of  God,  even  the  riches  of  his 
goodness"  exercised  and  manifested  herein,  then  unregenerate 
sinners  have  these  offers,  and  God  is  herein  good  to  them,  and 
their  refusal  to  comply  is  a  despising  the  riches  of  his  good- 
ness. Is  it  not  strange  that  the  doctor  should  express  himself 
so  clearly  and  fully  on  this  head,  from  time  to  time,  and  so 
perfectly  agreeable  to  the  doctrine  he  opposes,  and  yet  so  con- 
fuse and  bewilder  himself  and  his  readers,  as  in  the  passage 
just  now  considered,  and  in  many  others  ?  Or,  are  we  the  only 
persons  confused  and  bewildered?    "  Let  the  unbiased  judge." 

Obj.  2.  It  is  objected,  that  if  there  are  no  promises  of  success 
to  the  endeavors  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  in  seeking  the 
salvation  of  their  souls,*  then  there  is  little  or_no  encourage- 

*  The  reader  is  desired  to  observe  and  bear  in  mind,  that  when  the  nnregen- 
erate  sinner  is  spoken  of  as  seeking  salvation,  using  means  and  endeavors  in 
order  thereto,  or  even  hoping  for  it,  expressions  of  this  kind  are  to  be  under- 
stood in  a  sense  consistent  with  his  really  at  heart  opposing,  hating,  and  re- 
jecting the  salvation  which  the  gosjiel  offers.  This  is  not  properly  the  object 
of  liis  desires  and  hopes  ;  and,  therefore,  not  what  he  seeks  after,  and  endeavors 
to  obtain.  He  does  not  heartily  ask  for,  or  desire,  the  pardon  which  the  gospel 
offers ;  nor  that  deliverance  from  sin,  and  that  holiness  and  happiness  in 
which  the  salvation  revealed  in  the  gospel  consists ;  so  cannot  be  truly  said  to 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  253 

ment  to  sinners  to  take  pains  in  this  matter,  in  attending  on 
the  means  of  grace ;  but  it  tends  greatly  to  discourage,  and 
lead  them  to  neglect,  alLjmeans  and  endeavors  for  their  own 
salvation,  if  not  to  indulge  themselves.  in-all.maimeJLQLJicen.- 
tiousness  and  known  sin. 

Dr.  iVIayhew  indeed  allows,  that,  upon  supposition,  there  is 
no  certain  connection  between  the  endeavors  and  strivings  of 
the  unregenerate  and  salvation ;  yet  they  are  obliged  in  all 
reason  to  strive,  and  do  their  best.  He  observes  that  men  will 
think  it  worth  while  to  take  the  utmost  pains  in  the  concerns  of 
a  worldly  nature,  when  there  is  an  uncertainty  with  respect  to 
the  success  of  their  endeavors  ;  but  that  the  reason  and  motive 
to  strive  for  salvation  are  unspeakably  greater,  though  there 
be  an  equal  uncertainly  of  obtaining.  However,  he  insists 
upon  it,  that  if  unregenerate  43ersons  are  told  that  there  is  no 
connection  between  any  of  their  endeavors  and  obtaining  eter- 
nal life,  this  has  a  direct  and  manifest  tendency  to  dishearten 
them  and  damp  their  endeavors,  and  must  needs  prove  a  great 
discouragement  to  them. 

'•  .  Answeb.  Whether  there  is  any  just  ground  for  this  objec- 
tion, the  reader  must  judge,  when  he  has  attended  to  the 
following  particulars:  — 

1.  It  does  not  appear  from  fact  and  experience  that  what  is 
supposed  and  asserted  in  the  objection  is  true,  but  the  con- 
trary. There  can  be  iio  instances  produced  of  persoris  who 
have  been  engaged  in  a  diligent  attendance  on  the  means  of 
grace  and  salvation,  and  have  been  discouraged  and  left  off 
from  this  consideration,  that  there  was  no  certain  connection 
between  what  they  did  and  their  salvation.  Persons  who  ap- 
pear to  be  in  any  good  degree  in  earnest  in  this  matter,  are 
n^  wont  to  be  discouraged  in  the  least  by  this  doctrine. 
They  who  profess  to  neglect  the  concerns  of  their  souls  be- 
cause there  is  no  promise  to  the  pains  they  should  take,  would 
not  be  persuaded  to  be  in  earnest  by  all  the  promises  that 
can  be  imagined ;  and  this  appears  not  to  be  the  true  reason 
of  their  sitting  still,  or  going  on  in  a  way  of  allowed  sin. 

And  if  it  be  inquired.  Who  are  generally  the  most  in  earnest 
in  the  use  of  means?  it  will  doubtless  be  found  that  they  are 

endeavor  after  or  hope  for  this.  But  the  object  of  his  desires,  hopes,  and  endeav- 
ors is  something  else ;  even  that  deliverance  from  misery  or  natural  evil,  and 
that  happiness  or  natural  good,  which  are  naturally  and  even  necessarily  the 
objects  of  men's  desires,  from  an  aversion  to  misery  and  love  of  happiness, 
■which  is  essential  to  a  moral  agent,  and  is  consistent  with  the  greatest  love  to 
sin,  and  most  perfect  opposition  of  heart  to  that  holiness  without  which  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord.  These  expressions  are  used  in  compliance  with  the 
common  way  of  speaking  in  this  matter,  and  not  because  it  is  the  language 
of  Scripture. 

VOL.  III.  22 


254  OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 

those  who  believe  there  are  no  promises  made  to  the  doings 
of  the  unregenerate ;  while  they  who  embrace  the  contrary 
notion  are  generally  in  a  great  degree  careless  and  negligent; 
either  wholly  putting  off"  the  concerns  of  their  eternal  interest 
for  the  present,  or  contenting  themselves  with  that  which  is 
very  consistent  with  great  slothfulness  in  religion,  the  preva- 
lence of  a  worldly  spirit,  and  a  greedy  pursuit  of  the  things  of 
time  and  sense.  To  be  sure,  it  does  not  appear  that  a  belief 
that  the  endeavors  of  the  unregenerate  are  connected  with 
salvation  has  any  such  influence  on  persons  to  excite  and  en- 
courage them  earnestly  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace  and 
salvation  as  that  they  who  believe  this  to  be  true  evidently 
distinguish  themselves  from  others  in  their  endeavors ;  and 
where  this  doctrine  is  preached  up  most  strenuously  and  con- 
stantly, it  does  not  appear  to  have  any  sensible  effect  to  rouse 
and  engage  sinners  to  zeal  and  earnestness  in  this  matter. 
Such  congregations  do  not  appear  to  be  more  engaged  and 
painful  in  the  things  of  religion  than  others,  where  the  con- 
trary doctrine  is  preached.  But  if  there  is  any  visible  differ- 
ence in  this  respect,  it  is  directly  the  reverse  of  this ;  and 
wherever  there  have  been  the  most  remarkable  visible  instances 
of  sinners  beinff  awakened  to  a  suitable  concern  about  their 
souls,  and  a  great  and  constant  engagedness  in  attendmg  on 
means,  it  has  been  under  the  preaching,  which  is  in  the  whole 
tenor  of  it  inconsistent  with  the  notion  of  there  being  promises 
made  to  the  doings  of  unregenerate  sinners  ;  and^U  their  con- 
cern and  earnest  endeavors  have  taken  place,  and  continue, 
under  a  firm  belief  of  the  contrary  doctrine. 

Now,  if  it  appears  from  fact  and  experience  that  the  doc- 
trine which  asserts  that  there  are  no  promises  to  the  doings  of 
the  unregenerate  is  not  matter  of  discouragement  to  any  in 
constantly  and  earnestly  attending  on  means,  and  that.  the. 
ojjposite  doctrine  does  not  influence  to  stir  men  up  and  put 
them  forward  in  taking  pains  in  this  matter,  but  rather  has  a 
contrary  influence,  have  we  not  reason  to  conclude  that  the 
objection  is  groundless,  however  well  supported  by  good  rea- 
son the  objector  may  think  it  to  be  ? 

It  appears  from  fact,  that  sinners  under  the  gospel  more 
commonly  neglect  the  proper  means  of  grace  and  salvation, 
live  in  security  and  sloth,  and  so  finally  miscarry  from  prfi:^ 
sumption  than  from  despair,  or  for  want  of  greater  encourage- 
ment and  hope  ;  and  when  they  do  despair,  so  as  in  any  degree 
to  discourage  them,  and  prevent  their  engaged,  resolute,  pain- 
ful endeavors,  this  is  never  grounded  on  their  supposing  that 
there  are  no  promises  to  their  doings,  but  upon  some  delusion. 
What  secure  sinners,  under  the  gospel,  who  are  neglecting  the 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  255 

means  of  salvation,  want,  in  order  to  their  being  engaged  in 
this  matter,  is  to^hayejtjjeir  fears  excited,  and  not  their 'hope. 
Their  hope  is  generally  high  enough,  and  too  high  in  all  rea- 
son;  and  is,  therefore,  presumption.  They  stand  in  need  of 
having  their  fears  excited  by  a  sight  of  the  dangerous  and 
awful  state  they  are  in  ;  and  when  they  have  any  degree  of  a 
just  sense  of  this,  they  will  still  have  all  the  hope  that  is  con- 
sistent with  a  just  fear  and  concern  about  themselves,  even  on 
supposition  there  are  no  promises  made  to  their  endeavors. 
They,  therefore,  who  make  this  objection,  seem  not  only  to 
have  overlooked  matter  of  fact,  but  not  to  attend  to  human 
nature  in  its  natural  operations  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy ; 
and,  therefore,  attempt  to  argue,  not  only  against  all  experi- 
ence, but  in  direct  opposition  to  reason  and  the  nature  of 
things. 

But  I  proceed  to  observe, — 
^  2.  The  doctrine  that  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate  are 
connected  with  salvation,  as  it  is  preached  up  by  those  who 
hold  it,  is  so  far  from  containing  in  it  more  encouragement  to 
them  than  the  opposite  doctrine,  that  it  tends  greatly  to  dis- 
courage sinners,  who  are  in  any  good  measure  acquainted 
with  themselves,  and  even  to  throw  theni.  into  despair. 

According  to  this_doctrine,  a  sinner  must  distinguish  him- 
self from  others  by  his  doings,  as  the  proper  and  only  ground 
of  his  obtaining  mercy ;  and  in  order  to  this,  his  exercises  and 
endeavors  must  be  in  some  sense  obedience  to  God,  so  in 
some  degree  good  and  acceptable,  or  at  least  not  wholly  un- 
pleasing  to  God ;  so  that  by  this  he  shall  become  a  more 
suitable  object  of  mercy,  and  recommend  himself  to  God's 
favor;  and  in  order  to  this,  the  sinner  must  feally,  heartily, 
and  earnestly  desire  salvation,  even  the  salvation  which  the 
gospel  offers,  and  must  strive  for  it  with  the  utmost  earnest- 
ness, without  intermission ;  must  begin  in  season,*  and  per- 
severe in  it  to  the  end  of  life.f  And  he  who  does  not  do  all 
this,  is  so  far  from  being  in  the  way  to  salvation,  that  he  will 

*  Dr.  Mayhew  tells  his  hearers  that  they  may  neglect  striving  for  salvation 
till  it  shall  be  too  late  ever  to  obtain,  even  though  life  should  be  continued. 
"  Do  not,  I  beseech  j-ou,  delay,  for  human  life  is  precarious  ;  and  although  your 
own  should  be  prolonged,  yet  if  you  go  on  to  provoke  God  by  your  sins,  he 
may,  perhaps,  give  you  over  to  a  reprobate  mind  ;  so  that  you  will  only  live 
to  fill  up  the  measure  of  your  sins.  To-day,  then,  if  you  will  hear  his  voice." 
According  to  this,  no  one  sinner  who  has  lived  any  time  in  the  world  can  be 
sure  it  is  not  too  late  for  him ;  yea,  all  such  have  reason  to  fear  it  is  so,  and 
that  especially  if  they  find  their  hearts  to  be  yet  hard,  which  every  unregen- 
erate sinner  does,  if  he  has  any  true  acquaintance  with  it. 

t  According  to  Dr.  Mayhew  no  striving  is  successful,  or  connected  -rt-ith  sal- 
vation, but  that  in  which  men  persevere  in  to  the  end  of  life.  He  says,  "  The 
Btriving  here  enjoined  must  be  supposed  to  intend  striving  with  perseverance, 


256  OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 

certainly  be  lost ;  and,  therefore,  can  have  no  reasonable  hope 
of  mercy. 

Now,  it  is  easy  to  show  that  such  a  representation  of  the 
case  tends  to  discourage  the  sinner  who  has  any  degree  of 

not  for  a  month,  a  year,  or  any  definite  given  time,  but  as  long  as  it  shall  please 
God  to  continue  us  in  the  -world." 

Upon  this  it  may  be  observed  that,  if  any  are  regenerated  before  they  die,  or 
in  this  life,  God  does  not  grant  them  this  favor  and  give  them  a  new  heart,  in 
fultilment  of  anj'  promise  to  their  doings  or  strivings,  or  because  there  is  any 
connection  between  their  strivings  and  this  gift  of  a  new  heart ;  for  if  no  striv- 
ing entitles  to  any  promise  but  that  which  continues  to  the  end  of  life,  even  to 
the  last  breath,  then  if  a  new  heart  and  an  interest  in  Christ  is  given  before  the 
end  of  life,  it  is  given  not  as  a  promised  mercy,  and,  therefore,  not  out  of  re- 
spect to  any  endeavors  of  the  sinner,  or  because  they  have  any  connection  with 
it.  Therefore,  they  who  are  regenerated,  and  become  true  Christians  in  this 
life,  do  not  obtain  it  by  their  striving,  as  having  any  connection  with  it,  but 
they  become  so  by  the  unpromised  sovereign  mercy  of  God.  If,  therefore,  all 
who  are  saved  are  regenerated,  or  obtain  a  new  heart,  and  become  real,  true 
Christians  in  this  life,  then  they  are  all  brought  into  a  state  of  salvation,  have  a 
sure  title  to  life,  and  are  interested  in  all  the  promises  of  the  gospel,  not  by  vir- 
tue of  their  unregenerate  strivings,  but  before  they  obtain  any  title  to  God's 
favor  by  these,  because  it  is  before  they  have  persevered  therein  to  the  end 
of  life. 

The  doctor's  promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  and  their  certain 
connection  with  salvation,  do  at  length  then  turn  out  to  be  promises  that  are 
never  fulfilled,  or  rather,  no  promises  at  all,  and  a  connection  wliich  is  of  no 
avail,  but  is  consistent  with  their  being  eternally  lost.  For  notwithstanding 
these  promises  and  this  connection,  they  must  go  out  of  the  world  unregen- 
erate, or  in  their  sins,  because  they  are  not  entitled  to  the  'promises,  and  the 
connection  does  not  take  place  while  the)'  are  in  this  life,  as  the  condition  is 
not  fulfilled  till  the  last  breath ;  and  if  they  go  out  of  the  world  unregenerate, 
they  must  be  damned,  unless  they  are  regenerated  and  become  true  Christians 
in  the  other  world,  or  after  death. 

Therefore,  if  any  hope  to  obtain  a  new  heart,  and  become  real  Christians  in 
this  life,  they  can,  according  to  the  doctor's  plan,  have  no  encouragement  to 
strive  under  the  notion  of  doing  that  with  which  such  a  favor  is  connected,  but 
must  seek  it  as  an  unpromised,  sovereign  mercy ;  and  they  only  can  be  en- 
couraged by  the  doctor's  promises  who  are  willing  to  wait  for  a  new  heart  till 
after  they  are  dead;  that  is,  till  it  is  eternally  too  late  to  obtain  it,  according  to 
the  divine  constitution. 

The  doctor  having  observed  that  all  persons  though  unregenerate,  who  desire 
salvation  and  strive  in  order  thereto,  shall  be  saved,  unless  they  cease  thus  to 
desire  and  strive,  adds  the  following  words  :  "  Not,  to  be  sure,  without  being 
bom  of  God,  but  they  shall  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds,  and  conse- 
quently enter  into  life."  If  they  are  born  of  God  in  this  life,  or  while  "  it 
shall  please  God  to  continue  them  in  this  world,"  they  receive  this  favor  before 
they  have  fulfilled  the  condition  of  it,  and,  therefore,  not  as  what  they  have  a 
title  to  by  promise ;  for  they  have  not  yet  fulfilled  the  condition,  which  is  per- 
severencc  in  striving  to  the  end  of  life.  If  they  shall  be  born  of  God,  and  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of  their  minds  after  they  arc  gone  out  of  this  world,  and  so 
out  of  the  body,  this  is  a  new  doctrine  which  has  hitherto  been  thought  con- 
trary to  .Scripture.     In  one  word,  — 

The  doctor  supposes  that  all  who  have  a  new  heart  given  them  receive  it  as 
a  favor  promised  to  their  seeking  and  striving.  ,But  in  order  to  their  being 
entitled  to  this  promise,  they  must  seek  and  strive  as  long  as  they  are  in  the 
world.  Therefore,  according  to  him,  none  are  regenerated  and  made  new 
creatures  in  this  world,  but  this  work  is  in  all  cases  put  oft'  till  after  men  are 
dead ;  so  there  never  was  a  regenerate  person  or  real  Christian  in  this  life. 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED.  257 

just  views  of  himself,  and  to  land  him  in  despair.  The  sinner 
who  is  brought  to  any  true  sight  of  himself,  and  belief  and 
sense  of  eternal  things,  finds  he  has  an  exceeding  hard  heart, 
a  stony  heart ;  as  this  is  never  removed  till  men  are  regen- 
erated. He  finds  that  he  is  in  no  measure  affected  with  the 
things  of  God  and  religion,  as  it  is  reasonable  he  should  be, 
and  takes  pains  and  strives  in  no  degree  answerable  to  the 
importance  of  the  matter.  He  will,  therefore,  naturally  look 
upon  himself  not  to  be  an  earnest  striver  for  salvation,  but 
rather  a  stupid,  hardened  creature,  who,  though  he  finds  him- 
self more  concerned  about  his  soul  than  some  others  appear 
to  be,  and  constantly  attends  on  the  means  of  grace,  yet  can- 
not view  himself  as  having  begun  to  strive  in  earnest;  and 
will,  therefore,  naturally  be  afraid  it  is  too  late  for  him.  And, 
in  this  case,  calling  upon  him  earnestly  and  perseveringly  to 
strive  for  salvation  as  the  only  condition  on  which  he  may 
hope  to  be  saved,  will  tend  to  drive  him  to  despair ;  for  the 
more  concerned  he  is,  the  more  deficiencies  he  sees  in  his  en- 
deavors, and  the  less  they  appear  to  him ;  so  that  he _  will, 
mturally  conclude  he  never,  .shall.be  one  of  those  strivers. 
He  also  finds  that  he  has  no  real  true  desires  of  the  salvation 
which  is  offered  in  the  gospel,  but  is  wholly  without  all  good 
desires  and  inclinations,  or  any  thing  which  should  be  accept- 
able or  pleasing  to  God  ;  and  that  there  is  no  foundation  in 
him  for  this  until  his  heart  is  changed.  He  will,  therefore, 
despair  of  ever  attaining  to  this  in  an  unregenerate  state  ;  and, 
consequently,  if  he  is  made  to  believe  that  none  can  obtain  a 
new  heart  but  those  who  have  these  good  desires,  he  will,  of 
course,  despair  of  ever  obtaining  it.  In  a  word,  he  sees  that 
he  never  has,  and  never  shall,  do  any  good  thing,  by  which  he 
should  distinguish  himself  from  others,  but  naturally  looks 
upon  himself  as  one  of  the  greatest  sinners  ;  as  his  own  sins  are 
more  in  his  view,  and  more  attended  to  by  him,  than  those  of 
others.  He  therefore  despairs  of  thus  distinguishing  himself 
from  others;  of  doing  or  obtaining  any  thing  which  should 
recommend  him  to  God's  favor,  by  becoming  better  or  less 
sinful  than  others.  So  the  doctrine  that  teaches  him  he  must 
thus  distinguish  himself  or  perish,  will  be  so  far  from  comfort- 
ing and  encouraging  him,  that  it  tends  only  to  discourage 
him ;  it  will  be  like  singing  songs  to  a  heavy  heart,  and  if 
believed,  will  certainly  deprive  him  of  all  hope.  The  only 
doctrine  that  can  give  support  and  hope  to  such  a  sinner,  and 
encourage  him  to  attend  on  means,  is,  "  that  God  has  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,"  and  therefore  waits  not  to  have 
sinners  distinguish  and  recommend  themselves  to  him  as  more 
22* 


258 


OBJECTIONS    ANSWERED. 


suitable  objects  of  his  mercy  than  others,  before  he  will  grant 
them  mercy ;  but  in  showing  mercy  acts  as  being  infinitely 
above  all  obligations  to  any,  and  as  having  no  regard  to  wor- 
thiness, or  less  unworthiness,  as  what  recommends  one  to  his 
favor  rather  than  another.  This  being  the  case,  the  greatest 
sinner,  he  who  looks  on  himself  the  furthest  from  righteous- 
ness of  any,  and  himself  to  be  the  most  guilty  and  unworthy, 
may  hope  in  the  use  of  means,  and  this  is  his  only  supjDort. 

If  a  person  is  but  in  a^mall_d_egree  concerned  about  his 
own  salvation,  and  is  in  no  measure  convinced  how  sinful  and 
depraved  his  heart  is,  and  how  entirely  destitute  of  all  good, 
he  may  be  flattered  and  encouraged,  under  the  notion  of  doing 
something  by  which  he  shall  distinguish  himself^'so  as  to  be- 
come a  more  suitable  object  of  mercy  than  others,  and  which 
shall  entitle  him  to  God's  favor.  But  to  what  is  he  encour- 
aged ?  Why,  to  think  more  highly  of  himself  and  his  doings 
than  there  is  any  reason  for,  and  to  go  on  in  a  dull,  lazy  way, 
while  he  flatters  himself  he  is  sufficiently  in  earnest,  and  is 
doing  something  very  great  and  good.  This  is_to  flatter  him 
to  his  own  ruin,  to  keep  him  easy.and  secure  in  a  ^reat  de- 
gree, or  to  quash  any  beginning  of  genuine  conviction  and 
concern,  and  promote  that  pride  and  self-confidence,  which  is 
inconsistent  with  the  sinner's  attending  on  means  with  any 
good  degree  of  solicitude  and  earnestness  ;  and  must  be  slain, 
in  order  to  his  coming  to  good. 

If  these  things  are  so,  I  think  it  will  follow,  — 

3.  That  though  there  are  no  promises  made  to  the  endeav- 
c/j  ors  and  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  yet  sinners  have  all  proper 
encouragement  to  a  diligent  use  of  means  ;  yea,  all  that  the 
nature  of  the  case  will  admit  of. 

If  the  doctrine,  that  there  are  promises  to  the  doings  of  the 
unregenerate,  does  npt,  in  fact,  or  according  to  the  reason  of 
things,  tend  -to  encourage  and  excite  sinners  to  a  proper  and 
diligent  use  of  means,  but  really  has  directly  the  contrary 
tendency,  then  the  opposite  doctrine  _af[brds  all  proper  and 
possible  encouragement  thereto,  and  is  the  only  plan  on  which 
sinners  may  be  addressed,  considering  their  state  and  dispo- 
sition, so  as  to  excite  them  earnestly  to  use  means  with  all 
proper  degrees  of  encouragement  and  hope,  and  so  as  shall 
tend  to  ^nswer  the  proper  end  of  means. 

But  what  is  said  in  the  next  section  may  serve  further  to 
clear  up  and  confirm  this. 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  259 


SECTION   X. 

0[ths...^Eud_gj!idJDeji^n.-oX^^^         ;  and  the  true   Ground  of 
^'^couragement  for  Men  to  be  in  the  diligent  Use  of  them, 
in  order  to  their  Salvation. 

It  may  still  remain  a  doubt  with  some,  vvhether  there  is 
really  any  ground  of  encouragement  for  men,  especially  the 
unre^eiierate,  to  use  means  to  obtain  salvation  ;  or,  jfthere 
be  any,  vvhat  it  is.  And  as  this  is  an  important  point,  and  a 
careful  attention  to  it  may  serve  to  throw  some  further  light 
upon  this  subject,  and  yet  more  fully  obviate  the  objection 
last  considered,  the  reader  is  invited  to  an  attentive  and  candid 
perusal  of  what  may  be  said  in  answer  to  the  following 
questions :  — 

-^    QuES.  1.  Wlmtai;e  the  means  of  grace  and  salvation  ?  and 
what  is  meant  by  using  these  means  ? 

QuES.  2.  Why_are  means  to  be  used  ?    and  what  end  does 
this  answer?    And  what  motive  and  encouragement  is  there 
to  this  ? 
-^    QuEs.  3.  What  obligations  are  men  under  to  use  means  ? 

Q,uEs.  1.  What  are  the  means  of  grace  and  salvation  ?  and 
what  is  meant  by  using  these  means  ? 

Answer.  The  means  of  grace  and  salvation  may  be  con- 
sidered as  including  every  thing  which  is  adapted  and  tends  to 
communicate  light  and  truth,  respecting  the  things  of  a  moral 
nature,  to  the  mind  of  man  ;  or  to  lead  his  mind  to  attend  to 
truth,  and  to  excite  those  ideas  which  are  necessary  or  proper, 
in  order  to  right  exercises. 

The  grand  medium  of  grace  and  salvation,  and,  strictly 
speaking,  the  sole  medium,  is  truth.  It  is  in  the  view  of  this 
that  the  mind  exercises  itself  properly,  and  has  true  enjoy- 
ment. This  is  the  food  and  life  of  the  mind.  Was  there  no 
truth,  there  could  be  no  virtue  or  real  happiness.  As  sin  and 
misery  consist  summarily  in  the  darkness  of  the  mind,  and  its 
alienation  from,  and  opposition  to,  light  and  truth,  so  all  true 
holiness  and  proper  mental  enjoyment  consist  in  those  exer- 
cises which  are  implied  and  involved  in  a  proper  view  and 
sense  of  truth  ;  the  truth,  I  mean,  which  relates  to  God's  moral 
government  and  kingdom. 

But  then,  all  those  things,  those  institutions  and  exercises, 
which  tend  to  instruct  mankind  in  the  knowledge  of  truth  ; 
to  excite  the  attention,  to  convey  truth  to  the  mind,  and  hold 
it  up  in  its  view ;  all  these,  I  say,  are  in  a  more  remote  sense 


260  OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

the  means  of  grace  and  salvation.  Such  are  all  those  things, 
those  circumstances  and  events  in  the  natural  and  moral 
world,  which  are  adapted  to  instruct  mankind.  Such,  in  a 
special  manner,  is  divine  revelation,  and  all  those  institutions 
and  appointments  therein,  to  be  attended  on  by  men.  Such 
are  reading  the  Bible,  public  and  private  instructions,  religious 
conversation,  serious  meditation  on  divine  things,  etc.,  and 
particularly  prayer,  which  is  the  most  solemn  way  of  medi- 
tating on  divine  truth,  as  it  is  done  as  in  the  presence  of  God, 
and  in  a  solemn  address  to  him,  and  has  a  special  and  pecu- 
liar tendency  to  awaken,  instruct,  and  aflcct  the  mind. 
Using  these  means  intends  two  things,  viz., — 

1.  Taking  methods  with  men  to  set  truth  before  them  and 
instruct  them,  and  awaken  their  attention.  Thus  God  is  using 
means  with  men  in  his  providence,  which  is  every  way  calcu- 
lated to  give  instruction  to  a  sinful  world  ;  but  more  especially 
by  giving  the  revelation  which  is  contained  in  the  Bible,  and 
ordering  it  to  be  published  and  preached  to  the  world.  And 
according  to  divine  institution,  men  are  using  means  with 
others  for  their  salvation,  by  public  and  private  instructions. 

2.  Persons  themselves  attending  on  these  means.  This  is 
supposed  in  the  use  of  means  just  mentioned ;  for  if  there 
were  none  to  attend  on  means,  there  would  be  no  such  thing 
as  using  means  with  any  for  their  instruction  ;  for  the  end  of 
instruction  cannot  be  answered  where  there  is  no  attention  to 
the  instruction  given  —  so  no  pains  taken  to  get  instruction. 
He  who  cannot  have  the  attention  of  those  with  whom  he 
attempts  to  use  means,  fails  of  answering  the  proper  end  of 
means  entirely;  and  what  he  does  is  as  much  in  vain,  as  to 
any  benefit  to  the  persons  with  whom  he  is  concerned,  as  if 
they  were  stocks  or  stones.  So  that  God's  using  means  with 
men  for  their  instruction  and  salvation,  and  directing  men  to 
use  means  with  others,  supposes  the  propriety  and  importance 
of  attending  on  these  means.  There  would  have  been  no 
wisdom  or  propriety  in  making  a  revelation  if  there  were  none 
to  attend  to  it,  and  use  all  proper  means  to  understand  it,  and 
get  the  instruction  there  given.  To  what  purpose  would  it  be 
to  preach  a  sermon,  or  write  a  book,  in  order  to  instruct  men, 
if  none  were  to  hear  or  read  ?  And  what  reason  or  propriety 
would  there  be  in  it  ?  The  propriety  and  reasonableness  of 
taking  any  pains  or  method  to  instruct  men,  or  using  any 
means  with  them  to  this  end,  supposes  it  proper  and  reason- 
able that  they  should  give  all  that  attention,  and  take  all  those 
pains,  which  are  necessary  in  order  to  be  under  the  best  ad- 
vantage to  get  the  instruction  given.     Now  this  is  the  sum  of 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  261 

what  is  meant  by  being  in  the  use  of  means.*  To  use  or  at- 
tend the  means  of  grace,  is  to  make  use  of  all  the  means  of 
instruction  in  the  things  that  relate  to  God's  moral  kingdom; 
to  go  into  that  conduct  and  practice,  and  do  all  those  things 
which  tend  to  lead  us  into  the  knowledge  of  the  truths  of  di- 
vine revelation,  and  to  keep  up  the  attention  of  the  mind  to 
them,  and  carefully  to  avoid  whatsoever  has  a  contrary  ten- 
dency. 

QuEs.  2.  Why  are  means  to  be  used  ?  and  what  end  does 
this  answer?  Or  of  what  advantage  is  it  to  use  means? 
What  motive  and  encouragement  is  there  to  this  ? 

It  has  been  observed  that  the  end  of  using  or  attending  on 
the  means  of  grace  is  to  lead  the  mind  to  the  knowledge  of 
that  truth  which  it  was  before  ignorant  of,  or  to  renew  the 
attention  to  truth  already  known,  and  to  fix  the  mind  upon  it. 
The  question  now  is,  what  end  this  instruction  answers ;  of 
what  advantage  is  it  to  have  the  truth  set  before  the  mind, 
and  to  have  the  attention  of  the  mind  lixed  upon  it  ? 

Answer.  The  benefit,  advantage,  and  importance  of  this  to 
men  is  just  as  great  as  that  of  an  external  divine  revelation. 
For  divine  revelation  is  of  service  to  men  no  further  than  it  is 
attended  to  and  understood.  The  world  is  as  well  without  it 
as  with  it,  if  no  instruction  is  given  ;  but  this  instruction  comes 
only  by  attending  to  the  things  revealed,  in  the  use  of  means. 
If,  therefore,  the  revelation  which  God  has  made  in  the  Bible 
is  adapted  to  be  of  any  benefit  to  mankind,  with  respect  to 
their  eternal  salvation,  it  is  of  equal  benefit  to  mankind  to 
attend  to  this  revelation  in  the  diligent  use  of  all  proper  means, 
that  hereby  they  may  get  and  retain  the  instruction  given 
therein  ;  jor  without  this  it  will  certainly  be  in  vain  to  them. 
A  revelation  not  understood  is  of  no  more  advantage  than  no 
revelation  at  all.  Therefore,  means  are  to  be  used  in  order  to 
obtain  the  knowledge  of  the  truths  contained  in  the  Bible, 
and  to  fix  and  impress  them  on  the  mind. 

In  order  to  the  salvation  of  men,  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  they  should  have  the  ideas  and  knowledge  of  those  things 
which  relate  to  this  salvation,  and  in  which  it  consists.     He 

*  They  who  insist  upon  it  that  there  is  no  reason  ^vhy  men  should  be  in  the 
use  of  any  means  for  their  instruction  and  salvation,  and  yet  are  using  means 
with  others  for  their  instruction  by  conversation,  preaching,  or  writing,  seem 
to  be  guilty  of  an  inconsistence.  For,  if  it  is  unreasonable  to  use  any^means 
for  instruction,  it  is  unreasonable  to  attend  to  what  thev  write  or  speak  in  order 
to  this  ;  consequently,  it  is  unreasonable  for  them  to'  write  or  speak.  If  the 
instruction  they  give  is  worthy  to  be  attended  to,  then  the  Bible  is  worthvto  be 
attended  to,  and  it  is  reasonable  and  proper  to  take  all  possible  pains  to  under- 
stand it ;  aud  this  implies  the  constant  and  diligent  use  of  all  means  of  grace 
and  salvation. 


262  OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE, 

who  has  no  idea  in  his  mind  of  any  thing,  is  not  capable  of 
any  exercise  of  heart,  or  of  any  mental  enjoyment.  No  man 
is  capable  of  any  exercise  about  that  of  which  he  has  no  idea 
or  knowledge.  It  is  impossible  that  a  man  should  repent  and 
believe  the  gospel  so  long  as  he  has  no  knowledge  of  those 
truths,  in  the  view  of  which  repentance  and  faith  are  exercised. 
Therefore,  if  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ  are  necessary  in 
order  to  salvation,  a  knowledge  of  those  things  contained  in 
divine  revelation,  without  which  there  can  be  no  such  exercise, 
is  equally  necessary.  But  this  knowledge  can  be  obtained 
only  in  the  use  of  means. 

There  are  but  two  possible  ways  in  which  the  knowledge 
of  the  truths  which  are  necessary  to  be  known  in  order  to 
salvation  can  be  obtained,  viz.,  by  immediate  revelation  or 
inspiration ;  or  by  an  external  mediate  one,  or  by  means. 
The  latter  is  the  way  which  God  has  taken  to  set  these  truths 
before  the  mind ;  therefore,  the  knowledge  of  them  is  not  to  be 
obtained  in  any  way  but  in  the  use  of  means.* 

In  proportion,  therefore,  as  men  feel  the  importance  and 
worth  of  salvation,  will  they  be  engaged  in  the  diligent  attend- 
ance on  the  means  of  grace,  as  necessary  in  order  thereto, 
and  so  the  only  way  in  which  they  may  hope  to  obtain  it. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  I  am  now  speaking  of  that  knowl- 
edge which  the  mind  is  capable  of,  independent  of  any  degree 
of  right  taste  or  disposition  of  the  heart,  or  which  the  mind  may 
have  without  discerning  and  relishing  the  beauty  of  divine 
things,  and  is  what  is  commonly  meant  by  speculative  or 
doctrinal  knowledge.  This  knowledge  is  to  be  obtained  only 
in  the  use  of  means,  and  is  necessary  in  order  to  repentance, 
or  any  right  exercise  of  heart;  though  no  degree  of  it  does 
imply,  or  is  certainly  connected  with,  any  truly  virtuous  or  holy 
exercise. 

The  unregenerate  are  certainly  capable  of  great  degrees  of 
this  knowledge,  which    may  much   impress  and  affect  their 

*  If  the  thief  on  the  cross,  and  Saul  the  persecutor,  should  be  thought  by  any 
to  be  converted  and  saved  without  attending  on  means,  they  are  desired  to  con- 
sider that  the  former  was  surrounded  with  means  of  instruction,  and  it  is  appar- 
ent that  he  was  all  attention  ;  and  what  was  this  but  to  attend  on  means  ?  And 
the  same  is  true  of  the  latter.  His  immediate  instructor  was  Jesus  Christ,  and 
no  sinner  was  ever  more  attentive  than  he.  And  neither  of  them  could  have 
been  converted  and  saved  had  they  not  attended.  It  may  hero  be  observed  that 
as  persons'  circumstances  may  be  vastly  different,  and  the  attention  of  one  may 
be  to  a  much  greater  degree  than  of  another,  so  one  may  gain  that  instruction 
in  a  short  time  which  others  do  not  obtain  in  a  much  longer,  who  yet  are  in  the 
use  of  means.  God  may  order  things  so,  that  a  person  may  get  that  instruction 
in  a  few  hours  or  minutes  which  it  takes  another  years  to  obtain  ;  yet  the  in- 
struction which  the  former  obtains  is  no  more  without  attention  and  the  use  of 
means  than  that  of  the  latter,  and  therefore  is  no  argument  against  the  necessity 
of  the  use  of  means  in  order  to  get  instruction. 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  263 

minds.  (See  James xi.  19.)  They  may  have  a  clear  view  and 
affecting  sense  (which  is  indeed,  strictly  speaking,  something 
more  than  mere  sjDcculation)  of  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and 
particularly  of  their  own  state  as  sinners.  They  are  capable 
of  every  thing  of  this  kind  but  what  depends  upon,  consists 
in,  or  results  from,  a  sight  and  discerning  of  the  true  beauty  or 
moral  excellency  of  divine  things.  This  is  indeed  a  kind  of 
knowledge  which  is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate,  the  foundation 
of  which  is  laid  i^i  their  having  a  new  heart.  The  former  is 
necessary  in  order  to  the  latter,  as  it  is  supposed  ancl  implied 
in  it ;  for  there  can  be  no  discerning  of  the  beauty  of  those 
objects  of  which  the  mind  has  no  speculative  idea. 

If  it  should  be  asked.  What  good  all  this  instruction  and 
knowledge  will  do  the  unregenerate  who  are  under  the  do- 
minion of  a  hard  and  impenitent  heart,  and  will  continue  so 
until  a  new  heart  is  given  in  regeneration  ?  If  this  knowledge 
will  be  of  no  service  to  them,  and  really  do  them  no  good,  and 
they  are  yet  as  far  from  salvation  as  ever,  then  there  is  no  en- 
couragement for  them  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace,  in 
order  to  obtain  it,  and  keep  up  a  view  and  sense  of  the  truths 
of  Christianity  in  their  minds. 

I  answer:  It  is  certain  the  unregenerate  do  not  exercise  any 
true  virtue  in  their  attendance  on  the  means  of  grace,  however 
engaged  and  diligent  they  are,  and  whatever  pains  they  take 
in  this  matter.  And  there  is  no  connection  between  the  in- 
struction or  knowledge  they  obtain  hereby  and  holiness.  Yea, 
the  impenitent  sinner  who  continues  obstinately  to  reject  and 
oppose  the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel,  does,  in  some  re- 
spects, yea,  on  the  whole,  becomes  not  less,  but  more  vicious 
and  guilty  in  God's  sight,  the  more  instruction  and  knowledge 
he  gets  in  attendance  on  the  means  of  grace.  The  more 
clearly  he  sees  his  own  wretched  case  as  a  sinner,  and  the 
dreadful  consequence  of  dying  in  his  sins,  and  the  clearer  con- 
viction he  has  of  his  need  of  a  Savior,  and  of  the  truths  of 
the  gospel  in  general,  the  greater  is  the  crime  of  his  impeni- 
tence and  continuing  to  reject  the  salvation  offered  in  the 
gospel.  The  awakened,  convinced  sinner,  who  has  taken  a 
great  deal  of  pains  in  the  use  of  means,  and  has  hereby  got  a 
great  degree  of  instruction  and  knowledge,  and  yet  continues 
impenitent,  is  in  this  respect  much  more  guilty  and  vile,  and 
a  greater  criminal  in  God's  sight,  than  if  he  had  never  attained 
to  this  conviction  and  knowledge,  for  now  he  is  guilty  of  the 
abuse  of,  and  opposition  to,  all  this  light  and  knowledge,  which 
he  could  not  be  while  he  had  it  not.  Yea,  his  impenitence, 
and  all  his  sins,  are  so  aggravated  by  the  light  and  conviction 
he  obtains,  that  whatever  particular  ways  of  known  sin  he  has 


264  OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 

forsaken,  and  how  many  soever  external  duties  he  attends 
upon,  yet,  on  the  whole,  he  is  undoubtedly  a  greater  sinner 
than  he  was  when  he  lived  in  security  and  the  neglect  of 
the  means  of  grace.  So  that  the  impenitent,  unregenerate 
sinner  does  not  grow  better,  but  rather  grows  worse,  by  all  the 
instruction  and  knowledge  he  gets  in  the  use  of  means.  And 
awakened,  convinced  sinners,  with  whom  most  means  are  used, 
and  who  are  most  attentive  to  the  concerns  of  their  souls,  and 
most  in  earnest  in  the  use  of  means,  are  commonly,  if  not 
always,  really  more  guilty  and  odious  in  God's  sight  than  they 
who  are  secure  and  at  ease  in  their  sins. 

Their  greater  sinfulness  does  not,  indeed,  consist  in  their 
concern  about  themselves,  in  a  sense  of  the  sad,  dangerous 
state  they  are  in,  and  in  their  earnestly  desiring, deliverance 
and  safety,  or  in  the  pains  they  take  in  order  hereto ;  but  in 
their  continuing  to  hate  God  and  his  law,  and  to  oppose  and 
reject  the  Savior,  even  under  all  their  concern,  exercises,  and 
endeavors,  and  with  all  the  light  and  conviction  they  have. 

Our  Savior  represents  the  light  which  men  have  as  that 
which  does,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  and  above  every  thing  else, 
aggravate  the  sin  and  condemnation  of  those  who  rebel 
against  it.  He  says,  "  This  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is 
come  into  the  world,  and  men  have  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light."  (John  iii.  19.)  And  he  says  of  those  to  whom  he 
preached,  who  continued  to  hate  and  reject  both  him  and  the 
Father,  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had 
not  had  sin,"  (John  xv.  22,  24;)  i.  e.,  their  sin  would  have  been 
little  or  nothing  compared  with  what  it  is  now.  And  he 
speaks  of  the  inhabitants  of  those  cities  where  most  of  his 
mighty  works  were  done,  to  whom  he  most  frequently  preached, 
and  who  attended  most  on  his  ministry,  and  yet  continued 
impenitent,  as  much  more  guilty,  and  liable  to  a  more  awful 
condemnation,  than  if  they  hacl  never  enjoyed  these  advan- 
tages, nor  had  this  light  and  instruction.     (Matt.  xi.  20-24.) 

None  will  deny,  I  trust,  that  a  living  under  the  gospel  and 
enjoying  the  means  of  grace  is  the  occasion  of  aggravating 
the  sin  and  condemnation  of  those  who  persevere  in  their  op- 
position to  Jesus  Christ.  The  gospel  proves  to  them  a  "savor 
of  death  unto  death."  Consequently,  the  more  light  and  con- 
viction men  have,  the  more  their  attention  is  awakened  to  the 
things  of  the  gospel,  and  the  more  means  they  attend  upon 
and  arc  used  with  them,  while  they  continue  obstinately  to 
oppose  light  and  truth  and  reject  the  ofi'ers  of  the  gospel,  the 
more  guilty  and  vile,  and  the  greater  criminals,  are  they  in 
God's  sight. 

If  these  things  arc  so,  then  the  sinners  who  continue  im- 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  265 

penitent  under  the  greatest  convictions  of  conscience,  and  the 
most  concern  about  their  souls  and  salvation,  and  are  conse- 
quently taking  the  most  pains,  aad  using  unwearied  endeav- 
ors, are  usually  the  greatest  sinners,  really  more  vicious,  more 
guilty  and  vile,  than  ihey  were  when  in  a  state  of  security,  and 
lived,  in  a  great  measure,  in  the  neglect  of  the  means  of  grace. 
And  if  they  live  and  die  impenitent,  their  condemnation  will 
be  more  intolerable  than  if  they  had  never  had  that  conviction 
and  knowledge  which  by  their  attention  to  the  gospel  they 
have  obtained.  So  that  the  good  the  sinner  gets,  by  a  constant 
attendance  on  the  means  of  grace,  while  he  continues  impeni- 
tent, is  not  a  becoming  in  any  degree  virtuous  or  holy  hereby, 
or,  on  the  whole,  less  vicious  and  criminal  in  God's  sight. 

However,  there  is  yet  a  reason  why  the  sinner  should  dili- 
gently attend  all  means  of  instruction  and  knowledge,  and 
sufficient  encouragement  hereto.     For,  — 

1.  Without  this  instruction  and  knowledge,  which  is  to  be 
obtained  by  those  only  who  are  using  the  proper  means  of  it, 
the  sinner  cannot  be  saved,  as  has  been  shown.  This  knowl- 
edge being  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  salvation,  he  who  , 
is  without  it  has  a  fatal  bar  in  the  way  of  his  salvation  ;  and, 
so  far  as  this  is  obtained,  this  bar  or  impediment  is  removed 
out  of  the  way;  and  so  he  is  in  a  more  likely  way  to  be  saved 
than  those  who  are  in  security  and  ignorance.  For,  surely,  he 
who  has  obtained  one  thing  which  is  necessary  in  order  to 
salvation  is  in  a  more  likely  way  to  be  saved  than  he  who  has 
not  obtained  it,  nor  is  in  the  way  of  it,  all  other  circumstances 
being  equal,  however  uncertain  it  may  be  that  either  shall  be 
saved.  In  order  to  salvation,  several  things  are  necessary. 
He  cannot  be  saved  who  does  not  believe,  and  he  cannot  be- 
lieve who  has  not  heard  and  attended  to  the  report  of  the 
gospel,  so  has  no  right  speculative  notions  about  the  objects 
of  faith ;  and  he  cannot  hear  and  understand  who  has  not  the 
advantage  of  divine  revelation.  (See  Rom.  x.  14,  17.)  Now, 
he  who  enjoys  divine  revelation,  and  attends  to  it  with  the 
utmost  concern  and  diligence,  so  is  in  the  way  to  get  right 
speculative  notions  of  the  objects  of  faith,  and  obtain  all  that 
is  implied  in  hearing,  is  more  likely  to  be  saved  than  he  who 
either  does  not  live  under  the  gospel,  or,  if  he  does,  never  attends 
to  it,  and  uses  no  proper  means  to  understand  it.  I  say,  the 
forflifijMe-more  likely  to  be  saved  than  the  latter,  because  he 
Tas  more  of  those  things  which  are  necessary  in  order  to  this 
than  the  latter.  If  hearing,  which  is  the  same  with  a  diligent 
attendance  on  the  means  of  grace,  is  necessary  in  order  to— 
faith  and  salvation,  then  they  who  are. concerjiied  about  the, 
salvation  of  their  souls  will  be  proportion  a  blj  concerned  and_ 
VOL.  III.  23  " —  ..-_- - 


266  OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 

engaged  to  hear  and  get  instruction,  as  the  only  way  in  \vhich_ 
they  may  hope  to  be  saved. 

It  may  be  also  further  observed,  —  * 

2.  As  that  instruction  and  knowledge  which  is  to  be  had 
only  by  hearing,  in  a  diligent  and  earnest  attendance  on  the 
means  of  grace,  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  exercise  of  repent- 
^  xance  and  faith,  and  so  in  order  to  salvation,  so  the  way.  in 
which  this  knowledge  is  to  be  obtained  is  the  only  way  in 
which  sinners  may  hope  fdif  a  new  heart,  or  to  obtain  regen- 
erating grace.  -^..^  - 

As  he  who  has  no  doctrinal  acquaintance  with  the  truths 
contained  in  God's  word  is  not  in  a  capacity  to  exercise  any 
Christian  grace  or  virtue,  whatever  foundation  there  might  be 
for  this  in  the  renovation  of  his  mind  by  regeneration,  no  one 
has  reason  to  expect  that  his  heart  will  be  thus  renewed  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  while  he  is  in  this  case.  God  can,  doubtless, 
as  easily  change  the  heart  of  the  most  ignorant,  deluded  Ma- 
hometan, or  heathen,  yea,  the  most  blind,  stupid  Hottentot  in 
the  world,  as  that  of  the  most  awakened,  enlightened  sinner 
under  the  gospel.  But  if  he  should  do  so  by  the  regenerating 
influences  of  his  Spirit,  there  could  be  no  right  and  proper  ex- 
ercises of  Christian  virtue  and  holiness;  because  such  a  one 
is  without  any  right  speculative  knowledge  of  those  truths,  in 
the  view  of  which  alone  Christian  holiness  is  exercised.  And 
giving  a  new  heart,  or  a  right  taste  and  temper  of  mind,  would 
not  remove  this  darkness.  This  only  prepares  the  mind  to 
discern  and  relish  the  beauty  and  sweetness  of  divine  things, 
■  when  set  before  it  in  the  use  of  means,  but  does  not  give  any 
new  speculative  ideas  or  knowledge.  Therefore,  we  have  no 
reason  to  think  God  ever  does  so. 

And  as  the  case  is  in  a  great  degi-ee  the  same  with  those 
under  the  gospel  who  have  never  attended  to  it  in  earnest, 
they  have  no  reason  to  expect  to  become  new  creatures  by 
God's  regenerating  influences,  so  long  as  they  are  in  this  situ- 
ation. But  in  order  to  this  they  must  first  be  made  to  attend 
to  the  gospel  with  that  concern  and  earnestness  which  is 
necessary  in  order  to  their  learning  the  character  of  the  just 
God  and  Savior,  and  understand  their  own  state  and  circum- 
stances as  sinners,  in  a  manner  in  which  no  careless  neglecters 
of  the  means  of  grace  ever  do;  for,  until  they  come  to  this, 
grace  or  the  new  creature  could  have  no  opportunity  to  exert 
itself  properly,  or  according  to  its  nature,  but  must  lie  dormant 
and  inactive,  so  answer  no  good  end  ;  therefore,  not  to  be  ex- 
pected before  or  in  any  other  way.  For  God  does  not  give 
life  before  there  is  any  provision  for  the  support  of  it,  or  any 
materials  by  which  it  may  subsist  and  exert  itself  according 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  267 

to  its  own  proper  nature.  Truth  may  be  said  to  be  the  food 
on  which  the  new  creature  lives,  and  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
the  least  motion  of  life,  or  exercise  of  holiness  in  the  heart. 
Therefore,  the  mind  that  has  no  speculative  view  and  convic- 
tion of  those  truths,  in  the  sight  and  sense  of  which,  especially, 
Christian  holiness  is  exercised,  but  embraces  the  contrary 
errors,  or  is  in  total  ignorance  of  them,  is  not  furnished  or  pro- 
vided for  the  exercise  and  support  of  the  divine  life.  And 
none  have  any  reason  to  expect  it  will  be  implanted,  or  a  new 
heart  given  while  the  man  is  in  such  a  state. 

When  God  created  man,  he  did  not  first  form  him  while 
the  earth  was  in  its  chaotic  state,  when  it  was  without  form, 
and  void,  and  darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep  ;  he  did 
not  create  him  with  all  his  bodily  senses  and  appetites  before 
there  were  any  objects  towards  which  they  might  exercise 
themselves  in  a  manner  proper  to  man's  nature,  and  so  as  to 
support  and  promote  animal  life,  and  afford  proper  enjoyment 
and  happiness.  He  did  not  form  an  eye  before  there  was  any 
light,  or  objects  to  be  beheld.  He  did  not  produce  animal 
life,  dependent  on  food  for  its  constant  support  and  exercise, 
and  an  appetite  for  that  food,  before  any  materials  were  made 
to  become  proper  food,  suited  to  the  appetite,  and  to  support 
and  nourish  life.  He  did  not  form  man  before  he  had  provided 
any  place  for  his  subsisting  and  exercising  himself  in  a  manner 
proper  and  suited  to  his  nature.  No,  he  first  created  an  ex- 
ternal world,  a  proper  dwelling  place  for  man,  furnished  with 
materials  suited  to  the  senses,  appetites,  and  life  of  such  a 
creature,  that  there  might  be  a  foundation  and  opportunity 
for  proper  exercis^  and  enjoyments,  as  soon  as  he  should  be 
created.  And  we  hesitate  not  to  say,  that  this  was  agreeable 
to  wisdom ;  and  that  the  contrary  would  not  be  so. 

So  in  the  new  creation,  God  will  not  form  the  new  creature 
where  there  is  no  proper  provision,  where  there  are  no  materials 
for  the  life  and  support  of  the  new  man,  so  no  opportunity  to 
act,  and  to  act  in  a  manner  proper  and  suitable  to  his  nature. 
But  proper  materials  for  this  new  life  must  first  be  provided. 
The  mind  must  be  properly  stored  with  speculative  ideas  of 
divine  things,  and  the  judgment  convinced  of  the  truth,  in 
order  to  which  the  man  must  be  all  attention  to  these  things ; 
in  a  sense  of  their  high  importance  to  him,  as  his  whole,  his 
eternal  interest  turns  upon  them.  When  things  are  thus  pre- 
pared, a  new  heart  may  be  given  with  propriety  and  wisdom, 
as  the  new  creature  will  nov^  have  opportunity  to  act  in  a 
way  answerable  to  its  nature,  and  so  to  the  glory  of  God. 

Christ  would  not  raise  Lazarus  to  life  so  long  as  the  stone 
lay  on  the  cave.     It  was  proper  the  stone  which  would  hinder 


268  OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 

his  coming  forth,  were  he  alive,  should  be  first  taken  away. 
In  this  case,  to  neglect  to  take  away  the  stone  would  have 
been  an  effectual  bar  in  the  way  of  his  resurrection ;  and  the 
most  likely  method  that  could  be  taken  to  have  him  raised 
from  the  dead  was  to  take  it  away.  Ignorance  of  and  inat- 
tention to  the  truths  of  divine  revelation  may  be  compared  to 
this  stone.  The  only  likely  way  for  the  sinner  to  become  the 
subject  of  a  spiritual  resurrection,  is  to  have  this  taken  away, 
by  becoming  all  attention  to  the  things  contained  in  God's 
word.  And  the  more  instruction  the  sinner  has,  the  more 
fully  and  clearly  he  is  convinced  of  those  truths  which  do 
most  nearly  concern  him ;  and  the  more  constantly  and  earn- 
estly he  attends  to  divine  truth  by  hearing,  reading,  meditation, 
prayer,  etc.,  and  the  more  his  mind  is  impressed  and  affected 
with  it,  as  the  minds  of  the  unregenerate  may  be,  the  more 
hope  there  is  in  his  case ;  the  more  likely  it  is  that  he  shall 
become  a  new  creature,  and  believe  to  the  saving  of  his  soul. 

This  view  of  the  matter  serves  to  show  what  is  the  advan- 
tage of  knowledge  to  the  unregenerate  sinner,  even  the  knowl- 
edge which  no  openly  vicious  or  careless  sinner  ever  obtains; 
and  the  reasonableness  and  importance  of  using  means  with 
such  by  constant  public  and  private  instruction,  and  of  their 
earnestly  attending  on  all  proper  means  of  instruction ;  and 
consequently  the  motive  and  encouragement  there  is  to  this. 
Moreover, 

3.  Fact  and  experience  serve  to  strengthen  the  foregoing 
observations  and  reasoning,  and  show  the  advantage  there  is 
in  attending  on  the  means  of  grace,  and  hold  forth  the  proper 
encouragement  thereto.  For  it  appears  from  experience  that 
this  is  the  most,  the  only  likely  way  to  obtain  regenerating 
grace  and  salvation.  None,  I  suppose,  will  dispute  whether 
more  have  been  converted  and  saved  of  those  who  have  at- 
tended on  the  means  of  grace,  than  of  those  who  have  not,  in 
proportion  to  their  numbers.  All  will  grant  that  many  were 
saved  who  attended  on  the  preaching  of  John  the  Baptist, 
Christ,  and  his  apostles;  many  more,  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  those  who  attended,  than  of  those  who  did  not  enjoy 
or  attend  these  means.  Our  Savior  indeed  says  that  publi- 
cans and  harlots  went  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before,  or 
rather  titan,  the  chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  Jews.  But  this 
is  so  far  from  being  an  objection  against  what  has  been  just 
observed,  that  it  serves  to  confirm  it.  For  publicans  and 
harlots  attended  much  more  on  Christ's  preaching,  and  much 
better  understood  the  things  relating  to  the  kingdom  of  God, 
than  they.  The  former  attended  so  constantly,  and  were  so 
much  in  his  company,  that  it  was  made  an  objection  against 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  269 

him,  and  he  was  obliged  often  to  vindicate  his  conduct  with 
respect  to  them. 

It  therefore  appears  from  fact  and  experience  that  they  are 
in  the  most  likely  way  to  be  saved  who  attend  on  the  means 
of  grace.  And,  when  the  matter  is  attended  to,  the  reason 
of  this  may  easily  be  seen,  as  has  been  shown  above.  We 
therefore  now  see  what  advantage  there  is  in  attendance  on 
means,  and  what  is  the  proper  motive  and  encouragement 
thereto.  When  any  one  attends  to  his  eternal  interest,  and 
feels  the  infinite  importance  of  it  to  him,  and  at  the  same 
time  sees  the  undone,  wretched  state  he  is  in  as  a  sinner,  he 
will,  with  all  his  might,  pursue  that  method  which  appears 
most  likely  to  obtain  deliverance  from  the  evil  he  fears  and 
promote  this  interest.  Let  the  only  way  be  pointed  out  to 
him  in  which  he  may  have  hope,  and  he  will  want  no  farther 
motive  and  encouragement  to  attend  to  it  with  resolution  and 
earnestness.  This  will  prove,  in  all  such  cases,  a  sufficient 
motive  and  encouragement,  and  will  never  fail  effectually  to 
influence  the  person  who  is  sensible  his  all  lies  at  stake, 
and  enters  into  the  infinite  importance  of  the  matter  to  him. 
If,  therefore,  any  sit  still  in  the  neglect  of  the  means  of  grace, 
it  is  not  owing  to  any  deficiency  in  the  encouragement  to 
attend  upon  them ;  but  to  stupidity  with  regard  to  their  own 
case,  and  their  eternal  interest.  And  if  this  encouragement  is 
not  effectual,  no  imaginable,  or  even  possible,  encouragement 
would  be  so.  If  any  should  say,  that  promises  to  the  sinner's 
endeavors  and  persevering  attendance  on  means  would  raise 
the  encouragement  much  higher,  for  then  there  would  be  no 
discouragement,  but  an  absolute  certainty  of  succeeding  in 
this  way,  the  following  particulars  may  perhaps  serve  to  dis- 
cover their  mistake :  — 

I.  If  there  were  such  promises  made,  the  sinner  would  be 
so  far  from  being  absolutely  certain  of  salvation  in  a  way  of 
attendance  on  means,  that  the  probability,  in  his  view,  and  his 
encouragement,  would  not  be  at  all  increased  hereby;  and 
that  for  two  reasons,  — 

1.  The  sinner  could  never  come  to  any  certainty  that  he 
had  fulfilled  the  condition  to  which  the  promise  is  made,  or 
that  he  is  in  a  likely  way  to  fulfil  it.  (1.)  Because  he  could 
never  be  certain  that  he  had  come  up  to  that  precise  degree 
of  earnest  striving  and  diligent  attendance  on  means  to  which 
the  promise  is  made.*     If  there  are  any  promises  made  to  the 

*  Indeed,  he  may  be  certain,  as  long  as  he  lives,  that  he  has  not  yet  fulfilled 
the  condition  ;  because  he  has  not  attained  to  perseverance  so  long  as  he  has 
one  breath  more  to  draw,  however  great  the  degree  of  his  endeavors  now  are. 
The  sinner,  therefore,  can  have  no  encouragement  from  such  a  promise  of  being 

23* 


270  OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

doings  of  the  unregenerate,  they  are  made  not  to  any  certain 
kind  of  exercises  and  endeavors,  so  that  the  lowest  degree  of 
this  kind  of  seeking  entitles  to  the  promise,  but  to  a  certain 
degree  of  this  kind,  which  is  not,  neither  can  be,  precisely 
pointed  out  and  distinguished  from  some  lower  degree  to 
which  the  promise  is  not  made,  so  that  the  sinner  can  ever  be 
certain  that  he  has  attained  to  that  degree.  And  however 
near  he  comes  to  it,  if  he,  after  all,  finally  falls  short  in  the 
least  degree,  he  is  as  far  from  salvation,  in  this  way,  as  if  he 
had  done  nothing.  This,  therefore,  would  tend  to  perplex 
rather  than  encourage  the  sinner.  Yea,  the  sinner  who  has  the 
clearest  view  of  the  viciousness  of  his  own  heart,  and  the 
greatest  sense  of  the  reality  and  importance  of  eternal  things, 
will  be  farthest  from  imagining  that  he  has  attained  to  that 
degree  of  earnestness  of  endeavor  to  which  the  promise  is 
made  ;  and  will  be  most  ready  to  conclude  against  himself,  as 
being  a  stupid,  indolent,  sottish  wretch,  and  despair  of  ever 
obtaining  salvation  in  this  way.     But, 

(2.)  If  the  sinner  could  be  certain  that  he  has  attained  to  that 
degree  of  earnestness  of  endeavor  which  will  entitle  him  to 
the  promise,  if  he  perseveres  in  it,  yet  he  can  have  no  cer- 
tainty of  persevering,  so  no  certainty  of  salvation.  As  his 
perseverance  depends  wholly  on  himself,  his  own  will  and 
resolution,  and  so  he  has  nothing  to  rely  upon  but  himself  for 
it,  it  is  the  most  uncertain  thing  in  the  world  that  he  shall 
persevere.  He  can  have  confidence  in  nothing,  in  this  case, 
but  his  own  deceitful  heart,  which  is  indeed  only  the  confi- 
dence and  presumption  of  a  fool ;  for  "  he  that  trusteth  in  his 
own  heart  is  a  fool."  (Pr.  xxviii.  26.)  If  he  is  sufficiently  in 
earnest  and  painful  in  his  endeavors  for  some  time,  yet  if, 
after  all  that,  he  is  in  any  degree  remiss  and  negligent  one 
day,  or  but  one  hour,  all  is  lost,  and  he  has  got  all  to  begin 
again  ;  for  he  has  failed  of  perseverance.  And  how  does  he 
know  that  it  is  not  now  eternally  too  late !  So  that  his  salva- 
tion on  this  footing  is  the  most  uncertain,  precarious  thing  in 
the  world,  or  rather  may  most  reasonably  be  despaired  of. 
He  who  knows  his  own  heart,  so  far  as  he  who  is  under  proper, 
genuine  convictions  does,  can  take  no  encouragement  from 
this  quarter.  This  is  suited  only  to  flatter  and  bolster  up  the 
unreasonably  self-confident  and  foolhardy.     Therefore, 

2.  Such  promises,  were  there  any,  would  only  tend  to  en- 
courage men  in  a  self-confidence  which  is  as  opposite  to  the 
whole  tenor  of  divine  revelation  and  the  peculiar  genius  and 

delivered  from  the  miserable  state  of  unregeneracy,  and  becoming  a  tnie  Chris- 
tian, in  this  life,  as  has  been  before  observed.  And  this  is  the  same  with  no 
encouragement  at  all. 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  271 

glory  of  the  gospel,  as  darkness  is  to  light;  so  that  the  more 
the  sinner  has  of  it,  the  further  he  is  from  Christ,  and  the  more 
blind  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  him.  The  preaching  up  such 
promises,  therefore,  will  tend  to  fix  persons  in  their  self-confi- 
dence and  delusion  who  have  no  good  degree  of  genuine  con- 
viction of  their  sinful,  miserable  state,  and  to  fasten  them 
down  in  ease  and  security;  so  to  pervert  the  benefit  of  the 
means  of  grace  and  frustrate  the  great  end  and  design  of 
them,  which  is  to  give  light  and  instruction  to  the  sinner. 
But  to  those  who  are  in  any  measure  convinced  of  their  true 
state,  so  know  how  little  dependence  there  is  on  themselves, 
how  vile  and  sottish  their  hearts  are,  this  doctrine  will  give  no 
encouragement,  but  will  have  directly  the  contrary  influence 
on  them,  if  they  can  be  made  to  believe  it,  as  has  been  before 
shown. 

QuES.  III.    What  obligations  are  men  under  to  use  means? 

Answer.  They  seem  toHae  under  the  same  obligations  to 
this,  as  they  are  to  repent  ajidbeliev&the  gospel.  If  God  com- 
mands all  men  every  where  to  repent,  then  he  i-equires  of  them 
all  that  is  implied  in,  or  is  necessary  in  order  to  repentance. 
He,  therefore,  requires  of  them  to  understand  those  truths 
which  are  necessary  to  b£  known  iii  order  to  repentance;  con- 
sequently requires  all  that  attention  to  the  things  contained  in 
divine  revelation  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  understand 
those  truths,  a  right  speculative  knowledge  of  which  is  im- 
plied in  repentance.  But  this  implies  a  diligent  use  of  the 
means  of  grace,  as  has  been  shown.  A  neglect  of  any  of 
those  things  which  are  implied  in,  or  necessary  in  order  to  re- 
pentance, is  a  neglect  of  and  opposition  to  the  command  to 
repent;  so  a  counteracting  and  violating  our  obligations  to 
repent.  But  he  is  guilty  of  this  who  neglects  the  means  of 
grace.  It  has  been  shown  that  there  is  a  certain  degree  of 
speculative  knowledge  necessary  in  order  to  exercise  repent- 
ance, which  they  never  have  who  live  in  the  neglect  of  all 
means  of  grace ;  therefore,  the  command  to  repent  is  a  com- 
mand to  attend  all  those  means  necessary  in  order  to  attain 
that  knowledge.  If  men  are  under  any  obligation  to  attend 
to  the  command  to  repent  and  be  converted,  or  to  obey  this 
command,  they  are  under  obligation  to  all  that  which  is  im- 
plied in  this,  or  necessary  on  their  parts  in  order  to  it ;  therefore, 
are  under  obligation  to  hear  and  attend  to  the  truths  contained 
in  God's  word,  with  the  utmost  concern  and  diligence. 

The  preaching  the  gospel,  therefore,  which  is  the  same  with 
a  testifying  to  all  men  repentance  towards  God  and  faith  to- 
wards our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  call  unto  all  to  hearken  and 
attend,  as  this  is  implied  in  repentance  and  faith.     But  to 


272  OF  THE  MEANS  OF  GRACE. 

hearken  and  attend,  implies  the  whole  that  is  intended  by  the 
use  of  means.  Therefore,  if  any  preacher  of  the  gospel  doubts 
whether  he  has  any  warrant  to  call  upon  and  exhort  sinners 
to  attend  the  means  of  grace,  he  appears  not  well  to  under- 
stand what  he  is  about;  for  he  is  really  doing  this  while  he  is 
calling  upon  and  exhorting  them  to  repent  and  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ;  for  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom 
they  have  not  heard  ?  * 

And  it  may  be  here  observed,  that  this  is  the  scriptural 
way  of  calling  upon  men  to  attend  means,  viz.,  to  call  on 
them  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel ;  and  they  who  so  far 
attend  to  this  call  as  to  feel  the  infinite  importance  to  them- 
selves that  they  should  comply  with  it,  will,  of  course,  and  of 
their  own  accord,  go  into  a  diligent  use  of  the  means.  Many 
public  teachers,  therefore,  seem  to  make  a  great  mistake  here. 
Instead  of  calling  upon  all  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel,  as 
the  only  condition  of  God's  favor  and  eternal  life,  the  most 
they  do,  with  relation  to  unregenerate  sinners,  is  to  exhort  and 
urge  them  to  these  doings,  which  are  short  of  repentance. 
They  teach  them  to  use  means  in  such  a  manner  as  rather 
tends  to  defeat  the  proper  end  of  means,  and  so  as  that  they 
become  a  means  of  blinding  their  eyes,  rather  than  of  instruc- 
tion ;  it  tends  to  lead  them  to  rest  in  means,  and  make  a 
Savior  of  them ;  to  quiet  and  heal  them  short  of  repentance 
and  a  saving  application  to  Jesus  Christ. 

Objection.  Whatever  obligations  sinners  are  under  to  at- 
tend the  means  of  grace,  yet  if  they  attend,  they  still  sin  in  all 
they  do  while  they  continue  impenitent;  yea,  they  are  con- 
stantly growing  worse  and  more  guilty,  themorepajns  they_ 
take  and  as  light  and  conviction  increase.  What  obligations 
do  they  then  fulfil  ?  and  is  not  this  sufficient  matter  of  dis- 
couragement ? 

-^  Ai\s.  1.  They  do  not  properly  fulfil  their  obligations,  if 
they  stop  short  of  true  repentance  or  real  holiness  ;  for  nothing 
short  of  this  is  true  obedience  to  God's  law.  Nevertheless,  a 
neglect  of  the  means  is  an  instance  of  the  violation  of  the  ob- 
ligation they  are  under,  which  they  are  not  guilty  of  who  do 
attend  with  concern  and  engagedness,  however  guilty  and  vile 
they  may  be  in  other  respects ;  which  guilt  and  vileness  may 

*  They  are  indeed  already  attending  on  means,  while  he  is  preaching  the 
gospel  to  them.  This  is  supposed ;  for  if  they  give  no  attention  to  what  he 
saj's,  why  does  he  speak  ?  Every  word  he  says  is,  in  effect,  a  call  to  attend , 
and  his  manifesting  his  intention  to  preach  in  any  future  time  is  a  call  upon 
them  to  attend  ;  for  if  their  attending  is  not  reasonable  and  important,  there  is 
no  reason  in  his  preaching  ;  so  his  intention  to  do  it  is  foolish  and  absurd,  con- 
sequently his  doing  it  now  is  so.  In  this  view,  then,  he  who  undertakes  to 
preach  the  gospel,  and  yet  holds  that  sinners  are  not  to  be  called  upon  to  attend 
means,  is  guilty  of  a  glaring  absurdity. 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  273 

be  greatly  aggravated  by  their  attendance  on  means.  If  a 
man  forbear  to  kill  his  neighbor,  certainly  he  does  not  violate 
the  obligations  he  is  under  not  to  kill,  as  he  does  who  takes 
away  his  neighbor's  life,  however  far  he  may  be  from  any  true 
love  to  his  neighbor,  or  obedience  to  any  of  God's  commands ; 
and  though  he  may,  on  the  whole,  be  more  guilty  than  the 
murderer. 

If  a  father  calls  after  and  commands  his'  two  sons,  who  are 
running  from  him,  with  a  design  to  quit  his  family  and  gov- 
ernment, as  what  they  perfectly  hate,  immediately  to  return 
back  and  submit  themselves  to  his  authority,  if  they  ought  to 
obey  their  father's  command,  then  they  are  under  obligation  to 
stop  and  attend  to  what  he  has  to  say ;  for  this  is  implied  in 
what  he  requires,  and  necessary  in  order  to  it.  Therefore,  if 
one  turn  about  and  attend  to  what  his  father  has  to  say  to 
him,  while  the  other  stops  his  ears,  and  runs  on  till  he  is  out 
of  hearing,  the  former  does  not  violate  the  obligation  to  stop 
and  hearken,  which  the  latter  does,  though  if  he  continues  to 
hate  his  father,  and  refuses  to  return  and  submit  to  his  gov- 
ernment, he  cannot  be  said  to  obey  his  father's  command,  and 
may,  by  the  light  and  conviction  laid  before  him  by  his  father, 
in  consequence  of  his  stopping  and  attending,  be  more  guilty 
in  refusing  to  submit  to  him  than  the  other  who  has  been  out 
of  hearing. 

And  if  any  bystander  who  sees  them  running  off  should 
tell  them  to  stop  and  hear  what  their  father  says,  he  would 
herein  act  a  friendly  part  both  to  them  and  their  father,  and 
perfectly  coincide  with  his  command  to  them  to  return  and 
submit  themselves  to  him.  Indeed,  if  he  should  inculcate  this 
upon  them  so  as  to  leave  their  father's  command  to  return 
out  of  view,  dwelling  on  this  as  if  it  was  the  only  thing  that 
they  had  to  do,  or  as  what  would  on  the  whole  recommend 
them  to  their  father,  and  interest  them  in  his  favor,  or  render 
them  less  displeasing  to  him,  though,  after  all,  they  persisted 
in  their  refusal  to  return  and  submit  to  him, — I  say,  if  he 
should  treat  the  matter  so,  it  would  be  so  far  from  vindicating 
the  father's  authority,  and  coinciding  with  his  command,  that 
he  might  justly  look  upon  it  as  taking  part  with  his  rebellious 
sons,  setting  up  against  him,  and  flattering  them  to  their 
own  ruin. 

'  Ans.  2.  However  sinful  and  abominable  in  God's  sight 
the  impenitent  are  in  all  they  do,  even  in  attendance  on  the 
means  of  grace,  their  sinfulness  does  not  consist  merely  in 
this ;  it  does  not  consist  in  their  concern  about  their  eternal 
interest,  in  their  dread  of  misery,  and  desire  to  escape  it  and 
obtain  happiness,  nor  in  their  using  means  in  order  to  this,  in 


274  OP    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

reading,  hearing,  and  praying ;  but  in  their  impenitency,  in  the 
opposition  of  their  hearts  to  holiness  and  the  only  way  of  sal- 
vation, and  in  those  things  which  are  the  attendants  and  con- 
sequents of  this ;  or  in  the  want  of  their  opposites,  with 
which  all  their  exercises  are  attended,  and,  therefore,  very 
criminal.  But  this  can  be  no  reason  why  they  should  neglect 
the  proper  means  of  salvation.  If  "  the  ploughing  of  the  wicked 
is  sin,"  shall  they  therefore  not  plough  ?  Shall  they  not  desire 
food  for  themselves  and  their  families,  and  take  the  most  likely 
method  to  obtain  it?  Their  sin  does  not  consist  merely  in 
their  ploughing,  so  that  it  would  be  a  less  sin  not  to  plough 
than  to  do  it,  but  in  the  wrong  views  and  exercises  of  mind 
with  which  they  plough,  and  in  the  want  of  right  ones. 

And  if  by  attending,  praying,  reading,  and  hearing,  the 
impenitent  sinner  gi'ows  more  criminal  and  vile,  as  his  light 
and  conviction  increases,  this  is  not  properly  owing  to  use 
of  means,  but  to  the  rooted  viciousness  of  the  heart.  The 
attendance  on  means  is  indeed  the  occasion  of  it,  as  by  this 
greater  light  and  conviction  takes  place  in  the  mind,  and  the 
wickedness  of  the  heart  takes  occasion  by  this  light  to  exert 
itself  with  a  higher  hand  and  more  obstinately. 
.  Ans.  3.  The  sinner's  growing  no  better,  but  really  worse, 
more  guilty  and  vile,  the  more  light  he  has,  and  the  greater 
advantages  he  enjoys  while  he  continues  impenitent,  is  really 
no  matter  of  discouragement  from  attending  means  in  order 
to  get  light  and  instruction.  For  in  the  gospel  there  is  no 
more  encouragement  given  to  a  less  sinner  than  to  a  greater, 
that  he  shall  find  mercy  rather  than  the  other,  while  both  con- 
tinue impenitent,  and  opposers  of  the  way  of  salvation  therein 
revealed.  No  one  sinner  has  any  reason  to  hope  that  he  shall 
be  saved  rather  than  another,  because  he  has  not  been,  or  is 
not  now,  so  great  a  sinner  as  others,  while  he  is  impenitent, 
and  at  heart  an  enemy  to  the  gospel.  Never  did  a  sinner  find 
acceptance  with  God  on  account  of  the  comparative  small- 
ness  of  his  sins,  or  his  reformations,  which  were  short  of  a 
hearty  compliance  with  the  gospel.  We  indeed  read  of  one 
who  took  his  encouragement  that  God  would  accept  and  favor 
him  from  his  imagining  himself  not  so  criminal  and  vile  as 
others.  But  what  was  the  consequence  ?  He  was  rejected, 
while  one  who  took  his  encouragement  to  hope  for  God's 
mercy  quite  from  another  quarter,  and  which  was  consistent 
with  his  viewing  himself  as  the  chief  of  sinners,  found  favor. 
(Luke  xviii.  9-14.)  The  gospel  offers  salvation  to  the  greatest 
sinners ;  they  are  as  welcome  as  any  other ;  they  are  as  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  and  he  is  as  ready  to  bestow  salvation  upon 
them  as  if  their  sins  were  not  so  many  and  great,  if  they  will 


OF    THE    MEANS    OF    GRACE.  275 

heartily  embrace  offered  mercy,  submit  to,  and  trust  in,  a 
Mediator.  In  this  respect  there  is  as  much  encouragement  to 
the  most  guilty  and  vile,  as  to  any  whatsoever. 

And  as  to  obtaining  a  new  heart  by  regenerating  grace, 
they  who  are  the  chief  of  sinners  have  as  much  encourage- 
ment to  hope  for  this,  in  the  use  of  means,  as  they  whose  sins 
are  less  aggravated,  and  not  so  many  or  great.  It  does  not 
appear,  from  Scripture,  that  God  chooses  out  the  least  sinners 
to  be  the  objects  of  this  mercy,  or  that  he  withholds  it  from 
any  merely  because  they  are  so  guilty  and  hateful  in  his  sight ; 
or  that  he  waits  till  men  who  have  been  great  sinners  are  so 
reformed  as  to  become,  all  things  considered,  less  vile  and 
guilty.  And  there  is  not  any  thing  in  the  Bible  that  should 
lead  us  to  think  that  God  bestows  his  regenerating  grace  on 
the  least  sinners  more  commonly  than  on  those  who  are  great- 
er. But  we  find  much  there  to  teach  us  that  if  he  ever  does 
this,  it  is  not  because  they  are  less  sinners  than  others,  but  for 
some  other  reason. 

If  sinners  were  to  take  their  only  encouragement  to  hope 
for  salvation,  in  the  use  of  means,  from  their  being  less  sinners 
than  others,  or  not  so  bad  as  they  once  were,  this  would  tend 
to  take  all  encouragement  from  those  who  are  under  genuine 
convictions  and  have  any  true  view  of  their  own  sinfulness,  and 
leave  them  in  absolute  despair.  For  all  such,  as  they  have  a 
more  clear  and  full  sight  of  their  own  sins  than  they  can  have 
of  others,  are  naturally  led  to  view  themselves  as  the  greatest 
sinners.  And  as  by  attendance  on  means,  they  get  more  and 
more  acquainted  with  their  own  hearts ;  their  own  sinfulness 
increases  in  their  view;  they  are  so  far  from  looking  on  them- 
selves as  less  sinners  than  they  were,  that  they  naturally  view 
themselves  in  a  contrary  light. 

The  only  proper  way,  therefore,  to  encourage  the  sinner 
who  is  under  any  great  degree  of  genuine  conviction  of  sin, 
and  concern  about  his  eternal  interest,  to  attend  on  means 
with  hope,  is  not  to  preach  up  promises  to  his  doings,  and 
lead  him  to  expect  hereby  to  become  less  sinful,  but  to  teach 
him  the  true  end  and  design  of  means.  He  will  then  know 
that  the  great  wickedness  of  his  heart,  exercised  in  all  he  does, 
and  his  appearing  to  himself  to  grow  worse  rather  than  better, 
which  is  commonly  the  chief  ground  of  discouragement  to 
such,  is  really  no  reason  why  he  should  neglect  means,  but 
rather  an  encouragement  constantly  to  attend.  For  this  sight 
and  conviction  of  his  own  sinfulness,  which  is  necessary  in 
order  to  salvation,  is  kept  up  in  his  mind  and  increased  only 
by  attending  on  means.  In  this  view,  his  own  experience 
serves  to  show  the  advantage  of  using  means,  and  is  matter 
of  encouragement  and  hope. 


THE 

TRUE  STATE  AND  CHARACTER 

OF 

THE     UNREGENERATE, 

STRIPPED  OF  ALL  MISREPRESENTATION  AND  DISGUISE: 

BEirfG    A 

EEPLY  TO  ME.  MILLS^S 

INQUIRY  CONCERNING  THE  STATE  OF  THE  UNREGENERATE  UNDER 
THE  GOSPEL: 

CONTAINING     REMARKS    ON 
MR.  HOPKINS'S  SECTION  ON  THE  USE  OF  MEANS. 

VOL.  HI.  24 


PKEFACE. 


There  are  many  who  have,  by  some  means  or  other,  such 
an  aversion  to  all  controversy  and  disputes  about  matters  of 
religion,  and  look  on  them  to  be  so  dangerous  and  hurtful 
that  they  take  the  utmost  care  to  keep  at  the  greatest  distance 
from  every  thing  of  this  kind,  and  are  constantly  cautioning 
others  against  it,  and  refusing  to  enter  into  any  debate  with 
them ;  unless,  perhaps,  they  will  dispute  a  little  against  dis- 
puting. These  cannot  hear  of  a  public  controversy,  or,  as 
many  of  them  call  it,  a  paper  war,  about  any  thing  that 
relates  to  religion,  without  great  disgust,  and  expressing  their 
sorrow  that  there  should  be  any  such  thing;  especially  be- 
tween the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  And  doubtless  many 
have  expressed  their  displeasure  and  grief  at  the  controversy 
which  has  taken  place  between  Mr.  Mills  and  me,  and  have 
determined,  for  their  part,  not  to  concern  themselves  with  it 
so  much  as  to  read  what  is  written. 

Many  of  these  are  so  modest  as  to  say  they  do  not  pretend 
to  be  competent  judges  of  such  controverted  points,  which 
great  and  good  men  are  not  able  to  agree  in  and  settle.  Be- 
sides, they  have  no  time  to  spend  upon  these  thorny  disputes  , 
they  think  they  can  be  better  employed  in  reading  plain,  prac- 
tical divinity. 

If  any  of  these  should  venture  so  near  so  large  a  book  of 
controversy  as  is  the  ensuing,  as  to  look  into  the  preface,  they 
may  be  desired  to  consider  the  following  things  :  — 

Whether  they  are  not  neglecting  that  attention,  and  free 


280  PREFACE. 

and  earnest  inquiry  after  the  truth,  witnout  which  they  are 
like  to  live  and  die  in  a  great  degree  of  ignorance.  And 
whether  they  are  not  depriving  themselves  of  the  benefit  of 
one  special  means  and  advantage  of  improving  in  knowl- 
edge. And  whether,  at  bottom,  this  neglect  does  not  proceed 
from  a  degree  of  self-sufficiency,  and  from  an  indifference  con- 
cerning matters  of  high  importance  to  be  known. 

Whether  it  is  not  the  most  likely,  yea,  the  only  way  they 
can  take  to  know  of  how  much  importance  any  controverted 
point  is  to  them,  and  to  be  able  to  judge  on  which  side  the 
truth  lies,  carefully  to  read  the  whole  controversy. 

If  any  persons  are  not  competent  judges  in  these  things, 
is  it  not  their  own  fault,  ^or  which  they  have  no  reasonable 
excuse  ?  And  must  they  not  be  able  to  judge  for  themselves 
concerning  every  truth,  in  order  that  it  may  be  of  any  benefit 
to  them  ?  In  this  view,  is  there  any  real  modesty  and  hu- 
mility in  their  neglecting  to  take  all  possible  pains  to  be  able 
to  judge  for  themselves  in  matters  in  which  none  can  judge 
for  them,  merely  because  others  who  have  had  a  reputation 
for  learning  and  wisdom  have  differed  concerning  them; 
especially,  since  these  things,  which  are  hid  from  the  wise  and 
prudent,  are  sometimes  revealed  unto  babes  ? 

Finally,  whether  the  truth  would  not  greatly  suffer,  and 
gross  ignorance  universally  prevail,  if  every  one  should  take 
the  same  care  to  avoid  all  disputes  as  they  do  ? 

When  we  consider  of  what  advantage  controversy  has 
already  been  to  truth,  and  what  a  tendency  it  has,  in  the 
issue  to  establish  it,  and  make  it  shine  more  clearly  than  if 
no  such  controversy  had  arisen,  we  shall  have  reason  to  con- 
clude it  is  God's  design  that  every  important  truth  shall  be  in 
this  way  canvassed,  and  disputed  out,  as  the  best  way  to 
have  it  established  to  the  greatest  advantage ;  and  that  this  is 
one  end  he  designs  to  answer  by  suffering  heresies  to  arise, 
and  almost  every  truth,  in  its  turn,  to  be  called  in  question 
and  opposed.  In  this  view,  disputes  are  so  far  from  being 
hurtful,  and  matter  of  grief,  that  when  they  rise  high,  and 
become  very  common,  and  gain  the  attention  of  ail,  there  is 
ground  of  encouragement  and  comfort. 


PREFACE.  281 

It  is  to  be  lamented,  indeed,  that  in  many  instances  con- 
troversy has  been  so  poorly  managed,  by  which  truth  has  ap- 
peared very  much  to  suffer ;  but  even  in  this  case,  the  debate 
has  often  been  not  wholly  useless. 

The  author  is  sorry  that  the  side  he  has  taken  in  the  con- 
troversy before  us  has  not  a  more  able  advocate  to  defend  it, 
as  he  doubts  not  it  is  capable  of  a  much  better  defence  than 
he  has  made.  And  he  is  particularly  sensible  there  are  many 
defects  in  his  style,  which  will  be  discerned  by  the  reader  of 
a  critical  taste,  and  will  call  for  his  candor. 

The  author  thinks  he  has  a  claim,  on  the  part  of  justice, 
to  the  attention  of  all  those  who  have  read  Mr.  Mills,  especial- 
ly of  those  who,  in  reading  him,  have  concluded  the  author 
has  run  into  very  great  and  hurtful  errors.  If  they  have  so 
peremptorily  prejudged  as  not  to  be  willing  to  hear  the  ac- 
cused speak  in  his  own  vindication,  he  thinks  he  shall  have 
reason  to  complain ;  not  to  mention  the  injury  such  men 
hereby  do  to  themselves,  and  to  the  cause  of  truth. 

It  is  needless  to  tell  with  what  very  good  views  and  designs, 
and  from  what  excellent,  noble  motives  the  author  has  under- 
taken this  reply,  as  this  would  be  no  great  evidence  in  his 
favor,  if  any;  and  it  is  of  very  little  importance  to  the  reader; 
his  chief  concern  being  to  know  whether  the  author  has  well 
vindicated  the  cause  he  has  undertaken,  whatever  were  his 
motives. 

If  the  author  and  the  reader  shall  be  found  on  the  right  side 
of  the  question,  and  to  have  taken  the  pains  of  writing  and 
reading  the  ensuing  reply,  from  love  to  Christ  and  zeal  in 
his  cause,  they  will  be  richly  rewarded  for  all  their  labor,  and 
numbered  among  those  who  follow  Christ  when  he  rides  forth 
conquering  and  to  conquer,  and  wall  soon  have  a  happy  meet- 
ing, and  stand  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed 
in  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands,  where  perfect  agree- 
ment in  sentiment  and  the  most  exalted  friendship  and  union 
of  hearts  shall  reign  forever,  to  the  praise  of  the  rich,  sover- 
eign grace  and  honor  of  the  divine,  infinitely  worthy  Re- 
deemer. To  Him  be  glory  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 
March  23,  1769. 

24* 


THE 

TRUE    STATE   AND    CHARACTER 

OE    THE    UNREGENERATE. 


PAET    I. 

IN  WHICH  THE  FOLLOWING  QUESTION  IS  CONSIDERED,  VIZ., 
WHETHER  THE  UNREGENERATE,  WHEN  UNDER  GENUINE, 
THOROUGH  AWAKENINGS  AND  CONVICTIONS,  ARE  MORE  GUIL- 
TY AND  VILE  IN  GOD'S  SIGHT,  THAN  THEY  WERE  IN  A  STATE 
OF  IGNORANCE  AND  SECURITY  ? 


SECTION   I. 

TJie   Question  particularly  stated. 

Mr.  Mills  has  expressed  what  he  says  I  have  asserted,  and 
what  he  undertakes  to  oppose  and  confute,  in  the  following 
proposition :  — 

"  That  on  every  rising  degree  of  internal  light,  awakening, 
conviction,  and  amendment  of  life,  found  in  any  of  the  unre- 
generate,  while  such,  they  are  undoubtedly  (on  the  whole) 
more  vile,  odious,  and  abominable  in  God's  sight  than  they 
would  have  been  had  they  continued  at  ease,  going  on  in  their 
sins,  under  the  same  external  means  of  light." 

I  would  observe,  in  the  first  place,  that  this  proposition 
seems  hardly  intelligible.  If  by  "  every  rising  degree  of 
amendment  of  life,"  he  means  every  degree  of  reformation  of 
life,  I  see  not  the  connection  this  has  with  "  every  rising  degree 
of  internal  light,  awakening,  and  conviction,"  as  it  stands  in 
the  proposition.  Amendment  of  life  may  take  place,  and 
often  does,  without  any  internal  light  and  conviction  at  all. 
It  often  does  so  by  the  alteration  of  a  person's  external  circum- 
stances ;  by  the  removal  of  the  temptation  which  led  to  exter- 
nal wickedness ;  or  by  a  persuasion  that  such  a  conduct  is 


284  THE    QUESTION    PARTICULARLY    STATED. 

hurtful  to  his  worldly  interest.  And  there  may  be  a  degree 
of  awakening  and  conviction  of  conscience  without  producing 
any  reformation  of  life.  And  where  amendment  of  life  does 
take  place  in  consequence  of  internal  light,  the  former  does 
not  always  keep  pace  exactly  with  the  latter.  A  small  degree 
of  internal  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  will  often  pro- 
duce a  full  amendment  of  life ;  and,  after  this  is  effected,  and 
the  person  is  quite  reformed  in  his  external  conduct,  this  inter- 
nal light  and  conviction  may  yet  increase,  and  rise  immensely 
higher  than  that  degree  which  was  sufficient  for  the  amend- 
ment of  life. 

Therefore,  I  say,  in  the  next  place,  the  proposition  is  not  a 
true  representation  of  what  I  have  advanced  in  my  section  on 
means.  When  I  speak  of  the  light  and  conviction  of  con- 
science which  the  awakened  sinner  has  preparatory  to  regen- 
eration and  conversion,  I  no  where  confine  it  to  the  lowest 
degree  of  this  kind  which  ever  takes  place  in  the  mind  of  a 
sinner,  nor  to  that  degree  which  is  barely  sufficient  for  his 
external  reformation.  This  is  not  the  conviction  of  which  I 
speak;  I  speak  of  an  immensely  higher  and  greater  degree 
of  knowledge  and  conviction  than  that  which  is  sufficient  for 
this.  Mr.  Mills  himself  takes  special  notice  of  this,  in  the  fol- 
lowing words,  which  stand  not  six  lines  from  the  proposition 
I  am  considering :  "  Nor  are  the  convictions  of  awakened 
sinners  here  spoken  of  under  any  restriction  or  limitation,  but 
whatever  be  the  degree,  '  though  under  the  greatest  convictions 
of  conscience,  and  the  most  concern  about  their  souls.'  The 
author  indeed  begins  with  what  he  calls  instruction,  explained 
by  speculative  knowledge,  and  then  adds  what  he  terms  more 
than  speculation,  and  finally  rises  to  all  that  conviction  that 
the  unregenerate  are  capable  of,  while  such."  And  he  ex- 
presses this  yet  more  fully  in  the  following  words  :  "  The 
author  having  raised  the  unregenerate  to  the  highest  degree 
of  an  awakened  sense  of  divine  things,  that  their  state,  as 
such,  is  capable  of;  '  every  thing,'  as  himself  expresses  it,  '  short 
of  discerning  the  true  beauty  or  moral  excellency  of  divine 
things,'  he  proposes  this  query,  viz.,  '  If  it  should  be  asked, 
what  good  all  this  instruction  and  knowledge  will  do  the  un- 
regenerate ? '  etc.  Here  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  it  is  fully  con- 
ceded by  the  author,  that  the  unregenerate,  under  consideration, 
have  all  degrees  of  light  and  conviction  of  divine  truth,  that 
can,  by  a  common  work  of  the  Spirit,  agree  to  an  unregenerate 
state."  Here  he  appears  to  be  sensible  enough  that  the  sin- 
ners under  consideration  have  all  degrees  of  light  and  convic- 
tion, and  takes  pains  to  show  that  such  are  the  sinners  which 
I  have  in  view  in  what  I  say.  This  is,  indeed,  very  easily 
proved.     Had   this   been  in   his   mind,  when  he  was   about 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED.         285 

forming  the  proposition  I  am  considering,  it  ought  to  have 
prevented  its  ever  coming  into  existence,  as  it  now  stands. 

In  the  paragraph  from  which  Mr.  M.  quotes  the  most,  as 
containing  the  proposition  he  has  formed,  I  represent  the  sin- 
ner, of  whom  I  am  speaking,  as  having  a  much  higher  degree 
of  knowledge  and  conviction  than  is  necessary  barely  to  pro- 
duce an  external  reformation ;  and  as  sinning  against  the  light 
of  his  conscience  in  rejecting  the  gospel,  whatever  may  be  his 
external  reformations.  That  the  reader  may  have  it  before 
his  eyes,  I  will  transcribe  my  words :  "  The  more  clearly  he 
sees  his  own  wretched  case  as  a  sinner,  and  the  dreadful  con- 
sequence of  dying  in  his  sins,  and  the  clearer  conviction  he 
has  of  his  need  of  a  Savior,  and  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel 
in  general,  the  greater  is  the  crime  of  his  impenitence  and 
continuing  to  reject  the  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel.  The 
awakened,  convinced  sinner,  who  has  taken  a  great  deal  of 
pains  in  the  use  of  means,  and  has  hereby  got  a  great  degi-ee 
of  instruction  and  knowledge,  and  yet  continues  impenitent, 
is  in  this  respect  much  more  guilty  and  vile,  and  a  greater 
criminal  in  God's  sight,  than  if  he  had  never  attained  to  this 
conviction  and  knowledge ;  for  now  he  is  guilty  of  the  abuse 
of,  and  opposition  to,  all  this  light  and  knowledge,  which  he 
could  not  be  while  he  had  it  not." 

Had  Mr.  M.  well  attended  to  this,  he  must  have  been  sensi- 
ble that  the  light  and  conviction  of  which  I  speak,  as  rendering 
the  impenitent  sinner  more  guilty  than  when  in  a  state  of  igno- 
rance and  security,  is  not  the  lowest  degree  of  light  and  con- 
viction, nor  that  degree  which  is  only  sufficient  in  some  meas- 
ure to  reform  a  person's  life ;  and  that  I  affirm  nothing  particu- 
larly of  such  a  low  degree  of  conviction  of  conscience  which 
may  produce  some  degree  of  reformation,  or  even  wholly  re- 
form a  person's  external  conduct;  and,  therefore,  that  the 
proposition  is  not  contained  in  any  thing  I  say,  but  is  a  gross 
misrepresentation. 

To  set  this  matter  in  a  yet  clearer  light,  if  possible,  I  would 
observe,  that  a  person  may  be  brought  to  an  amendment  of 
life  by  what  is  called,  by  some  at  least,  internal  light  and  con- 
viction of  conscience,  and  yet  not  have  that  light  and  convic- 
tion of  which  I  speak.  A  person  may  have  only  some  imagi- 
nary, confused  notions  of  a  future  state  of  punishment,  and 
be  alarmed  and  affrighted  by  apprehensions  of  his  exposedness 
to  fall  into  hell,  etc.,  so  as  hereby  to  be  led  to  leave  off  his 
vicious  courses,  and  yet  have  no  just  speculative  notions  of 
God,  sin,  or  hell.  In  this  case,  the  reformation  is  not  produced 
by  true  light  and  conviction  of  conscience.  To  be  sure,  this 
is  not  the  conviction  of  which  I  am  speaking.     Another  person 


286  THE    QUESTION    PARTICULARLY    STATED. 

may  reform  his  life  only  under  a  conviction  that  the  course  of 
wickedness  in  which  he  has  lived  leads  to  hell,  without  any 
further  conviction  with  respect  to  his  sin,  his  lost  state,  his 
duty,  etc.,  and  by  such  reformation  may  make  his  conscience 
easy.  Another,  under  a  yet  further  conviction  that  something 
must  be  done  to  obtain  God's  favor,  not  only  reforms  all 
known  sins,  but  betakes  himself  to  what  he  thinks  duty,  and 
by  this  gets  ease  to  his  conscience,  not  imagining  but  that 
his  reformations  and  doings  will  make  up  for  his  past  sins,  and 
render  him  accceptable  to  God.  Whether  such  a  one,  who 
from  a  course  of  sensuality  and  debauchery,  or  any  other  open 
wickedness  in  which  he  lived,  and  had  little  or  no  thought  of 
God  or  a  future  state,  but  only  sought  the  gratification  of  his 
reigning  passions  and  appetites,  becomes  serious  and  regular 
in  his  behavior,  and  goes  into  a  course  of  strict  external  reli- 
gion with  a  view  to  make  a  righteousness  of  his  own,  and 
get  to  heaven  this  way ;  I  say,  whether  such  a  one,  by  thus 
turning  from  one  course  of  wickedness  to  another,  does,  on 
the  whole,  become  less  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight,  may  be 
a  question  worthy  to  be  attended  to.*  But  be  this  as  it  will, 
it  is  not  a  question  that  I  am  at  present  immediately  con- 
cerned with,  as  nothing  which  I  have  said  about  sinners  under 
awakenings,  and  convictions  of  conscience,  has  any  respect  to 
such  a  one,  or  to  any  of  the  instances  which  I  have  now 
mentioned. 

In  a  word,  whatever  internal  light  and  conviction  of  con- 
science is  necessary  to  bring  a  person  to  reform  his  external 
conduct,  and  goes  no  further  than  this,  and  rises  no  higher, 
this  is  not  the  light  and  conviction  of  which  I  am  speaking. 
A  person  under  the  influence  of  such  light  and  conviction,  by 
thus  reforming,  may  be  said,  in  a  sense,  to  act  up  to  the  light 
he  has,  i.  e.,  the  light  of  his  conscience,  by  obeying  it  and 
coming  up  to  the  dictates  of  it.  As  I  have  said  nothing  about 
such  an  instance,  in  which  reformation  rises  in  a  just  propor- 

*  Mr.  M.  has  himself  answered  this  question,  in  representing  the  Pharisee, 
■who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  as  "one  of  the  vilest  sinners  on  earth." 
And  I  desire  the  reader  to  consider  whether  in  doing  this  he  has  not  implicitly 
decided  the  question  in  dispute  between  us,  against  himself.  His  vilencss  con- 
sisted chiefly  in  his  being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  seeking  to  estab- 
lish his  own  righteousness  ;  he  did  not  submit  himself  unto  the  righteousness 
of  God,  but  opposed  it  with  his  whole  heart.  (See  Kom.  x.  3.)  He  did  this 
in  ignorance  and  unbelief,  and  perfectly  agreeable  to  his  own  judgment  and 
conscience.  Every  unregenerate  sinner,  under  the  greatest  awakenings  and 
convictions,  does  with  his  whole  heart  refuse  to  submit  to  the  righteousness  of 
God,  and  opposes  it,  and  desires  and  attempts  to  establish  his  own  righteous- 
ness, and  that  in  direct  opposition  to  the  dictates  of  his  judgment  and  con- 
science. The  difference  between  these  two,  therefore,  seems  to  lie  against  the 
latter,  if  sinning  against  the  light  of  conscience  is  more  vile  than  living  in  the 
same  way  of  sinning  ignorantly. 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED.         287 

tion  to  the  light  of  conscience,  and  keeps  pace  with  it,  it  ap- 
pears that  it  is  not  true  that  I  have  asserted,  "  that  on  every 
rising  degree  of  internal  light,  awakening,  conviction,  and 
amendment  of  life,  the  unregenerate  are  undoubtedly,  on  the 
whole,  more  vile,"  etc.  I  have  a  right,  therefore,  to  disown 
the  proposition  Mr.  M.  has  formed  for  me  as  containing 
what  I  have  not  asserted ;  in  which  what  I  have  said  is  kept 
quite  out  of  sight,  and  entirely  misrepresented. 

Let  it  be  also  observed,  that  in  this  proposition,  which  is 
said  to  contain  the  sum  of  what  I  have  advanced  on  this  head, 
that  which  I  mentioned  as  the  ground  of  the  greater  guilt  and 
criminalness  of  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner,  and  that  in 
which  it  really  consists,  is  not  mentioned,  but  kept  entirely  out 
of  view ;  which  renders  it  a  very  partial,  unfair  state  of  the  case, 
and  tends  to  give  the  reader,  especially  one  who  has  never 
carefully  attended  t-o  this  matter,  quite  a  wrong  view  of  the 
thing  in  dispute.  I  place  his  greater  guilt  not  in  his  awaken- 
ings and  internal  light,  nor  in  his  amendment  of  life,  but  in  ^ 
his  continuing  entirely  obstinate  and  impenitent  under  all  I 
this  light  and  conviction,  and  in  his  opposing  and  rejecting 
with  his  whole  heart  the  free  offers  of  pardon  and  salvation  by 
Jesus  Christ,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  clear  dictates  of  his 
judgment  and  conscience.  This,  therefore,  ought  to  have  been 
expressed  in  a  proposition  formed  with  a  professed  design  to 
express  what  I  had  asserted  on  this  head.  As  it  now  stands, 
there  is  nothing  expressed  as  the  ground  of  their  being  more 
vile,  odious,  and  abominable  in  God's  sight,  but  "rising  de- 
grees of  internal  light,  awakening,  conviction,  and  amendment 
of  life,"  which  surely  is  not  a  fair  state  of  the  case. 

Mr.  M.  makes  the  reformation  of  the  convinced  sinner  to 
keep  pace  with  his  light  and  conviction  of  conscience.  This 
he  does  in  the  proposition  in  which  he  attempts  to  express 
what  I  have  asserted,  and  every  where  else  through  his  whole 
book.  He  makes  him  to  be  one  who  reforms  all  known  evils, 
and  comes  up  to  all  known  duties.  By  this  he  grossly  mis- 
represents me,  and  the  whole  matter  in  dispute,  and  raises  a 
dust  to  blind  the  eyes  of  the  inattentive.  It  is  easy  to  see 
that  light  and  conviction  does  not  aggravate  the  sins  of  him 
who  immediately  complies  with  it,  and  comes  up  to  all  the 
dictates  of  it  perfectly.  The  sinner  I  speak  of  is  supposed  not 
to  comply  with  the  light  and  conviction  he  has,  but  to  rebel 
against  it,  (which  is  certainly  the  case  of  all  the  unregenerate 
•  under  true  convictions,)  and  in  this  I  placed  his  greater  sinful- 
ness. Mr.  M.,  in  his  proposition,  leaves  this  wholly  out ;  so,  in 
effect,  leaves  all  out  that  I  had  asserted,  and  introduces  a 
character  about  which  I  had  not  said  one  word,  and  so  makes 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED. 

me  assert  what  I  never  did  assert,  nor  mean  to  assert. 
I  pretend  not  to  charge  Mr.  M.  with  thus  stating  my  senti- 
ment in  a  partial,  unfair,  and  wrong  light,  knowingly  and  upon 
design.  AH  I  am  concerned  to  make  out  is,  that  this  is  in 
fact  the  case,  which  I  trust  manifestly  appears  to  the  impartial 
reader;  and  I  leave  it  to  him  to  assign  what  reason  he  pleases 
why  Mr.  M.  has  stated  the  matter  as  he  has  done.  I  am 
willing  he  himself  should  be  believed  when  he  says  he  has, 
"  to  the  best  of  his  understanding,  fairly  adjusted,  stated,  and 
summed  up  the  sense  of  the  author." 

It  may  be  observed  that  Mr.  M.  has  not  only  here  carefully 
kept  the  character  which  I  give  of  the  unregenerate  sinner 
under  true  awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience  out  of 
view,  but  has  done  it  through  his  whole  performance ;  and 
when  he  has  occasion  to  quote  me  where  1  speak  of  "  the  sin- 
ner's continuing  obstinately  to  reject  and  oppose  the  salvation 
offered  in  the  gospel,"  lest  the  reader  should  be  led  by  these 
expressions  to  look  on  the  sinner  in  too  bad  a  light,  he  care- 
fully observes  that  I  "  mean  no  more  than  merely  his  con- 
tinuing unregenerate,"  and  nothing  but  what  is  consistent  with 
his  reforming  every  known  sin  ;  as  if  these  expressions  of  mine 
naturally  carried  in  them  something  more  and  worse  than  what 
is  implied  in  being  unregenerate,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be 
properly  applied  to  the  sinner  on  this  account  only.  And  it  is 
apparent  to  me,  and  I  doubt  not  will  be  so  to  every  discerning 
reader,  that  if  Mr.  M.  had  not  viewed  the  unregenerate  sinner 
in  a  better  and  more  innocent  light  than  I  do,  (and,  I  trust, 
than  the  Scripture  represents  him,)  and  had  he  not  looked  on 
such  as  little  or  nothing  to  blame  for  unbelief  and  rejecting 
the  gospel,  the  book  he  has  written  would  never  have  seen  the 
light.     But  of  this  matter  I  shall  treat  more  largely  hereafter. 

Having  shown  that  Mr.  M.'s  proposition  is  so  far  from 
"comprising  the  plain  sense  of  the  author,"  that  it  contains 
what  he  never  asserted,  and  is  a  very  gross  misrepresentation 
of  the  sentiment  he  has  espoused,  and  a  very  unfair  state  of 
the  case,  I  will  express  it  in  my  own  words,  and  so  as  to  give 
what  I  think  is  the  "plain  sense"  of  what  I  have  said  in  my 
section  on  means,  and  which  I  yet  think  is  the  truth,  and 
may  be  defended. 

The  unregenerate  sinner,  who  is  under  genuine  and  thorough 
awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience  respecting  his  own 
state  and  circumstances  and  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  particu- 
larly respecting  this  truth,  that  salvation  is  freely  offered  to  him 
through  a  Mediator,  which  he  is  obliged  by  the  strongest  ties 
of  duty  and  interest  immediately  to  accept  and  embrace,  being 
at  the  same  time  wholly  without  any  excuse  for  his  neglect  in 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED.         289 

not  embracing  it,  and  for  the  opposition  of  his  heart  to  Christ, 
of  which  he  is  conscious,  and  who  yet  continues,  under  all 
this  light,  and  contrary  to  the  plain  dictates  and  pressing,  pain- 
ful convictions  of  his  own  conscience,  obstinately  to  oppose 
and  reject  Jesus  Christ;  such  a  one  is,  on  the  account  of  this 
his  impenitence  and  obstinacy  under  this  clear  light  and  con- 
viction of  conscience,  more  guilty,  vile,  and  odious  in  God's 
sight  than  he  was  before  he  had  this  light  and  conviction,  and 
was  in  a  state  of  security  and  ignorance,  whatever  alteration 
or  reformation  has  taken  place  in  him  in  other  respects. 

To  prevent  misunderstanding,  it  is  needful  to  observe  here, 
that  in  this  proposition,  and  in  all  that  I  have  said  on  this 
head  in  my  section  on  means,  nothing  is  affirmed  of  a  sinner 
who  has  lost  his  convictions  which  he  was  under  for  a  while, 
and  has  returned  in  a  great  degree  to  security  and  ease  and 
to  the  allowed  commission  of  the  gross  external  wickedness 
which  he  had  forsaken  under  the  influence  of  the  light  and 
conviction  which  he  had,  or  to  that  which  is  more  gross  and 
vile ;  I  say,  nothing  is  affirmed  of  such  a  one,  whether  he  is 
now  more  or  less  guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  when  under 
conviction,  and  when  externally  reformed.  All  that  is  affirmed 
is,  that  the  sinner  under  the  aAvakenings  and  convictions 
described,  is  more  guilty  than  he  was  in  a  state  of  ignorance 
and  security  antecedent  to  such  convictions,  of  which  he  never 
was  the  subject  before.  Mr.  M.  has  made  this  mistake,  and 
not  distinguished  between  these  two  cases,  as  I  shall  have 
occasion  to  observe  in  the  sequel.  The  sinner  I  describe  may 
be  much  more  guilty  and  vile  under  awakenings  and  convic- 
tions than  he  was  before,  and  yet  may  be  more  guilty  still,  on 
the  whole,  by  opposing  and  suppressing  his  convictions,  and,  as 
it  were,  doing  violence  to  his  conscience  by  designedly  taking 
those  measures  and  going  into  those  ways  of  gross  outward 
wickedness  which  by  degrees  wear  off  the  conviction  which 
gave  him  uneasiness.  This  is  a  case  to  which  nothing  I  have 
said  has  any  respect. 

I  v^ould  not  be  here  understood,  however,  to  intimate  that 
the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  does  not  always  oppose  his 
convictions,  though  not  always  in  the  same  sense  and  degree 
as  just  now  mentioned.  Convictions  may  be  opposed  two 
ways,  and  in  two  senses.  They  are  truly  opposed  when  the 
truths  of  which  the  sinner  is  convinced  are  disagreeable  to  his 
heart,  and  he  refuses  cordially  to  submit  to  them,  and  comply 
with  them.  In  this  sense  unregenerate  sinners  always  resist 
all  their  convictions,  and  oppose  them  with  their  whole  hearts, 
however  desirous  they  may  be  to  have  their  convictions  con- 
tinue, and  whatever  pains  they  may  take  in  the  use  of  means 
VOL.  III.  25 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED. 

to  maintain  and  cherish  them,  because  they  believe  that  they 
are  necessary  in  order  to  escape  hell,  and  be  saved,  and  that  it 
is  most  dangerous  to  lose  their  convictions,  and  return  to  ease 
and  security.  In  this  sense  they  may  "  nourish  their  convic- 
tions," agreeably  to  Mr.  M.'s  phrase,  and  yet  oppose  all 
the  truths  they  are  convinced  of  with  their  whole  hearts,  and 
remain  most  obstinate  enemies  to  Christ,  and  the  way  of  sal- 
vation by  him.  But  sinners  may  also  resist  convictions,  and 
often  do  by  trying  to  get  rid  of  them,  and  taking  measures 
with  a  design  to  wear  them  oft"  from  their  minds ;  and  many 
times  they  in  this  way  still  their  consciences,  get  ease,  and 
return  to  their  former  courses,  or  to  courses  still  worse.  Of 
such  nothing  is  affirmed  or  denied  in  the  proposition  in  dis- 
pute between  Mr.  M.  and  me. 

Let  it  also  be  noted  here,  that  if  two  persons  have  equal 
degrees  of  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  and  one  reforms 
his  external  conduct,  and  attends  on  means  under  the  influence 
of  the  conviction  he  has,  and  the  other  goes  on  in  his  allowed 
external  wickedness  in  neglect  of  all  means,  and  this  ever  was 
or  can  be  the  case,  nothing  is  said  of  such  a  case  in  the  prop- 
osition. Indeed,  nothing  is  said  of  different  persons,  whether 
one  is  more  guilty  and  vile  than  another,  but  what  is  affirmed 
is  of  the  same  person  who  is  now  awakened  from  a  state  of 
ease  and  security,  and  has  that  light  and  conviction  of  con- 
science which  he  never  had  before,  and  which  is  inconsistent 
with  a  state  of  security  and  open  wickednesss. 

It  will  be  observed,  that  in  this  proposition  it  is  asserted  that 
this  is  true  in  all  cases,  however  vicious  and  guilty  the  person 
was  while  ignorant  and  stupid,  and  in  a  state  of  security  and 
carnal  ease  ;  yet  by  continuing  impenitent  under  the  awaken- 
ings and  convictions  mentioned,  he  becomes  a  greater  criminal, 
is  guilty  of  more  aggravated  wickedness  than  he  was  before, 
whatever  particular  ways  of  sinning  he  has  forsaken  in  which 
he  before  lived. 

This,  I  am  sensible,  will  be  thought  by  many  to  be  carrying 
the  matter  to  a  great  length,  and  even  too  far.  If  it  had  been 
only  said  that  many,  if  not  most  unregenerate  sinners,  who 
have  not  been  guilty  of  any  enormous  crimes  and  uncommon 
wickedness  in  their  lives,  do  become  more  guilty  when  their 
consciences  are  thoroughly  awakened  and  convinced  than  they 
were  in  a  state  of  security,  they  perhaps  think  this  is  true,  and 
may  be  easily  proved.  But  to  carry  the  matter  so  far,  even  to 
every  instance  without  exception,  they  think  is  not  safe,  and 
perhaps  is  not  true ;  and  if  it  is  true  it  is  a  matter  of  no  great 
importance,  and  it  may  be  difficult  to  prove  it ;  and  it  will 
give  those  who  are  disposed  to  oppose  the  real  truth  in  this 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED.         291 

case  an  advantage  against  it,  and  an  opportunity  greatly  to 
prejudice  others  against  it  who  would  probably  have  fallen  in 
with  it  had  it  not  been  asserted  in  such  universal  terms. 

It  is  certain  that  Mv.  M.  has  taken  all  the  advantage 
he  could  of  this,  and,  as  has  been  shown,  more  than  he  could 
fairly  do,  by  misrepresenting  the  matter  and  carrying  it  further 
than  I  had  done.  He  has  not  failed  to  keep  this  in  view  every 
where,  as  if  it  was  the  only  point  of  controversy  between  him 
and  me;  whereas  this  is  not  true,  for  he,  through  his  whole 
book,  as  much  opposes  the  notion  of  sinners  in  general  grow- 
ing worse  under  awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience,  or 
that  this  is  true  in  any  instance,  as  he  does  that  this  is  the  case 
in  every  instance ;  and  he  has  said  nothing  to  prove  the  latter 
not  true,  which  is  not  equally  against  the  former.  Therefore, 
if  I  should  now  give  up  this  point,  that  sinners,  under  genuine, 
thorough  convictions,  are  in  all  cases  more  criminal  and  vile  in 
God's  sight  than  they  were  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  securi- 
ty, however  criminal  and  vije  they  were  then,  and  only  assert 
that  this  is  the  case  with  unregenerate  sinners  in  general  who 
have  lived  pretty  regular  lives  in  a  state  of  security,  Mr.  M. 
would  have  as  real  a  controversy  with  me  then  as  he  has 
now,  as  his  whole  book  is  as  much  against  the  latter  as  the 
former.     This,  I  trust,  will  fully  appear  before  I  have  done. 

But  as  I  yet  think  this  proposition  is  true,  as  I  have  now 
stated  it,  and  may  be  made  evident  beyond  all  doubt  to  those 
who  will  be  impartial,  and  will  thoroughly  consider  the  matter, 
I  shall  attempt  to  prove  it,  and  leave  it  to  the  reader  to  judge 
for  himself.  But  if,  after  all,  any  should  think  it  is  not  proved 
beyond  all  controversy  that  the  unregenerate  in  the  case  pro- 
posed are  in  all  instances  more  vile,  etc.,  though  it  be  quite 
evident  that  this  is  true  of  sinners  in  general,  and  that  it  is 
of  no  importance  that  the  proposition  should  be  affirmed 
without  any  exception,  let  it  be  remembered  that  though  I 
think  the  former  to  be  both  an  evident  and  important  truth, 
yet  the  latter  is  much  more  important.  And  if  Mr.  M.  had 
not  opposed  the  latter  as  much  as  the  former,  perhaps  I  should 
not  have  thought  it  worth  while  to  make  any  reply. 

But  before  I  proceed  to  this  argument  it  will  be  necessary 
to  consider  what  is  the  true  state  and  character  of  the  unre- 
generate sinner  under  awakenings  and  under  the  most  clear 
convictions  of  conscience.  This  will  therefore  be  attended  to 
in  the  next  section. 


292  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE 


SECTION   11. 

The  true  State  and  Character  of  the  tmregenerate  Sinner 
under  Awakenings  and  Convictions  considered  and  stated^  in 
Opposition  to  the  Character  which  Mr.  Mills  gives  of  such. 

The  unregenerate  sinner  is  an  enemy  to  God.  The  whole 
bent  and  all  the  exercises  of  his  heart  are  in  opposition  to 
God's  true  character,  and  no  influences  on  his  mind,  whether 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  or  any  thing  else,  antecedent  to  regen- 
eration, or  any  change  whatsoever,  do  in  the  least  degree 
remove  this  opposition  and  enmity ;  for  he  is  still  under  the 
dominion  of  sin,  having  not  the  least  degree  of  right  dispo- 
sition and  exercise  of  true  love  to  God  and  man.  And  what- 
ever awakenings  of  conscience  and  convictions  of  the  truth 
take  place  in  the  sinner's  mind,  and  however  distressed  and 
anxious  he  is  about  his  case,  and  whatever  alteration  there  is 
in  his  conduct  produced  by  fear  or  hope,  still  he  is  as  real  and 
as  great  an  enemy  to  the  divine  character,  to  the  law  of  God, 
to  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel,  as  ever.  Whatever  are  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  mind  of  an  unregen- 
erate sinner,  in  awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience, 
they  make  no  alteration  as  to  the  prevailing  temper  and  in- 
clination of  the  heart.  No  new  disposition  and  principles  of 
heart  are  given,  nor  are  the  natural,  corrupt  principles  of  the 
heart  in  the  least  altered  for  the  better,  so  as  to  be  more 
friendly,  or  less  opposite  to  God.  Therefore,  all  the  exertions 
and  exercises  of  the  heart,  under  the  greatest  degree  of  this  in- 
fluence, by  which  the  conscience  is  enlightened  and  awakened, 
are  no  more  friendly  to  God,  but  as  corrupt  and  as  opposite 
to  him  as  ever. 

This  must  be  so;  for  the  corrupt  principles  of  the  heart, 
exercised  and  acted  out,  will  always  be  the  same,  whatever 
light  and  conviction  is  in  the  judgment  and  conscience.  The 
corrupt  tree  will  bring  forth  corrupt  fruit,  and  that  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  and  will  be  flesh.  Every  exercise  of  an 
entire  enemy  to  God  will  be  of  the  nature  of  enmity  against 
him.  And  there  is  no  other  way  to  suppress  and  put  an  end 
to  those  corrupt,  sinful  exercises,  but  either  to  change  his 
heart,  or  to  put  an  end  to  all  his  exercises  by  casting  him  into 
a  deep  sleep,  by  turning  him  into  a  beast,  tree,  or  rock,  or  by 
annihilation.  Many  have  talked  of  the  unregenerate  sinner's 
forsaking  sin  and  doing  his  duty  upon  mere  natural  princi- 
ples ;  but  what  do  they  mean  ?  What  natural  principles  are 
there  but  corrupt  principles  ?     If  they  say  natural  conscience 


UNREGENERATE    SINNER    CONSIDERED.  293 

is  a  natural  principle,  and  not  corrupt,  especially  when  enlight- 
ened by  the  Spirit  of  God,  I  answer,  natural  conscience,  so 
far  as  it  is  distinguished  from  the  heart,  is  no  principle  of 
action  at  all.  The  heart  is  the  source  and  seat  of  all  moral 
exercise  and  action ;  natural  conscience,  therefore,  as  distin- 
guished from  this,  is  neither  sinful  nor  virtuous.  If  they  shall 
say,  fear  and  hope  are  natural  principles,  I  grant  they  are  com- 
mon to  angels  and  men,  saints  and  sinners ;  but,  in  the  unre- 
generate,  have  no  more  real  goodness  in  them  than  the  same 
principles  in  the  devils  themselves.  Fear  and  hope  are  as 
much  concerned  in  the  worst  of  exercises  and  actions,  and 
have  as  much  influence  in  them,  as  in  the  best.  And  the 
exercises  of  fear  and  hope  are  just  as  corrupt  and  sinful  as 
is  the  heart  in  which  they  are  exercised.  If  they  say  that  self- 
love  is  a  natural  principle  from  which  the  unregenerate  do 
avoid  sin,  and  in  many  cases  perform  their  duty,  I  answer,  if 
by  self-love  is  meant  only  a  desire  and  love  of  happiness  in 
general,  and  aversion  to  misery  or  evil,  this  is  in  itself  neither 
more  nor  less  sinful  or  virtuous,  but  may  be  considered  as  the 
principle  of  all  exercises  and  actions,  both  good  and  bad,  and 
has  as  much  concern  and  influence  in  the  worst  as  in  the 
best.  But  if  by  a  principle  of  self-love  is  meant  selfishness,  or 
a  person's  selfish  regard  and  respect  to  himself,  his  own  private, 
separate  interest  and  happiness,  without  any  regard  to  any 
other  being,  always  seeking  and  pursuing  that  which  appears 
to  him  for  his  own  good,  being  wholly  influenced  by  this  and 
nothing  else  in  all  his  exercises  and  conduct,  this  is  itself  sin- 
ful, and  is  the  principle  and  source  of  all  the  sin  in  the  uni- 
verse, being  directly  opposite  to  true  benevolence,  which  is 
the  sum  of  all  that  is  truly  good ;  this  is,  in  its  own  nature, 
enmity  to  being  in  general,  and  is  that  by  which  man  becomes 
an  enemy  to  God  and  man.  So  far,  therefore,  as  men  act 
from  this  principle,  they  sin,  and  they  are  sinful  in  proportion 
to  the  strength  and  vigor  with  which  this  principle  is  exerted. 
If  a  person  is  wholly  under  the  government  of  this  selfishness, 
loving  and  regarding  himself  supremely,  and  having  no  re- 
spect and  regard  to  God  or  man  only  from  selfish  ends,  and 
as  the  fruit  and  exercise  of  this  selfishness ;  I  say,  if  a  person 
is  wholly  under  the  dominion  of  this  selfishness,  as  all  the  un- 
regenerate are,  all  his  actions  are  wrong  and  sinful  in  what- 
ever way  he  seeks  his  own  happiness,  whether  in  a  worldly 
interest,  in  pursuing  the  profits,  honors,  or  pleasures  of  this 
world,  or  in  the  happiness  of  the  future  state,  earnestly  pur- 
suing it,  in  crossing  his  sensual  appetites,  and  in  the  painful 
exercise  of  what  he  calls  devotion  and  religion.  Opposition 
and  enmity  to  God  and  his  law,  and  so  to  Christ  and  the 
25* 


STATE    AND    CHARACTER    OF    THE 

gospel,  may  be  as  really  exercised  in  the  latter  way  as  the 
former,  and  in  as  high  a  degree,  yea,  much  higher  and  more 
immediately  and  directly  against  God.  But  of  this  more  par- 
ticularly hereafter. 

It  hence  appears,  that  whatever  influence  there  is  on  the 
natural  principles  of  the  soul  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  awaken- 
ings, conviction  of  conscience,  etc.,  this  does  not  at  all  abate 
the  power  of  wickedness  in  the  heart.  Self-love,  or  selfishness, 
into  whatever  channel  it  is  turned,  whether  it  is  exercised  about 
present  or  future  good, in  fears  of  evil  or  hopes  of  good,  in  this 
world  or  the  world  to  come,  and  earnest  attempts  to  obtain  the 
good  and  escape  the  evil,  —  I  say,  this  selfishness  is  still  of  the 
same  nature,  and  it  is  in  direct  opposition  to  all  true  goodness. 
The  greatest  awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience,  and 
every  thing  that  takes  place  in  consequence  of  this  in  the 
minds  of  the  unregenerate,  do  not  in  any  degree  abate  the 
exercise  of  this  grand  principle  of  all  sin  and  rebellion  in  the 
universe,  so  do  not  make  the  heart  in  any  degree  better,  but 
may  be  the  occasion  of  turning  the  selfish,  rebeUious  heart 
more  directly  and  in  a  much  stronger  degree  of  exercise  against 
God,  and  perhaps  always  has  this  effect.  But  this  is  to  be 
considered  in  the  next  section. 

I  particularly  observe  this,  to  show  the  mistake  which  some 
make  in  this  matter.  Because  awakenings  and  convictions  of 
conscience  are  effected  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  think  that 
something  good  or  less  sinful  in  the  heart  must  be  the  effect 
of  this  work  of  the  Spirit.  There  is  no  ground  for  such  a  con- 
sequence. There  is  nothing  done  in  the  enlightening  and  con- 
viction of  the  consciences  of  the  unregenerate,  and  awakening 
them  to  attend  to  the  truth,  which  will  not  be  done  in  a  much 
higher  degree,  though  not  just  in  the  same  way,  in  the  minds 
of  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment  and  forever  afterwards. 
But  who  will  say  the  wicked  then,  under  all  their  convictions, 
fears,  and  horrors,  will  not  be  as  rebellious,  impenitent,  and 
hardened  as  the  secure  sinner  is,  who  neither  knows  nor  fears 
any  of  these  things  ? 

If  any  should  say,  "  There  is  this  grand  difference  between 
an  awakened,  convinced  sinner  in  this  world,  and  the  convic- 
tions and  horrors  of  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment,  that 
the  former  is  under  hope,  and  has  the  offer  of  mercy  and  sal- 
vation, but  the  latter  will  be  in  absolute  despair ;  the  hope  of 
the  former  leads  him  to  dread  sin  and  seek  deliverance  in  the 
use  of  means."  It  is  granted  this  is  true.  Self-love  or  selfish- 
ness will  exercise  itself  in  this  way  in  these  circumstances ; 
but  still  this  is  nothing  but  selfishness  under  the  influence  of 
fear  of  evil  and  hope  of  escape,  and  of  obtaining  happiness ; 


UNREGENERATE    SINNER    CONSIDERED.  295 

the  heart  is  no  more  truly  pliable,  obedient,  and  penitent  than 
ever;  does  not  comply  in  the  least  degree,  but  obstinately  op- 
poses God  and  the  gospel;  and  as  he  does  most  obstinately 
resist  and  trample  under  his  feet  the  most  astonishing  mercy, 
M'hich  is  freely  offered  to  him,  and  reject  the  Son  of  God  in 
all  his  amazing  condescension  and  grace,  in  this  view  his  im- 
penitence, hardness  of  heart,  and  obstinacy,  appear  in  a  most 
striking,  awful  light,  and  much  more  aggravated  and  shocking 
than  that  of  the  latter. 

The  unregenerate  sinner  is,  therefore,  a  hardened,  impeni- 
tent rebel,  who  with  his  whole  heart  opposes  and  hates  God 
and  his  holy  law,  and  hates  and  rejects  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
salvation  offered  by  him,  so  far  as  these  come  into  his  view 
and  under  his  notice.  He  is  so  under  all  the  awakenings,  con- 
victions, and  reformations  that  he  is  the  subject  of.  Whatever 
is  done  to  him,  and  what  changes  soever  he  passes  through, 
his  character  with  respect  to  these  things  is  not  altered;  he  is 
yet  as  really  under  the  dominion  of  siu,  and  a  fixed,  impeni- 
tent, obstinate  enemy  to  God  and  Jesus  Christ  as  ever. 

The  awakened  sinner,  under  all  his  convictions,  terrors,  and 
reformations,  and  most  earnest  attempts  to  escape  the  evil  he 
sees  himself  in  danger  of,  and  obtain  salvation,  has  no  more 
love  and  respect  to  God  than  he  ever  had,  and  is  really  as  much 
under  the  power  of  opposite  principles  as  ever,  as  has  been 
observed;  does  not  hate  sin  at  all, but  is  as  much  in  love  with 
it  as  ever. 

Many  a  profligate  wretch,  who  has  long  indulged  himself 
in  uncleanness  and  debauchery,  when  he  has  been  brought 
into  such  circumstances  that  his  wickedness  is  like  to  be  dis- 
covered so  as  to  bring  disgrace  and  contempt  upon  him, 
and  ruin  him  in  all  his  worldly  interests,  has  been  filled  with 
anxiety  and  distress,  so  that  he  could  find  no  quiet  night  nor 
day;  he  has  been  convinced  of  his  folly,  condemned  himself, 
and  reformed  his  vile  practices,  being  afraid  to  indulge  himself 
in  the  least  degree  as  he  had  done,  and  resolved  that  he  would 
carefully  avoid  such  conduct  for  time  to  come,  and  has  used 
unwearied  attempts  to  escape  the  evil  he  feared;  and  in  this 
time  of  his  fear  and  distress  has  made  many  prayers  to  God, 
hoping  that  he  would  interpose  in  his  behalf,  so  that  he  might 
escape  the  evil  he  feared.  But  when  his  fc^rs  were  over,  and 
nothing  was,  in  his  view,  in  the  way  of  his  going  into  his 
former  practices  without  danger  of  punishment  or  a  discovery, 
he  has  returned  to  them  with  as  much  delight  and  eagerness 
as  ever.  In  this  case  every  one  will  be  sensible  how  little  in 
his  favor  was  his  reformation,  and  that  under  all  his  fears  and 
terrors,  and   earnest  endeavors  to  avoid  evil,  his   heart  was 


296  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE 

really  no  better  than  it  was  before,  and  was  as  much  in  love 
with  sin.  This  may,  in  some  measure,  illustrate  the  case  of 
the  awakened  sinner  with  respect  to  what  I  have  just  now 
been  speaking;  for  there  is  no  more  virtue  and  goodness  in 
fearing  evil  in  the  future  world,  even  the  punishment  of  hell, 
than  worldly  evil ;  and  the  reformation  of  any  particular  prac- 
tices from  such  fear  is  from  no  better  principles  and  no  more 
an  evidence  of  real  opposition  of  heart  to  sin  than  in  the  in- 
stance just  mentioned. 

The  highway  robber,  who  is  apprehended  and  condemned 
to  be  hanged,  and  is  hereby  thrown  into  great  distress  of  mind, 
and  most  earnestly  petitions  the  king  for  mercy,  and  promises 
reformation  and  obedience  to  his  laws  for  time  to  come,  will, 
as  soon  as  he  is  set  at  liberty,  and  has  no  fear  of  being  again 
apprehended,  dismiss  all  his  fear  and  return  to  the  same  course 
again.  Will  he  who  views  him  in  this  light,  in  the  time  of  his 
fears,  reformations,  and  promises,  look  upon  him  to  be  really 
more  penitent,  or  less  an  enemy  to  his  king  and  country,  than 
before  he  was  apprehended  ?  In  no  better  light  the  unre- 
generate  sinner  ought  to  be  viewed  under  all  his  awakenings 
and  convictions  of  conscience. 

It  hence  appears  that  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  does 
not,  while  unregenerate,  really  yield  or  give  up  one  point  of 
controversy  between  him  and  his  Maker,  but  is  as  impenitent 
and  obstinate  as  ever,  being  still  as  great  a  friend  to  sin  and 
enemy  to  God  as  he  was  before;  the  principles  and  exercises 
of  his  heart  being  not  in  the  least  abated  with  respect  to  this. 

And  it  is  of  great  importance  to  be  observed  here,  and  well 
attended  to,  that  the  unregenerate  sinner  is  wholly  to  blame 
for  all  that  in  which  his  unregeneracy  consists,  it  being  nothing 
but  wickedness  and  rebellion  of  heart,  for  which  the  sinner 
has  not  the  least  imaginable  excuse.  He  is  under  no  kind  or 
degree  of  impotency  or  difficulty  which  is  in  the  way  of  his 
repentance,  loving  God,  and  embracing  the  gospel,  that  affords 
the  least  excuse  for  not  doing  it,  or  takes  off  the  least  degree 
of  blame  for  his  neglect.  He  is  under  no  kind  of  inability  or 
difficulty  that  is  in  the  way  of  his  turning  to  God  immediately, 
which  the  open  profligate  is  not  under,  as  a  bar  in  the  way  of 
his  reforming  his  wicked  conduct  immediately.  In  the  latter 
case  all  the  diffictilty  lies  in  the  corruption  of  his  heart,  and 
the  opposition  of  his  will  to  it ;  -and  this  is  all  the  difficulty  in 
the  former.  And  if  it  is  more  difficult  for  a  sinner  to  turn  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ,  with  his  whole  heart,  than  it  is  for 
him  to  forsake  all  ways  of  known  sin  in  external  conduct,  and 
he  is  under  a  greater  inability  to  do  the  former  than  the  latter, 
it  is  wholly  because  his  will  opposes  the  former  more  than  it 


URREGENERATE    SINNER    CONSIDERED.  297 

does  the  latter,  or  rather  because  the  latter  may  be  complied 
with  consistent  with  the  indulgence  of  the  reigning  wicked- 
ness of  the  heart  and  enmity  against  God,  whereas  the  former 
cannot.  The  reason  wliy  the  open  profligate  does  not  reform 
his  conduct  immediately  is  because  he  is  not  willing,  or  his 
heart  opposes  this.  And  the  only  reason  why  the  awakened, 
convinced  sinner  does  not  embrace  the  gospel  immediately, 
but  remains  obstinately  impenitent,  is  because  his  will,  even 
his  whole  heart,  opposes  it.  All  the  difterence  is,  that  in  the 
latter  case  the  opposition  of  the  heart  to  Jesus  Christ  is  more 
fixed  and  strong  than  it  is  in  the  former  case  to  an  external 
reformation  ;  as  an  external  reformation  may  be  complied  with 
consistent  with  the  exercise  and  gratification  of  the  reigning 
lusts  of  the  heart,  but  compliance  with  the  gospel  cannot. 
And  is  there  need  of  saying  any  thing  to  prove  that  the  sin- 
ner is  perfectly  inexcusable  and  to  blame  for  not  doing  that  in 
which  there  is  no  difliculty  but  what  consists  in  the  want  of  a 
will  or  heart,  and  the  opposition  of  the  will  to  it  ?  This  would 
be  the  same  thing  as  to  undertake  to  prove  that  wickedness 
of  heart,  and  that  in  which  all  sin  and  blame  do  consist,  is 
indeed  wickedness,  sinful,  and  blameworthy.  And  if  oppo- 
sition of  heart  to  that  which  is  in  itself  right,  is  in  all  cases 
sinful  and  perfectly  inexcusable  and  blameworthy,  then  the 
greater  is  the  degree  of  this  opposition ;  and  the  more  strong, 
fixed,  and  perfect  it  is,  the  further  is  the  sinner  from  aU  excuse, 
and  the  more  blameworthy.  So  that  the  difficulty  and  ina- 
bility of  loving  God  and  embracing  the  gospel,  in  the  case 
before  us,  is  so  far  from  rendering  the  sinner  in  any  degree 
blameless  or  excusable,  that  the  more  there  is  of  this  the  rnore 
blameworthy  and  criminal  he  is. 

Hence  it  appears  that  the  unregenerate  sinner's  reigning 
opposition  and  enmity  of  heart  against  God  and  the  gospel 
are  perfectly  criminal  and  most  odious  and  abominable  in  his 
sight,  notwithstanding  all  his  awakenings,  convictions,  and 
external  reformations ;  the  latter  do  not  render  the  former  a 
whit  the  less  criminal,  odious,  and  abominable,  any  more 
than  the  cleansing  and  scouring  the  outside  of  a  cup  renders 
the  most  offensive,  abominable  corruption  and  filthiness  of 
which  it  is  within  full,  less  odious  and  abominable.  Or,  (to 
use  another  comparison,)  no  more  than  the  cryings  of  a  stub- 
born child  in  dread  of  the  rod  which  is  held  over  him,  and  his 
strivings  to  get  out  of  his  father's  hands  and  escape,  serve  to 
extenuate  his  crime,  while  he  obstinately  refuses  to  own  his 
fault  and  submit  to  his  father's  will,  and  resolutely  opposes 
him  under  all  his  threatenings. 

The  unregenerate  sinner  has  no  sincere  desires  to  repent 


298  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE 

and  embrace  the  gospel,  or  of  a  new  heart.  It  is  the  most 
glaring  contradiction  to  suppose  he  has ;  as  great  a  one  as  to 
suppose  that  wickedness  is  friendly  to  holiness.  These  things 
are  not  the  objects  of  the  desires  of  the  hearts  of  the  unregen- 
erate,  but  of  their  aversion  and  enmity.  They  desire  deliver- 
ance from  misery,  and  the  enjoyment  of  happiness,  (though 
not  true  happiness  and  the  salvation  which  the  gospel  offers,) 
under  a  conviction  that  they  must  repent  and  submit  to  Christ 
in  order  to  escape  the  one  and  obtain  the  other.  But  their 
hearts  are  as  far  from  desiring  to  repent  and  turn  to  God  as 
ever,  for  if  they  had  a  real  desire  to  repent,  etc.,  they  would 
repent ;  for  nothing  is  in  the  way  of  this  but  opposition  of 
heart.  And  they  make  no  sincere  attempts  to  turn  to  God 
and  embrace  the  gospel,  for  this  would  suppose  their  hearfs 
did  not  wholly  oppose  these,  which  they  do,  as  has  been 
shown  ;  and  the  whole  difficulty  of  their  turning  to  God,  and 
the  only  reason  of  their  not  doing  it  immediately,  lies  in  this 
enmity  and  opposition. 

If  any  are  disposed  to  look  on  the  awakened  sinner  as  less 
to  blame  for  his  enmity  of  heart  against  God,  and  fixed,  ob- 
stinate opposition  to  Christ,  because  he  is  externally  reformed 
and  greatly  distressed  under  fears  that  he  shall  be  miserable 
forever ;  and  if  such  appear  in  a  great  degree  harmless  and 
innocent  in  their  sight,  they  certainly  judge  in  this  case  ac- 
cording to  the  outward  appearance,  and  not  righteous  judg- 
ment. In  God's  sight  all  that  wickedness  of  heart,  in  which 
their  unregeneracy  consists,  and  in  which  they  continue  wholly 
impenitent,  and  enemies  to  the  divine  character  and  the  gospel, 
is  perfectly  inexcusable  and  criminal,  and  infinitely  odious  ; 
there  being  no  difficulty  in  their  becoming  friends  to  God,  etc., 
but  what  lies  in  the  voluntary  wickedness  of  their  hearts. 

Many  have  made  a  very  great  and  hurtful  mistake  here. 
They  represent  the  impotency  of  the  unregenerate  to  turn  to 
God  and  believe  in  Christ  to  be  such  as  not  to  be  altogether 
blamable,  if  criminal  in  any  degree.  They  are  to  blame, 
wholly  to  blame,  they  allow,  for  not  doing  what  they  can  do, 
as  they  are  wont  to  express  it ;  but  if  they  reform,  and  do  what 
they  can,  and  cry  to  God  to  change  their  hearts,  etc.,  they  are 
poor  creatures,  to  be  pitied  that  they  are  in  such  a  sad  case  ; 
but  not  much,  if  at  all  to  blame,  for  remaining  under  the 
dominion  of  sin,  and  not  embracing  the  gospel,  which  they 
are  desiring  and  honestly  attempting,  but  have  no  power  to  do 
it;  so  that  this  is  rather  their  calamity  than  their  sin. 

This  way  of  representing  the  matter  has  been  infinitely 
mischievous.  By  thus  misrepresenting  the  doctrine  of  man's 
natural  impotency,  they  have  rendered  it  ridiculous  to  those 


UNREGENERATE    SINNER    CONSIBERED.  299 

who  have  been  disposed  to  oppose  the  real  truth,  and  have 
prejudiced  them  against  it;  while  they  themselves  have  been 
unable  to  defend  the  doctrine  in  the  light  in  which  they  set  it, 
and  so  have  given  occasion  to  the  enemies  of  the  truth  to 
triumph.  On  the  other  hand,  it  has  proved  an  agreeable 
refuge  and  sweet  resting-place  to  multitudes.  By  this  repre- 
sentation they  have  been  "  sewing  pillows  to  all  arm-holes," 
(Ezek.  xiii.  18,)  and  comforting  those  to  whom  God  speaks 
no  peace.  The  unregenerate  sinner  who  has  reformed  all 
ways  of  external  sin,  and  allows  himself  in  no  known  outward 
evil  practices,  and  prays  to  God  for  a  new  heart,  which  he 
thinks  he  sincerely  desires,  but  that  it  is  wholly  out  of  his 
power  to  change  his  own  heart;  such  a  one,  I  say,  makes  him- 
self in  a  great  measure  easy  in  an  unregenerate  state,  while 
he  thinks  he  does  all  he  can.  Such  a  sinner  is  not  under  gen- 
uine, thorough  convictions,  and  never  will,  nor  possibly  can 
be,  while  he  believes  this  representation  to  be  just. 

And  this  doctrine  of  man's  inability,  as  consisting  in  some- 
thing which  does  in  some  measure  excuse,  and  is  consistent 
with  a  person's  sincere  desires  of  heart  to  have  it  removed,  and 
to  do  what  he  cannot  do ;  this  doctrine,  I  say,  is  most  sweet 
to  many  a  corrupt  heart.  Many  professing  Christians  fly  to 
this  refuge  to  hide  and  rest  themselves,  by  making  it  an  excuse 
for  their  not  living  in  constant  and  high  exercises  of  Christian 
holiness.  They  say,  "  We  are  poor  creatures,  we  can  do  no- 
thing of  ourselves ;  if  God  does  not  assist  us  and  give  us 
strength,  we  can  do  nothing ;  we  have  no  power  of  our  own." 
And  if  they  are  told  the  truth  of  the  matter,  that  they  are 
under  no  inability  but  what  consists  in  their  inexcusable,  vol- 
untary wickedness,  that  they  are  wholly  to  blame  for  all  their 
defects,  etc.,  they  will  oppose  it  with  all  their  might,  as  what 
tends  to  take  away  their  comfort,  and  rob  them  of  their  only 
refuge.  For  this  doctrine  of  man's  inability,  as  consisting  in 
some  difficulty  in  the  way  of  holiness  which  is  independent 
of  the  will,  and  for  which  they  are  not  wholly  to  blame,  is  as 
agreeable  to  the  corrupt  heart  of  man  as  any  Arminian  or 
Pelagian  doctrine  whatsoever  can  be.  How  many  of  those 
who  are  called  Calvinists  have  fled  to  this  refuge  of  lies,  and 
here  are  like  to  perish,  God  knows !  Be  this  as  it  will,  it  cer- 
tainly becomes  all  the  friends  of  truth,  and  of  mankind,  to  do 
all  they  can,  effectually,  to  expose  this  unscriptural,  absurd, 
dangerous  notion,  and  set  the  truth  in  a  clear  light* 

Mr.  Mills   has,  I  think,  unhappily  fallen  into  this  sad  and 

*  This  I  took  pains  to  do  in  my  remarks  on  Dr.  Mayhew's  sermons.  Mr.  M. 
has  approved  of  all  this,  and  yet  builds  all  his  opposition  to  me  on  that  which 
is  in  direct  contradiction  to  it,  as  ■will  be  seen  in  the  sequel. 


oOO  STATE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE 

dangerous  mistake,  which  is  discovered  through  the  whole  of 
his  performance,  as  that  on  which  he  grounds  all  his  opposi- 
tion to  me. 

He  has  not  said  one  word,  that  I  have  observed,  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  of  the  convinced  sinner's  enmity  against  God, 
and  obstinate  rejection  of  Christ  and  the  gospel,  being  under 
the  dominion  of  a  hard,  impenitent  heart.  All  this  is  carefully 
kept  out  of  sight,  unless  when  he  was  obliged  to  mention 
something  of  it  in  his  quotations  from  me ;  and  in  this  case 
he  always  puts  in  a  caveat,  observing  that  I  mean  no  more  by 
these  hard  terms  than  merely  continuing  unregenerate  ;  plainly 
intimating  that  he  thinks  such  terms  do  not  properly  belong 
to  the  unregenerate  as  such,  and  that  they  represent  them  as 
worse  and  more  criminal  than  they  really  are.  He,  therefore, 
every  where  speaks  of  the  unawakened  sinner  as  impenitent, 
hardened,  and  stout  hearted,  in  opposition  to  one  that  is  awak- 
ened, as  if  this  was  not  true  of  the  latter,  and  as  if  the  latter 
was  of  an  opposite  character. 

And  he  represents  the  unregenerate  as  not  wholly  to  blame 
for  their  unregeneracy,  their  unbelief,  and  not  embracing  the 
gospel,  bvit  as  being  under  an  impotence  which  does  in  some 
measure,  if  not  wholly,  excuse.  This  representation  runs 
through  his  whole  book,  as  has  been  just  now  observed,  and 
is  laid  as  the  foundation  of  all  his  opposition  to  me  ;  this,  I 
conclude,  will  be  quite  evident  to  every  attentive  reader,  before  I 
shall  have  done.  I  shall  now  cite  only  a  few  expressions  of  his 
which  seem  to  set  the  matter  in  this  light,  especially  if  consid- 
ered in  connection  with  others  which  I  am  about  to  mention. 
He  speaks  of  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  as  brought  to 
"reformation  and  amendment  of  life,  to  the  highest  degree 
the  unregenerate  are  capable  of,  by  the  common  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit."  He  says,  they  "  regard  all  duty  and  avoid 
all  sin,  that  can  agree  to  an  unregenerate  state."  "  Thus  the 
poor,  trembling,  convinced,  reformed  sinner  (I  mean  as  much 
as  an  unregenerate  sinner  can  be  so)  feels  his  guilt  and 
moral  disorder  as  a  desperate,  incurable  disease,  as  to  all  cre- 
ated power,  and  therefore  cries  to  God  for  help." 

But  he  goes  much  further  than  this,  and  represents  unregen- 
erate sinners  in  a  much  more  favorable  light  still.  He  speaks 
of  such  as  having  great  "  tenderness  of  conscience,"  and  "  pay- 
ing such  reverence  and  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  conscience 
as  hath  nourished  the  greatest  degree  of  tenderness,"  "  one 
who  has  nourished  the  internal  light  and  tenderness  of  his 
conscience."  He  is  "  in  a  great  degree  convinced  of  the  evil 
of  sin  —  trembles  at  the  thoughts  of  his  past  sins,  and  in  fear 
lest  he  should  offend  in  thought,  word,  or  deed ;  feels  himself 


UNREGENERATE    SINNER    CONSIDERED.  301 

a  lost,  perishing  creature,  and  that  sovereign  mercy  only  can 
be  his  remedy.  The  poor,  trembling,  convinced,  reformed  sin- 
ner, whose  wickedness,  as  to  the  actions  of  it,  is  restrained." 
He  is  "  a  humble  sinner,  brought,  though  on  the  principles  of 
nature,  to  humble  himself  before  God,  repent,  reform  known 
evils,  and  conscientiously  attend  known  duties."  He  is  "  hum- 
bled and  slain,  by  the  law,  and  brought  to  the  feet  of  divine 
sovereignty,  and  a  sense  of  the  justice  of  his  condemnation  by 
the  law."  He  is  not  "  utterly  sinful,"  and  "  honestly  attempts 
to  do  his  duty."  They  "  seek  the  Lord  with  trembling,  and 
reform  every  known  sin,  and  with  great  concern  attend  on  all 
known  duty."  Yea,  they  "  break  off  from  all  known  sin," 
even  "the  secret  pride  of  the  heart."  They  "cry  to  God  for 
mercy,  as  their  oyily  plea  —  apply  to  the  mercy  of  God,  as  the 
only  hope  that  remains."  They,  on  the  whole,  desire  salvation, 
and  earnestly  look  to  God  for  the  bread  of  life,  as  a  hungry 
man  desires  and  seeks  bread  when  his  life  is  at  stake.  They 
do  all  that  which  is  represented  by  the  prodigal's  coming  to 
himself,  and  seeing  that  there  was  bread  enough  and  to  spare 
in  his  father's  house,  and  resolving  to  arise  and  go,  and  confess 
his  sins,  and  ask  mercy,  and  his  actually  putting  this  in  exe- 
cution. So  that,  according  to  Mr.  M.,  the  unregenerate  have 
their  eyes  opened  to  see  the  wonderful  fulness  there  is  in  Christ 
for  sinners,  so  are  turned  from  darkness  to  marvellous  light, 
and  in  this  view  do  actually  go  to  God  for  the  mercy  he  offers 
in  the  gospel ;  and  in  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and  ill  desert,  cast 
themselves  at  the  foot  of  sovereign  grace,  placing  all  their  hope 
in  this,  heartily  desiring  to  be  saved  in  this  way,  and  no  other. 
They  therefore  do  all,  and  comply  with  every  thing  that  is  ne- 
cessary in  order  to  share  in  God's  saving  mercy;  yea,  they  do 
that  which  is  connected  with  this  mercy  by  Christ  himself  in 
this  parable,  and  also  through  the  whole  Bible,  if  there  are 
any  promises  in  the  Bible  made  to  any  exercises  at  all. 

Moreover,  Mr.  M.'s  unregenerate  sinners  "frame  their  doings 
to  turn  unto  their  God."  They  seek  salvation  as  the  greedy 
merchant  seeks  goodly  pearls.  They  labor  not  for  the  meat 
which  perisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which  endureth  unto  ever- 
lasting life.  They  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord,  and  seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness.  In  a  w^ord,  they 
deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  live  soberly,  right- 
eously, and  godly  in  this  present  world. 

This  is  the  account  Mr.  M.  gives  of  unregenerate  sinners 
under  awakenings  and  convictions ;  and  he  has  said  not  only 
this,  but  much  more  in  their  favor,  too  much  to  be  transcribed 
here ;  upon  which  I  shall  make  the  following  remarks  :  — 

1.  If  this  representation  of  the  unregenerate  sinner  under 
VOL.  III.  26 


OU^  STATE    AND    CHARACTER    OF    THE 

convictions  is  agreeable  to  the  truth,  then  all  that  I  have  said 
of  such  in  my  section  on  means  is  wrong  and  groundless,  and 
such  a  one  is  not  only  less  vile  than  the  profligate,  but  is 
in  a  great  degree  innocent  and  blameless.  He  does  not  sin 
against  the  light  of  his  conscience,  or  abuse  it  in  the  least;  for 
he  reverences  his  conscience,  and  lives  up  to  the  dictates  of  it, 
avoiding  every  known  sin  and  coming  up  to  all  known  duty. 
He  is  not  properly  an  impenitent  sinner;  for  he  does  really  re- 
pent and  humble  himself  before  God.  Nor  does  he  obstinately 
reject  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel ;  for,  on  the  whole,  he  desires 
the  salvation  which  is  offered  in  the  gospel,  and  flies  to  sov- 
ereign mercy  there  held  out  to  him  as  his  only  refuge.  As  I 
placed  the  great  guilt  and  vileness  of  the  unregenerate  sinner 
in  his  sinning  against  the  light  and  convictions  of  his  own 
conscience,  in  obstinately  refusing  the  offers  of  the  gospel  and 
rejecting  Jesus  Christ,  which  he  is  now  convinced  he  is  wholly 
to  blame  for,  and  is  the  greatest  sin  he  ever  was  guilty  of,  I 
own  my  charge  is  quite  groundless  and  very  injurious  if  Mr. 
M.  has  given  a  just  and  true  character  of  the  unregenerate, 
and  I  must  yield  the  point  to  him. 

But  if  all  he  has  said  on  this  head  is  a  gross  misrepresenta- 
tion of  the  character  of  the  unregenerate  sinner,  and  he  applies 
to  them  many  things  which  are  found  in  the  regenerate  only, 
and  if  most  of  his  arguments  and  the  plausibleness  of  all  he 
has  said,  are  founded  in  this  misrepresentation,  then  all  is 
built  on  a  very  slender  foundation  and  really  comes  to  nothing. 
And  I  think  I  have  a  right  to  call  this  a  misrepresentation,  as 
I  cannot  find  that  Mr.  M.  has  attempted  to  prove  these  things, 
but  has  taken  them  for  granted  and  only  asserted  them  ;  and 
I  think  what  has  been  said  in  this  section  is  sufficient  to  show 
that  Mr.  M.'s  account  of  the  unregenerate  is  very  grossly 
wrong,  and  this  will  more  fully  appear,  I  trust,  before  I  have 
done. 

2.  If  Mr.  M.  has  given  a  just  character  of  the  unregenerate, 
then  what  I  have  said  of  these  in  my  dispute  with  Dr.  May- 
hew,  on  which  I  founded  all  my  opposition  to  him,  is  wholly 
wrong;  for  the  whole  dispute  turned  upon  this  question: 
Whether  unregenerate  sinners  do,  on  the  whole,  really  desire 
ithe  salvation  offered  in  the  gospel?  I  asserted  that  they  do 
not,  and  undertook  to  prove  it,  and  owned  that  if  the  doctor 
would  prove  that  they  do,  he  would  gain  his  point,  and  I  was 
ready  to  yield  it  to  him.  Mr.  M.  has  really  taken  the  doctor's 
side  in  this  controversy,  and  represented  the  unregenerate 
sinner  in  as  blameless  and  fair  a  light  as  he  did,  and  has  raised 
him  as  high ;  yea,  has  said  much  more  in  his  favor. 

And  is  it  not  strange  that  this  same  Mr.  M.  should  give  me 


UNREGENERATE    SINNER    CONSIDERED,  303 

his  "hearty  thanks"  for  what  I  had  written  against  the  doctor, 
and  call  it  "a  finished  debate  on  the  point!"  Surely,  Mr.  M. 
is  far  from  understanding  the  debate  between  the  doctor  and 
me,  and  so  was  very  unfit  to  pronounce  any  thing  about  it,  or 
he  is  very  inconsistent  with  himself.     Both  are  perhaps  true. 

3.  What  is  still  more  strange  and  inconsistent,  if  possible, 
is  his  applying  promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  or 
representing  them  as  coming  up  to  that  to  which  promises  are 
expressly  made.  This  appears  from  what  has  been  just  quoted 
from  him.  He  applies  the  following  words  to  the  unregen- 
erate :  "  Then  shall  we  know,  if  we  follow  on  to  know  the 
Lord."  If  the  unregenerate  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord,  then 
they  perform  the  condition  to  which  there  is  an  express  promise 
that  they  shall  know  the  Lord.  But  the  knowledge  of  God  is 
peculiar  to  true  saints  and  connected  with  eternal  life;  and  he 
represents  the  unregenerate  as,  on  the  whole,  desiring  salva- 
tion and  humbly  applying  to  God  for  it,  as  did  the  prodigal; 
and  hoping  and  trusting  in  the  mere  mercy  of  God  as  exer- 
cised to  sinners,  and  asking  for  it  as  did  the  publican.  Now, 
it  is  certain  that  promises  of  salvation  are  made  to  all  who 
hope  in  God's  mercy,  and  really  desire  the  salvation  offered  in 
the  gospel,  and  come  to  Christ  for  it.  Is  not  this  very  strange, 
when  he  had  not  only  formerly  written  a  book  to  prove  the 
contrary  to  this,  but  in  his  preface  to  this,  acknowledges  I  have 
proved  the  same  beyond  all  controversy,  and  heartily  thanks 
me  for  it ! 

4.  The  grand  dispute  between  Mr.  M.  and  me  is  about 
the  true  character  of  the  unregenerate  sinner ;  whether  he, 
under  the  greatest  awakenings  and  convictions  he  ever  is  the 
subject  of,  antecedent  to  regeneration,  does  not  continue  an  1 
impenitent,  voluntary,  inexcusable,  obstinate  enemy  to  God 
and  the  Redeemer  ?  If  Mr.  M.  will  grant  this,  he  will  grant 
the  sum  of  what  I  contend  for.  But  he  has  been  so  far  from 
it  that  all  his  book  is  really  written  against  it. 

On  the  whole,  Mr.  M.  has  really  taken  up  Dr.  Mayhew's  cause, 
and  represents  the  unregenerate  sinner  in  much  the  same  light 
in  which  he  did,  as  the  ground  of  most  of  his  arguments  to  prove 
that  promises  are  made  to  him,  Mr.  M.  does  not  expressly 
say,  indeed,  that  there  are  promises  made  to  the  unregenerate, 
but  the. contrary.  But  herein  he  is  more  inconsistent  with 
himself  than  was  Dr.  Mayhew ;  for,  if  Mr.  M.  gives  them  a 
true  character,  the  Bible  is  full  of  promises  to  them.  And  he 
actually  applies  passages  of  Scripture  to  them  which  contain 
promises,  as  has  been  observed,  and  he  might  with  as  much 
propriety  apply  all  those  Scriptures  to  them  which  Dr.  May- 
hew  does ;  yea,  all  the  promises  in  the  Bible. 


304  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 

SECTION   III. 

Arguments  for  the  affirmative  of  the  Question  in  Dispute. 

In  order  to  determine  who  is  the  greatest  sinner,  or  what 
way  and  manner  of  sinning  is  most  criminal,  or  what  particu- 
lar sin  is  most  aggravated,  we  must  first  consider  and  deter- 
mine wherein  the  guilt  or  criminalness  of  sin,  of  all  sin,  chiefly 
lies,  or  what  is  the  greatest  aggravation  of  all  sin  which 
does,  above  every  thing  else,  render  it  vile  and  criminal. 

And  in  this  I  suppose  all  will  be  agreed  who  have  attended 
to  this  matter,  and  considered  what  reason  and  Scripture  dic- 
tate on  this  head.  The  vileness  and  guilt  of  sin  does  chiefly 
and  principally  consist  in  its  being  committed  against  God. 
God  is  so  great  and  excellent  a  being,  the  sum  of  all  existence 
and  perfection,  that  it  is  infinitely  more  criminal  not  to  respect 
and  love  him,  than  it  would  be  to  have  no  love  and  regard  for 
the  whole  creation.  And  it  is  an  infinitely  greater  crime  to 
oppose  and  hate  God  in  any  way,  or  in  the  least  degree,  than 
it  would  be  to  hate  and  oppose  all  creatures,  and  turn  an  im- 
placable, eternal  enemy  to  them,  if  this  might  be,  without 
hating  and  opposing  God  in  any  respect  or  degree. 

If  a  person  should  turn  enemy  to  the  whole  human  race, 
and  with  relentless  hatred,  rage,  and  thirst  for  blood,  should 
murder  his  own  parents,  and  all  his  relations  and  friends,  in 
the  most  cruel  manner  imaginable,  and  should  he  have  it  in 
his  power,  and  go  on  to  murder  and  destroy  a  whole  nation  ; 
and  should  he  proceed  and  actually  destroy  every  one  of  the 
human  race  on  earth,  yea,  put  an  utter  end  to  the  whole  crea- 
tion, and  then  lay  violent  hands  on  himself,  and  put  an  end  to 
his  own  life ;  and  could  this  be  done,  and  not  imply  any  rebel- 
lion against  God  or  opposition  to  him,  but  be  consistent  with 
perfect  love  to  him,  the  crime  he  would  be  guilty  of  in  all  this 
would  be  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  least  degree  of  oppo- 
sition and  disrespect  to  God ;  yea,  it  would  be  infinitely  less 
than  the  least  motion  of  heart  against  God,  or  the  least  defect 
of  perfect  love  to  him  for  one  moment.  It  is  granted  there  can 
be  no  such  thing  as  is  here  supposed ;  because  all  hatred  and 
opposition  exercised  immediately  towards  our  fellow-creatures 
is  implicitly  and  really  opposition  to  being  in  general,  and  so 
is  against  God ;  and  it  is  also  against  God  as  it  is  a  violation 
of  his  command ;  and,  therefore,  the  crime  of  injustice,  murder, 
etc.,  summarily  consists  in  its  being  against  God,  and  not  in 
the  injury  done  to  our  fellow-creatures.  This,  I  conclude,  all 
with  whom  I  am  concerned  in  this  dispute  will  readily  grant. 
T  therefore  proceed  to  observe  further,  — 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  305 

That  act  of  sin  and  rebellion  against  God  has  immensely 
more  crime  and  guilt  in  it,  which  is  exercised  and  committed 
directly  and  immediately  against  him,  than  that  which  is  done 
against  him  mediately,  and  more  remotely  or  indirectly.  Or, 
every  sin  is  more  or  less  aggravated  and  criminal  according  as 
it  is  committed  more  directly  and  immediately  against  God 
or  not,  other  circumstances  being  alike. 

To  illustrate  this  it  may  be  observed,  some  sinful  exercises 
and  conduct  are  directly  and  immediately  against  God ;  he  is 
the  immediate  object  against  which  they  are  committed,  and 
he  is  in  them  directly  injured  and  opposed.  We  have  an  in- 
stance of  this  in  Pharaoh,  when  he  said,  "  Who  is  the  Lord, 
that  I  should  obey  his  voice  ?  "  And  another  in  the  people 
of  Israel,  when  they  said,  "  The  way  of  the  Lord  is  not  equal." 

There  are  many  sins  against  God  more  indirectly  and  re- 
motely. Such  are  acts  of  injustice  towards  our  fellow-men. 
These  are  ultimately  against  God,  as  has  been  observed,  but 
they  are  directlv  and  immediately  against  our  fellow-creatures. 
Such  are  all  those  ways  and  exercises  of  sin  which  have  the 
creature  for  their  direct  and  immediate  object.  These  are  more 
remotely  against  God,  as  they  are  not  directly  aimed  against 
him,  but  strike  at  him  more  indirectly  through  the  creature. 

Now,  all  acts  of  sin  are  more  or  less  aggravated  and  crimi- 
nal, according  as  they  are  done  more  or  less  directly  against 
God,  as  it  has  been  now  explained.  An  act  of  direct  enmity 
against  God,  and  a  course  of  direct  quarrelling  and  blasphemy 
against  him,  is  immensely  more  criminal  than  hating  and  op- 
posing a  man,  though  this  is  implicitly  and  more  remotely, 
and  by  fair  construction,  against  God. 

If  a  man  murders  one  of  his  fellow-subjects,  he  hereby  acts 
against  his  prince  ;  he  does  him  an  injury  and  breaks  his  laws ; 
but  his  crime  would  be  immensely  greater  if  he  had  murdered 
his  prince.  If  a  servant  quarrels  with  his  fellow-servants,  and 
abuses  them,  though  this  is  an  injury  to  his  lord,  and  a  viola- 
tion of  his  orders,  yet  this  is  an  unspeakably  less  crime  than 
that  which  he  is  guilty  of  who  rises  up  immediately  against 
his  lord  in  person,  quarrels  with  him,  and  strikes  him.  These 
instances  may  serve  in  some  measure  to  illustrate  the  case 
before  us,  though  it  must  be  remembered  there  is  an  infinite 
odds,  as  in  these  instances  there  is  some  proportion  between 
the  crime  of  murdering  a  fellow-subject,  or  abusing  a  fellow- 
servant,  and  that  of  the  same  acts  done  directly  against  the 
prince  or  lord ;  whereas,  in  the  case  before  us,  there  is  no  pro- 
portion, the  one  being  infinitely  more  criminal  than  the  other. 

Let  it  be  still  further  observed,  that  those  sins  that  are  more 
immediately  and  directly  against  God,  as  weU  as  all  othe?^ 
26* 


306  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 

may  be  many  ways  greatly  aggravated,  so  as  to  be  immensely 
more  criminal  than  the  least  supposable  sin  of  this  kind.  A 
person's  obligations  to  love  God  with  all  his  heart  may  be 
vastly  increased  by  God's  goodness  to  him,  and  the  great  and 
special  favors  he  receives  from  him  ;  by  the  advantages  which 
he  is  put  under  to  know  God  and  serve  him,  and  the  light  and 
instruction  which  he  enjoys ;  the  great  and  special  motives, 
admonitions,  and  reproofs  set  before  him,  and  the  variety  of 
means  used  with  him  to  reclaim  him.  And  his  sin  in  not 
loving  God,  but  persisting  in  impenitence  and  rebellion  against 
him,  is  criminal  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  his  obligations 
by  means  of  these  things,  and  others  of  the  same  kind,  that 
might  be  mentioned. 

And  it  must  be  particularly  observed  here,  that  what  God 
has  done  for  the  redemption  of  man  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
offers  of  free  pardon  and  salvation  through  him,  does  aggra- 
vate the  sinner's  guilt  in  sinning  against  God  above  anything 
else;  and  sinning  against  Christ  and  the  gospel,  and  rejecting 
and  despising  him,  are  immensely  the  highest  and  most  crim- 
inal acts  of  sin  against  God  that  can  be. 

Had  there  been  no  redemption  of  lost  man,  had  not  the 
infinitely  great,  worthy,  and  glorious  Son  of  God  become  in- 
carnate, and  by  his  obedience  and  sufferings  obtained  redemp- 
tion and  eternal  life  for  man,  who  is  sunk  into  an  infinitely 
guilty  and  miserable  state  by  sin,  even  for  all  who  shall  be 
willing  to  be  saved  by  him  ;  I  say,  had  not  this  astonishing 
scene  of  mercy  been  opened  by  this  infinitely  worthy  and  ex- 
cellent Mediator,  mankind  never  could  have  had  opportunity 
to  sin  as  they  do  now;  they  could  not  have  been  in  any 
measure  guilty  of  such  amazingly  aggravated  crimes  as  they 
now  are.  All  other  sins  are  small  compared  with  this  of  neg- 
lecting this  great  salvation  with  persevering  obstinacy  and 
contempt,  and  rejecting  and  despising  the  glorious  Savior, 
offering  himself  to  sinners  in  the  most  kind  and  condescending 
manner,  and  urging  them  to  accept  of  him  as  their  com|)lete 
Redeemer,  by  the  most  powerful  motives  and  arguments  im- 
aginable. The  devils  have  never  sinned,  nor  can  they  sin  in 
such  an  aggravated  manner,  because  they  have  no  such  offers, 
no  such  salvation  to  reject,  no  such  Redeemer  to  despise. 
What  are  all  the  sins  of  the  heathen  world  to  this  ?  They 
sink,  as  it  were,  into  nothing  when  compared  with  it.  What 
are  all  the  sins  of  Sodom  to  this  ?  No  wonder  Christ  tells 
the  inhabitants  of  Capernaum,  who  had  rejected  him,  when 
he  offered  himself  to  them,  that  it  would  be  more  tolerable  in 
the  day  of  judgment  for  the  most  abandoned  profligates  of 
Sodom,  than  for  them  ;  and  tells  the  seventy,  when  he  sent 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  307 

them  to  preacn  the  gospel,  that  the  city  whieh  shtnild  not 
receive  thera,  should,  for  this  sin  only,  let  their  conduct  other- 
wise be  as  it  would,  receive  a  heavier  doom  than  the  Sodt)m- 
ires  should  for  all  their  abominable,  open  debauchery  and 
wickedness,  which  cried"  to  heaven  and  brought  terrible  ven- 
geance on  their  heads.  (Luke  x.  10-12.)  And  this  view  of  the 
case  gives  a  very  natural  and  easy  meaning  to  Christ's  words, 
when  he  says,  "If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them, 
they  had  not  had  sin."  (John  xv.  22.)  All  the  sins  they  could 
have  committed,  had  not  a  Savior  appeared  and  instructed 
them,  and  offered  himsell'  to  them,  would  have  been  light,  and 
as  nothing,  compared  with  the  sin  of  hating  and  rejecting 
him,  which  they  were  now  guilty  of.  And  perfectly  agreeable 
to  this  are  the  following  words  of  his :  "  xVnd  when  he  (i.  e. 
the  Spirit)  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  because 
they  believe  not  on  me."  (John  xvi.  9.)  Here,  not  believing 
on  Christ  is  represented  as  the  greatest  sin  men  can  be  guilty 
of,  so  that  it  does,  in  a  sense,  swallow  up  all  other  sins,  as  not 
to  be  mentioned  with  this,  this  being  the  sum  of  all.  This  is 
the  great  sin  for  which  the  Spirit  will  reprove  men,  when  he 
does  his  work  effectually,  and  thoroughly  convinces  of  sin. 
Hence  we  may  certaiiffy  infer  that  they  who  submit  to  this 
reproof,  and  are  truly  convinced  of  sin,  see  this  sin  to  be  so 
great  that  all  other  sins  are  as  nothing  to  it.  Therefore,  that 
this  is  the  great  aggravation  of  all  their  sins,  and  that  in  which 
their  guilt  and  vileness  principally  consists.  All  the  sin  men 
commit  under  the  gospel,  all  the  most  abominable  unclean- 
ness  and  debauchery,  all  the  murder,  profaneness,  and  blas- 
phemy, that  men  are  or  can  be  guilty  of,  under  the  gospel, 
have  their  chief  aggravation  in  this,  that  they  are  against  Jesus 
Christ,  and  carry  in  them  unbelief  and  opposition  to  him  ;  so 
that  unbelief  itself,  in  all  the  actings  and  exercises  of  ir,  is  un- 
speakably a  greater  crime  than  all  this  wickedness,  considered 
in  itself,  and  not  as  implying  and  expressing  unbelief  and 
rejection  of  Jesus  Christ;  and,  therefore,  unspeakably  more 
criminal  and  vile  than  all  the  sins  of  -Sodom,  as  they  had  no 
opportunity  to  sin  against  Christ  as  gospel  sinners  do.  Or,  to 
express  it  in  other  words :  All  the  sins  of  Sodom,  and  all  the 
abominations  that  have  been  committed  by  the  worst  of  men, 
or.that  men  can  possibly  commit,  without  being  guilty  of  un- 
belief and  rejecting  Christ  and  the  gospel,  are  incomparably 
less  criminal  and  vile  than  this  sin  of  unbelief,  or  not  receiving 
but  rejecting  Christ,  when  he  is  revealed  and  offered  to  men ; 
so  that  when  the  former  are  put  in  the  scale  with  the  latter, 
they  are  light  and  as  nothing  to  this.  Who  can  doubt  of 
this,  since  it  is  so  fully  and  necessarily  implied  in  what  Christ 


308  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 

himself  has  declared  more  than  once?  especially  when  the 
reason  of  it  is  so  apparent  to  every  one  who  will  seriously 
attend  to  the  matter.  It  hence  appears  certain,  even  to  a 
demonstration,  that  he  is  the  most  guilty,  vile  sinner  who  ex- 
ercises the  greatest  degree  of  unbelief,  or  does  most  directly, 
and  in  the  strongest  and  most  obstinate  manner,  reject  Jesus 
Christ.  Whether  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  does  this, 
or  whether  his  unbelief  and  opposition  to  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
gospel  is  less  in  the  strength  and  degree  of  its  exercise,  I  shall 
more  particularly  consider  presently. 

It  must  be  observed  yet  further,  that  unbelief,  or  an  impeni- 
tent rejecting  Jesus  Christ  now,  under  the  full  blaze  of  gospel 
light  and  clear  convictions  of  conscience,  is  much  more  crimi- 
nal and  vile  than  it  was  when  Christ  was  on  earth,  because 
they  then  had  not  so  much  light,  such  a  fulness  of  means  and 
advantages,  even  under  the  preaching  of  Christ  and  in  sight 
of  his  miracles,  as  we  now  have.  This  might  be  easily  proved, 
was  there  need ;  but  I  suppose  none  will  dispute  it.  There- 
fore, if  unbelief  and  rejecting  him  was  so  great  a  sin,  and  did 
so  far  outweigh  all  other  sins  in  guilt  as  to  be,  as  it  were,  the 
only  sin  and  sum  of  all,  in  comparison  with  which  all  others 
were  hardly  to  be  mentioned,  how  amazingly  great  must  be 
the  guilt  of  this  sin  now ;  especially  in  them  who  have  the 
greatest  advantages  and  the  most  light  of  every  kind,  and  for 
whom  the  most  is  done,  even  all  that  can  be  done  short  of  re- 
generating grace! 

The  Scripture  elsewhere  sets  the  matter  in  this  light,  and 
represents  the  crime  of  disregarding  Christ  and  rebelling  against 
him,  when  he  speaks  directly  and  immediately  unto  them,  as 
unspeakably  greater  than  disobedience  to  his  word  when 
spoken  by  others,  and  so  that  he  is  not  so  fully  and  directly 
in  view. 

To  this  purpose  are  the  following  words:  "For  if  the  word 
spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast,  and  every  transgression  and 
disobedience  received  a  just  recompense  of  reward,  how  shall 
we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation,  which  at  first  began 
to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto  us  by  them 
that  heard  him  ? "  (Heb.  ii.  2,  3.)  Here  two  things  are  ob- 
servable,— 

1.  The  great  crime  spoken  of,  which  will  issue  in  the  most 
awful  condemnation  and  punishment,  is  a  bare  neglect  of  the 
salvation  offered  by  Christ. 

2.  The  great  and  peculiar  aggravation  of  this  crime  is 
spoken  of  as  consisting  in  the  direct  rebellion  against  Jesus 
Christ  which  this  neglect  carries  in  it,  as  he  has  himself,  in 
his  own  person,  revealed  and  offered  this  salvation  to  men. 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  309 

This  being  more  direct  and  immediate  rebellion  against  him 
than  was  the  disobedience  to  a  revelation  made  by  angels. 

The  same  thing  is  set  in  a  yet  stronger  light  in  the  same 
epistle :  "  He  that  despised  Moses's  law,  died  without  mercy. 
Of"  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be 
thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God?" 
etc.  (Heb.  x.  28,  29.)  Despising  the  law  of  Moses  was  de- 
spising God ;  but  he  who  despises  Jesus  Christ,  does  more 
directly  sin  against  him,  and,  therefore,  sins  in  a  higher  and 
more  aggravated  manner. 

This  is  again  set  in  the  same  light:  "See  that  ye  refuse 
not  him  that  speaketh  ;  for  if  they  escape  not  who  refused 
him  that  spoke  on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we  escape,  if 
we  turn  away  from  him  that  speaketh  from  heaven."  (Heb. 
xii.  25.)  , 

They  who  refused  Moses,  who  spoke  on  earth,  (by  whom 
are  most  probably  meant  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  and 
those  who  sinned  with  them,)  did  rebel  against  Christ,  but  not 
immediately  and  directly.  They  had  no  thought  of  opposing 
Christ,  but  intended  their  opposition  directly  against  Moses. 
They  who  reject  the  gospel  turn  away  from  Christ,  and  directly 
oppose  and  reject  him  who  speaks  to  them  from  heaven ;  and 
this  is  here  considered  as  an  unspeakable  aggravation  of  the 
sin  of  the  latter  above  that  of  the  former.  And  it  is  to  be 
here  observed,  that  the  sin  here  spoken  of  as  the  great  sin,  and 
so  greatly  aggravated  by  this  circumstance,  consists  wholly  in 
refusing,  or  turning  away  from  Christ,  of  which  every  unre- 
generate  sinner  is  constantly  guilty ;  but  more  especially 
awakened,  convinced  sinners,  to  whom  Christ  speaks  in  a 
degree  and  manner  he  does  not  to  others,  even  to  their  con- 
sciences, and  who  knowingly,  and  under  conviction  of  what 
they  are  doing,  turn  away  from  him  and  refuse  to  hear  him. 

From  this  view  of  things,  it  will  follow  that  the  awakened, 
convinced  sinner,  who  persists  in  unbelief  and  rejection  of 
Jesus  Christ,  is  more  guilty  and  vile  in  the  state  and  exercises 
of  his  mind  than  he  was  in  a  state  of  security,  if  he  more 
directly  and  immediately  opposes  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and 
with  as  great  or  greater  strength  of  heart  than  he  did  before ; 
and  this,  I  think,  will  appear  to  be  true  beyond  all  contradic- 
tion or  doubt,  if  the  following  things  are  well  considered  :  — 

The  secure,  unawakened  sinner  does  not  sin  so  directly  and 
immediately  against  God  as  does  the  awakened,  convinced 
sinner.  God  is  very  little  in  his  view  and  thoughts.  It  is  with 
him  in  this  respect  very  much  as  if  there  was  no  God  and  no 
Savior.  His  perfect  selfishness,  which  carries  in  it  opposition 
to   God  and  Jesus    Christ,  is  exercised  not  directly  against 


310  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 

God  and  the  gospel,  but  in  seeking  what  appears  to  him  the 
greatest  good,  in  the  gratification  of  his  selfishness  and  lusts, 
which  lead  him  directly  to  oppose  and  injure  his  fellow-crea- 
tures in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  He  may  sin  against  the 
light  of  his  conscience  in  a  degree,  but  then  this  light  and 
these  dictates  are  supposed  to  be  weak  and  in  a  low  degree, 
else  he  would  not  be  a  secure,  unawakened  sinner ;  for  so  far 
as  a  person's  conscience  is  enlightened  to  show  him  his  sin 
and  real  danger,  it  must  give  him  uneasiness,  because  selfish- 
ness itself  is  necessarily  averse  to  misery,  and  he  must  be 
uneasy  so  far  as  he  sees  himself  exposed  to  it.  This  is  the 
great  difference  between  the  secure  and  awakened,  convinced 
sinner ;  the  former  is  not  convinced  of  his  sin  and  danger  in 
any  measure  as  it  really  is,  and  so  as  to  give  him  any  un- 
easiness about  it;  the  latter  4s  in  a  greater  measure  con- 
vinced of  both ;  and  the  light  and  dictates  of  his  conscience, 
showing  the  connection  of  his  present  state  and  conduct,  if 
persisted  in,  with  eternal  misery,  are  the  sole  ground  of  all  the 
alteration  of  his  conduct,  his  exercises,  and  distress  of  mind. 
The  secure  sinner  may,  indeed,  have  a  sort  of  conviction  of 
conscience  that  what  he  allows  himself  in  is  wrong  and  con- 
trary to  God's  commands,  but  has  no  clear  apprehensions  of 
his  sinfulness,  and  does  not  realize  it  that  he  is  acting  against 
God,  or  that  God  is  angry  with  him  and  will  certainly  destroy 
him,  if  he  persists  in  his  ways.  He  only  wants  to  have  clear 
and  full  conviction  of  conscience  of  this  in  order  to  be  an 
awakened,  convinced  sinner. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  sins 
more  directly  and  immediately  against  God  and  the  Savior, 
and  in  the  face  of  the  clear  dictates  of  his  own  conscience. 
If  a  sinner's  conscience  is  only  awakened  to  see  that  the  ways 
of  allowed  external  wickedness  in  which  he  lives  lead  to  hell, 
so  as  to  excite  him  to  reform  his  life,  and  so  comes  up  to  the 
dictates  of  his  conscience  and  makes  himself  easy,  —  which  has 
been  the  case  with  thousands,  —  this  is  not  the  awakened,  con- 
vinced sinner  of  which  I  am  speaking.  The  conscience  of  the 
sinner  I  am  now  attending  to  is  so  enlightened  that  he  sees 
he  must  perish  forever  unless  he  willingly  submits  to  Jesus 
Christ  and  trusts  in  him,  to  which  he  is  invited  and  urged  by 
the  strongest  motives,  and  to  which  he  is  under  indispensable 
obligations.  And  under  this  light  and  conviction  of  con- 
science, he  feels  himself  going  to  a  dreadful  hell  for  his  im- 
penitence and  untelief,  and  continuing  to  reject  Jesus  Christ 
and  the  gospel,  and  yet  persists  in  his  obstinacy  and  most 
daring  rebellion  against  God,  and  horrid  abuse  of  the  most 
worthy  and  astonishingly  merciful  Redeemer;  for  which  he  is 
convinced  he  has  no  excuse. 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  311 

lie  is  now  diverted  from  the  pursuit  of  worldly  pleasures  in 
the  gratification  of  those  lusts  which  urged  him  on  in  a  state 
of  security,  and  his  attention  is  turned  more  immediately  and 
directly  to  God  and  the  Redeemer,  and  his  heart  is  exercised 
in  direct  opposition  and  enmity  to  the  divine  character  and 
the  Savior,  and  goes  into  an  immediate  quarrel  with  God.  It 
appears,  therefore,  that  in  this  respect,  his  exercises  of  oppo- 
sition to  God  are  immensely  aggravated. 

And  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  his  exercises  of  heart,  now 
they  are  turned  directly  against  God  and  the  Savior,  are  as 
strong  and  vigorous  as  ever;  and  he  not  only  opposes  God 
more  directly,  and  against  the  clear  light  of  his  conscience, 
but  more  strongly,  and  exercises  a  greater  degree  of  hatred 
and  enmity,  against  his  character  and  ways,  than  he  did  before. 
He  was  an  enemy  to  God  before,  and  all  his  exercises  and 
conduct  were  a  mediate  and  implicit  opposition  to  him,  even 
while  he  had  little  or  no  idea  of  his  character,  and  few  thoughts 
of  God.  But  now  the  divine  character  and  conduct  are  in 
some  measure  brought  iYito  view,  and  the  attention  of  his 
mind  is  held  up  to  them,  which  necessarily  occasions  a  greater 
degree  of  the  exercise  of  opposition,  hatred,  and  enmity  than 
when  the  hateful  object  was  less  in  view,  so  long  as  he  is  no 
more  reconciled  to  this  character  than  he  was,  and  the  enmity 
of  the  heart  is  not  at  all  abated  or  weakened.  This  is  the  case 
in  all  instances  of  opposition  of  heart,  and  fixed  enmity  to  each 
other's  persons  and  characters  among  men.  These  enemies, 
while  they  are  out  of  each  other's  view,  and  think  little  or 
nothing  of  each  other,  will  have  no  direct  and  positive  exertions 
of  hatred  and  enmity.  But  let  them  be  brought  into  each  oth- 
er's view,  and  come  together,  and  their  enmity  will  rise  into 
direct  and  strong  exercises,  and  ferment  to  a  high  degree.  We 
find  it  so  with  regard  to  any  thing  at  which  we  have  a  peculiar 
and  fixed  disgust  and  aversion  ;  the  nearer  it  is  brought  to  us, 
and  the  more  it  is  in  our  view,  the  more  lively  and  strong  is 
our  aversion  to  it.  And  there  can  be  no  possible  reason  given 
why  it  should  not  be  so  in  the  case  before  us ;  yea,  it  is  abso- 
lutely impossible  it  should  be  otherwise.  It  also  appears,  from 
another  consideration,  that  in  this  case  the  exercises  of  oppo- 
sition and  enmity  to  God  and  the  Redeemer  must  be  strong 
in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  light  and  conviction,  and  the 
powerful  motives  which  are  opposed ;  for  it  requires  a  greater 
exertion  of  opposition  to  resist  greater  light  and  more  power- 
ful motives  than  it  does  to  resist  less. 

Thus  we  see  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  not  only  ex- 
erts himself  more  directly  against  God  and  the  Redeemer  than 
he  did  in  a  state  of  security,  but  does  this  in  a  much  higher 


312  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE. 

and  stronger  degree ;  on  which  account  his  wickedness  is  im- 
mensely increased.  . 

It  is  also  to  be  remembered  that  his  sinfubiess  is  not  only 
increased  in  the  greater  strength  and  vigor  of  his  opposition  of 
heart  to  God  and  the  Savior,  but  these  exercises  are  now 
more  constant  and  numerous,  as  the  mind  is  awakened  up  to 
the  greatest  attention  to  these  things,  and  is  more  engaged  in 
thoughts  and  exercises,  perhaps,  than  ever  it  was  in  a  state  of 
security  ;  and  he  thinks  now  a  thovisand  times  more  about 
God  and  Christ  than  he  did,  and  his  exercises  of  heart  are 
proportionably  constant  and  numerous.  But  these  exercises 
are  all  against  God  and  the  gospel ;  therefore,  the  more  con- 
stant and  numerous  they  are,  the  more  guilty  and  vile  the 
sinner  is. 

Besides,  the  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  the  sinner 
has,  not  only  occasions  more  direct  acts  of  opposition  to  God, 
which  are  also  more  strong,  constant,  and  numerous  than 
they  could  be  in  a  state  of  security,  but  the  superior  light 
they  have  in  the  awakening  and  con-viction  of  their  conscience 
greatly  aggravates  all  their  impenitence  and  opposition  to 
God.  God  has  not  only  given  them  an  external  revelation, 
and  put  them,  in  common  with  all  others  under  the  gospel, 
under  advantage  to  know  the  truth  and  obey  the  gospel,  but 
has  done'  much  more  for  them.  When  they  were  going  on 
stupid  and  inconsiderate  under  this  light,  he  has  ordered  a  light 
to  be  forcibly  let  into  their  consciences,  and  given  them  a  thou- 
sand times  more  light  than  they  had  in  a  state  of  security ;  and 
which  they  never  would  have  had  if  God  had  not  interposed. 
This  must  be  considered  as  a  great  favor  and  advantage  in 
itself,  by  which  they  are  unspeakably  distinguished  from  sin- 
ners in  a  state  of  ignorance,  security,  and  ease ;  which  favor 
and  advantage  they  sin  against  and  abuse,  by  which  all  their 
rebellion  and  obstinacy  in  hating  and  opposing  God  and  re- 
jecting the  gospel  is  immensely  aggravated.  So  that  this 
distinguished  light  and  conviction,  being  rebelled  against  and 
resisted,  becomes  the  occasion  of  an  amazing  increase  of  guilt 
and  vileness,  instead  of  making  it  less. 

If  this  will  be  the  condemnation  of  men,  that  light  is  come 
into  the  world,  and  they  have  loved  darkness  rather  than  light ; 
have  hated  the  light,  opposed  and  sinned  against  it;  surely 
they  shall  be  thought  worthy  of  the  greatest  condemnation 
who  have  jjersisted  in  sin  and  rebellion  in  opposition  to  the 
clearest  light,  let  into  their  consciences  by  God's  special  inter- 
position, in  an  uncommon  and  extraordinary  degree. 

Let  it  be  also  observed,  that  the  awakened,  convinced  sin- 
ner, under  all  his  conviction  and  external  reformation,  persists 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  313 

in  the  neglect  of  all  that  God  requires  of  him,  and  wholly  and 
obstinately  refuses  to  comply  in  the  least  degree,  as  he  with- 
holds his  whole  heart  from  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  neglects 
and  refuses  to  love  God  or  his  fellow-men,  or  to  hearken  to 
Christ,  whom  he  is  commanded  to  hear  and  obey,  by  all  the 
authority  of  Heaven.  And  this  neglect  of  his  whole  duty  is 
immensely  aggravated  by  the  light  and  conviction  he  now 
has  ;  by  which  he  sees  what  is  his  duty,  and  what  is  his  inter- 
est, a  thousand  times  more  fully  and  clearly  than  any  secure, 
unawakened  sinner  does.  Jesus  Christ  does  now,  by  all  this 
light  and  conviction  let  into  his  conscience,  "  stand  at  the  door 
and  knock,"  in  a  manner  and  degree  in  which  he  did  not 
before.  If  this  is  justly  considered  it  will  appear  that  the 
increase  of  guilt,  by  this  means  only,  is  so  great  that  no  sup- 
posed reformation  in  external  conduct  will  in  any  measure 
balance  it,  even  on  supposition  that  there  is  as  much  negative 
goodness  as  any  one  is  disposed  to  imagine.  All  the  negative 
goodness  that  can  be  supposed  in  any  external  reformation  is 
immensely  overbalanced  by  the  increase  of  positive  guilt  and 
vileness  which  now  takes  place  in  the  convinced  sinner  in  the 
way  just  now  mentioned. 

Let  it  be  further  observed,  that  this  reformation  in  his  exter- 
nal behavior  and  conduct  is  not  from  the  least  degree  of  right 
principle  and  exercise,  or  because  he  is  at  heart  more  friendly 
to  God,  or  in  any  degree  a  less  enemy ;  but  purely  from  self- 
love,  even  that  veiy  self-love,  in  the  exercise  of  which  he  now 
sets  himself  directly  against  God,  and  goes  into  a  course  of 
more  immediate  opposition  to  him.  God  has  ordered  light 
and  conviction  to  be  given  to  his  conscience,*  and  has  in  this 
way  taken  him  and  shaken  him  over  hell,  and  caused  the  tire 
of  his  wrath,  as  it  were,  to  flash  in  his  face.  This  has  tilled 
him  with  terror,  and  has  deadened  his  heart  to  all  his  worldly 
pursuits,  in  which  before  he  pleased  and  gratitied  himself. 
The  fears  of  hell  have  put  a  stop  to  all  his  former  courses,  and 
turned  all  his  attention  to  his  future  and  eternal  interest,  in 
the  exercise  of  the  same  selfishness,  which,  in  a  state  of  secu- 
rity urged  him  into  all  his  overt  acts  of  open  or  secret  wicked- 
ness. And  this  darling  lust  he  will  not  give  up,  nor  is  it 
abated  in  the  least  degree,  but  he  exercises  it  in  as  high  a 
degree  as  ever,  yea,  much  more  strongly,  in  direct  opposition 
to  God  and  the  Savior,  in  all  his  exercises  and  attempts  with 
respect  to  the  salvation  he  desires.  He  is  restrained  from  the 
overt  acts  of  allowed  sin  he  lived  in  before  by  nothing  but  the 
fears  of  hell.  Take  this  out  of  the  way  and  he  will  return  to 
his  old  courses  with  more  greediness  than  ever.  And  if  he 
was  not  afraid  of  God,  but  really  thought  he  could  oppose  him 
VOL.  III.  27 


314 


ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 


with  impunity  and  success,  all  his  fears  and  prayers  would 
cease  in  a  moment,  and  he  would  go  right  into  allowed,  overt 
acts  of  direct  rebellion  and  blasphemy  against  him.  This  I 
observe,  that  we  may  judge  more  agreeably  to  the  truth  of  the 
reformation  of  the  awakened  sinner;  and,  surely,  if  we  view 
this  matter  in  a  true  light,  we  shall  find  nothing  in  the  great- 
est reformation  of  this  kind  that  will  in  any  degree  counter- 
balance the  immensely  greater  guilt  and  vileness  which  the 
awakening  and  conviction  of  conscience  that  he  has  fallen  un- 
der is  the  occasion  of. 

His  heart  is  in  no  respect  better,  more  friendly  to  God,  or 
less  an  enemy  to  him.  The  principles  and  motives  on  which 
he  reforms  are  really  as  bad  as  those  under  the  influence  of 
which  he  before  went  on  in  open  sin.  Yea,  they  are  the  same  ; 
and  now  his  wickedness  is  turned  into  another  channel,  and 
exercised  more  directly  and  in  a  higher  degree  against  God. 

No  external  conduct  is  better  or  worse,  or  has  any  thing  of 
a  moral  nature  in  it,  any  further  than  is  connected  with  the 
heart,  and  is  considered  as  the  expression  and  eftect  of  the 
voluntary  exercises  of  that.  And  all  the  guilt  and  vileness  of 
it  lies  in  these  exercises  of  the  heart.  So  that  every  person  is 
more  or  less  guilty  and  vile  according  as  the  exercises  of  his 
heart  are ;  and  he  whose  heart  is  not  mended,  and  made  bet- 
ter or  less  vile  than  it  has  been,  is  not  really  reformed  at  all, 
whatever  alteration  there  is  in  his  external  conduct.  If,  then, 
the  heart  is  yet  as  unfriendly  to  God,  and  opposes  him  as 
much  as  ever,  yea,  in  a  more  direct  and  stronger  manner,  with 
what  propriety  can  he,  upon  the  whole,  be  called  a  reformed 
sinner  ?  Mr.  M.  has  made  great  use  of  this  phrase,  the  reformed 
sinner ;  and  he  has  constantly  used  it  so  that  it  tends  to  blind 
and  deceive  the  reader,  who  is  not  disposed  to  look  to  the 
bottom  of  this  matter. 

If  these  things  are  impartially  considered,  and  we  keep  in 
view  the  high  and  glorious  character  of  the  Mediator,  and  the 
astonishing  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  the  state  and  character 
of  the  sinner  who  continues  voluntarily  to  hate,  oppose,  and 
reject  the  Mediator  with  all  his  heart,  under  the  greatest  light 
and  conviction  of  conscience,  for  which  he  has  no  more  reason 
or  excuse  than  he  would  have  for  any  overt  acts  of  most  gross 
wickedness ;  I  say,  if  this  matter  is  well  and  impartially  con- 
sidered, I  believe  it  will  appear  most  evident  that  the  awak- 
ened, convinced  sinner  is  much  more  guilty  and  vile  in  the 
exercises  of  his  heart  than  he  could  be,  on  any  supposition,  in 
a  state  of  security. 

Mankind  do  commonly  judge  quite  wrong  and  contrary  to 
truth  in  this  matter.     They  overlook  the  great  malignity  of 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  315 

sin,  and  are  ignorant  of  that,  wherein  its  guilt  and  vileness 
chiefly  consists,  and  so  judge  according  to  outward  appear- 
ance, and  not  righteous  judgment.  It  is  common  for  persons 
to  look  upon  the  least  degree  of  injustice  towards  men  in 
dealing  with  them,  especially  if  they  themselves  are  directly 
injured  by  it  in  any  degree,  to  be  a  greater  crime  than  the 
highest  acts  of  profaneness  and  taking  God's  name  in  vain  a 
thousand  times,  and  the  former  is  unspeakably  more  odious 
and  vile  in  their  eyes  than  the  latter.  The  reason  is,  because 
God  is  very  much  out  of  their  sight  and  thoughts,  and  they 
have  no  real  love  and  respect  to  him ;  so,  see  not  any  real 
injury  done  by  the  latter,  or  any  thing  very  bad  or  shameful 
in  it,  especially  when  it  is  very  much  the  custom  and  fashion. 
But  they  are  all  sensibility  to  their  own  interest ;  therefore 
are  ready  to  hate  those  who  oppose  and  injure  them,  and  look 
on  them  as  very  vile  and  criminal,  even  as  deserving  eternal 
damnation. 

There  are  multitudes  who  are  governed  by  the  prejudices 
of  education,  or  wholly  by  outward  appearance  in  their  views 
and  judgment  of  things  of  this  kind;  yea,  this  is  very  com- 
mon, if  not  most  generally  the  case.  By  the  force  of  educa- 
tion, and  the  common  sentiments  and  customs  where  persons 
live,  many  practices  appear  most  odious,  shockingly  vile,  and 
shameful,  which  are  really  unspeakably  less  criminal  than  other 
things  which  appear  to  them  to  be  innocent,  and  even  com- 
mendable. Instances  of  this  are  so  common  and  apparent 
that  it  is  needless  to  illustrate  it  by  examples.  * 

All  persons  that  are  unawakened  are  wont  to  judge  of  them- 
selves with  respect  to  their  sinfulness,  and  the  degree  of  their 
guilt  and  vileness,  by  their  external  conduct;  therefore  their 
first  convictions  of  conscience  most  commonly  fix  upon  that 
by  which  they  first  begin  to  learn  their  own  sinfulness,  God's 
anger  with  them,  and  the  sad  state  they  are  in  ;  this  puts  tlfem 

*  Mr.  M.  has,  in  much  that  he  has  said  on  this  head,  applied  to  the  imagina- 
tion, and  to  the  prejudices  of  mankind  with  respect  to  these  things,  as  will  be 
observed  by  the  attentive  reader ;  which  I  think  has  no  tendency  to  give  light, 
but  rather  to  blind  and  deceive.  He  seems  to  be  sensible  of  the  advantage  he 
has  to  influence  his  reader  by  this  way  of  treating  the  matter,  which  appears 
not  only  by  his  taking  this  method,  as  has  been  observed,  but  by  his  guarding 
against  a  strict  examination  of  the  matter  by  sound  and  clear  reasoning  and 
argument,  calling  it  "  metaphysical  reasoning  and  argument,"  and  endeavoring 
to  prejudice  the  reader  against  it,  as  that  which  is  not  to  be  depended  upon  or 
regarded;  as  any  thing,  and  even  contraries,  may  be  proved  by  it.  But  they 
who  will  not  lay  aside  the  common  prejudices  that  mankind  are  under,  and  a 
mere  warm  imagination,  and  attend  closely  to  the  dictates  of  sound,  accurate 
reasoning,  (which  I  call  "  metaphysical  arguments,"  and-  at  present  know  not 
what  else  Mr.  M.  can  mean  by  this  phrase;)  I  say,  they  who  will  not  do  this,  are 
like  to  live  in  darkness  and  delusion,  and  to  believe  any  thing,  be  it  never  so 
absurd  and  contrary  to  Scripture  and  reason. 


816  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 

upon  reformation  of  their  sins,  omissions  and  commissions, 
which  now  stare  them  in  the  face,  as  provoking  to  God  and 
leading  to  destruction.  By  this  they  hope  to  mend  their  case, 
and  become  in  a  great  degree  innocent,  so  as  to  remove  the 
curse  of  God's  displeasure  ;  and  if  they  receive  no  further 
light  and  conviction,  they  will  rest  in  this,  and  think  all  is  well, 
but  if  they  go  on  to  any  good  degree  of  thorough  conviction, 
they  will  see  things  in  quite  a  different  light,  and  find  that  in 
themselves  which  is  unspeakably  more  criminal  than  any  thing 
which  they  saw  before  —  that  this  vileness  lies  in  their  heart, 
which  is  not  at  all  mended  by  all  their  external  reformations 
and  duties. 

I  say  not  these  things  with  a  view  to  extenuate  the  guilt  and 
vileness  of  the  open  profligate,  and  of  those  open  sins  which 
are  justly  shocking  and  terrible,  or  to  lead  any  persons  to  look 
on  them  as  less  vile  and  odious  than  they  now  do.  No,  far  be  it ! 
These  sins  are  immensely  more  heinous  and  vile  than  the 
profligate  thinks  them  to  be,  or  than  any  one  else  can  fully 
conceive.  The  secure,  unconvinced  sinner  is  guilty  and  vile 
beyond,  far  beyond  any  thing  he  ever  imagined.  His  guilt  and 
vileness  exceed  all  thought.  But  yet  all  this,  viewed  in  a 
comparative  light,  may  be  little  and  as  nothing  when  com- 
pared with  the  immensely  more  aggravated  guilt  of  a  sinner 
persisting  in  rebellion,  impenitence,  and  obstinacy  in  opposition 
to  the  clear  light  and  dictates  of  his  conscience.  Our  Savior's 
representing  the  inhabitants  of  Capernaum -as  worse  than  those 
of  Sodom,  is  nothing  in  favor  of  the  open  abominations  that 
were  practised  by  the  latter,  nor  tends  to  extenuate  their  crimi- 
nalness,  or  encourage  such  practices ;  but  only  sets  the  guilt  of 
the  former  in  a  true  and  striking. light. 

What  has  been  said  on  this  argument  may  be,  in  some 
measure,  represented  by  the  following  smilitude  :  — 

fn  the  distant  parts  of  the  realm  of  a  great  and  good  prince 
there  lived  a  man  who  was  brought  up  without  any  true 
apprehensions  of  the  character  of  his  prince,  or  any  degree  of 
true  affection  or  regard  to  him,  his  government,  or  any  of  his 
subjects,  but  under  the  influence  of  directly  opposite  principles. 
When  he  grew  up,  and  came  to  act  for  himself,  he  appeared 
perfectly  selfish,  having  no  regard  to  any  one  any  further  than 
he  could  answer  his  own  ends  by  him ;  and  therefore  hating 
and  opposing  every  one  who  in  his  view  stood  in  the  way  of 
his  good  and  interest,  which  he  greedily  pursued  in  the  gratifi- 
cation of  his  voracious  appetites  and  lusts.  In  the  eager  pur- 
suit of  sensual  pleasures,  riches,  and  honors,  he  injured  many 
of  his  fellow-subjects  many  ways,  and  to  a  great  degree.  At 
length  they  opposed  him  so  much  in  his  pursuits  that  he  fell 


OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  317 

upon  them,  and  killed  some  thousands,  and  took  their  goods 
as  a  booty  to  himself.  He  was  often  told  that  these  practices 
were  a  gross  violation  of  the  laws  of  his  prince,  and  that  he 
would  one  day  call  him  to  an  account,  and  punish  him  for  it. 
But  he  gave  very  little  heed  to  this  ;  he  never  entertained  a 
serious  thought  about  it,  and  did  not  really  believe  what  was 
told  him,  though  he  assented  to  it  as  truth,  and  never  disputed 
it  in  his  own  mind.  Indeed,  it  was  not  often  that  he  had  a 
thought  of  his  prince,  though  he  was  frequently  spoken  of  in 
his  hearing,  and  his  laws  were  read  to  him,  threatening  such 
practices  as  he  lived  in  with  the  severest  punishment ;  and 
when  he  did  think  of  him,  he  could  not  realize  it  that  he  was 
angry  with  him,  or  would  ever  punish  him,  as  he  did  not  think 
he  had  ever  done  him  any  hurt,  or  was  in  the  least  unfriendly 
to  him,  and  as  he  always  took  him  to  be  a  very  kind  and  mer- 
ciful prince.  Thus  he  went  on  in  ignorance,  security,  and  ease 
for  many  years. 

At  length,  the  prince  sent  a  special  officer  with  orders  to 
apprehend  him,  confiscate  all  his  goods  and  hang  him  in  gib- 
bets, as  a  monument  of  his  displeasure  and  vengeance,  unless 
he  would  become  a  hearty  friend  to  him,  repent  of  his  re- 
bellion, and  submit  to  his  laws  and  government  as  good  and 
excellent,  and  accept  of  a  free  pardon,  which  he  was  ready  to 
grant  through  the  interposition  of  his  own  son,  who  had  inter- 
posed his  own  merit  with  his  father  in  behalf  of  this  rebel,  and 
became  an  earnest  intercessor  for  him,  having  himself  under- 
taken to  make  good  all  the  damages  this  wretch  had  done  to 
him  and  his  kingdom;  which  pardon  was  now  freely  ofTered 
to  him  without  money  or  price,  if  he  was  willing  to  receive  it 
through  the  interposition  of  this  son  of  the  prince,  and  ready 
to  depend  wholly  upon  his  merit  and  worthiness  for  it,  and 
give  himself  up  to  him,  considered  in  this  character,  and  be 
his  friend  and  faithful  servant  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

Upon  his  being  thus  apprehended,  and  finding  what  orders 
were  given,  his  mind  was  filled  with  anxiety  and  distress  in  a 
view  of  the  evil  case  he  had  brought  himself  into ;  and  he  for- 
sook his  former  courses  immediately,  not  because  he  was  at 
heart  any  more  friendly  to  his  fellow- subjects,  or  any  better 
disposed  towards  his  prince,  or  less  inclined  to  rebellion ;  but 
merely  through  the  fears  and  terrors  which  had  seized  his  mind 
in  a  view  of  the  terrible  punishment  he  was  threatened  with. 
He  dreaded  the  punishment,  and  thought  of  it  with  horror. 
But  when  he  considered  the  character  and  government  of  the 
prince,  he  found  himself  in  no  degree  pleased  with  it,  but  the 
contrary.  He  found  he  was  not  willing  to  accept  of  a  pardon 
on  such  terms,  and  was  greatly  displeased  with  the  person, 
27* 


318  ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE 

character,  and  conduct  of  the  son  ;  for  in  all  he  had  done  to 
procure  his  pardon,  he  had  justified  his  father,  and  condemned 
the  rebel  to  the  highest  possible  degree.  He,  therefore,  now 
went  into  a  course  of  direct  opposition  to  the  prince  and  his 
son;  and  he  was  so  far  from  being  willing  to  accept  of  the 
pardon  and  deliverance  otTered,  that  he  rejected  the  whole  with 
great  disgust  and  contempt;  and  the  more  he  attended  to  the 
affair,  and  considered  the  character  of  the  prince  and  his  son, 
and  their  treatment  of  hira,  the  more  did  his  heart  rise  in 
opposition  to  them  and  the  offers  made  to  him.  The  officer 
in  whose  custody  he  was,  often  led  him  to  the  place  of  execu- 
tion, where  he  saw  numbers  of  rebels  hanging  and  slowly 
expiring  in  the  greatest  tortures;  and  this  sight  filled  his  soul 
with  the  greatest  distress  and  horror,  not  knowing  but  he 
should  be  executed  immediately,  and  greatly  fearing  it;  but 
this  did  not  reconcile  him  in  the  least  degree  to  his  prince  or 
his  son,  or  dispose  him  to  accept  of  the  pardon  offered.  He 
had  as  great  an  aversion  and  opposition  of  heart  to  the  latter 
as  to  the  former,  and  this  opposition  was  apparent,  and  exerted 
with  a  degree  of  strength  and  stubbornness  in  proportion  to 
his  dread  of  the  evil  threatened.  And  this  was  also  the  case 
when  he  attended  to  the  jKomises  made  him  upon  his  sub- 
mission ;  the  more  he  desired  the  deliverance  offered,  the  more 
strongly  did  his  heart  oppose  the  condition. 

At  the  same  time  his  heart  was  really  no  more  against  his 
former  practices  than  ever,  he  being  yet  as  much  as  ever  under 
the  power  of  the  same  principles  and  lusts  which  led  him  to 
them,  in  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  then.  And  this 
was  apparent  from  fact;  for  the  officer  gave  him  his  liberty  for 
a  few  days,  upon  which  all  his  fears  and  terrors  ceased,  and 
he,  thinking  the  bitterness  of  death  was  past,  returned  to 
his  former  courses  with  as  much  greediness  as  ever;  yea, 
vastly  more. 

When  the  officer  seized  him  again  his  former  views  and 
terrors  and  dread  of  the  prince  returned.  He  was  all  attention 
to  his  case,  and  employed  all  his  thoughts  to  find  out  some 
way  to  escape.  Could  he  have  found  any  way  to  deliver 
himself  from  the  hand  and  power  of  the  prince,  or  had  it  been 
in  his  power  to  dethrone  him  and  his  son,  he  would  have  done 
it  with  all  his  heart;  but  as  he  knew  this  was  impossible,  he 
applied  to  his  prince  daily  with  earnest  petitions  that  he  would 
pity  his  case,  and  at  least  mitigate  his  punishment,  offering  to 
suffer  any  thing  short  of  death.  He  made  his  great  reforma- 
tion a  plea  for  pardon  and  deliverance,  and  made  great  prom- 
ises of  what  he  would  do,  if  he  would  release  him  from  this 
punishment ;  but  when  he  found  all  this  availed  nothing,  but 


■      OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE.  319 

was  esteemed  by  the  prince  and  his  son  as  real  rebellion  against 
them,  it  being  in  direct  opposition  to  what  they  insisted  on, 
and  the  fruit  of  enmity  to  their  character  and  conduct,  and 
that  nothing  would  do  or  avail  in  his  behalf  but  a  hearty  ac- 
ceptance of  the  pardon  ofiered,  with  a  heart  friendly  to  the 
prince,  and  ready  to  justify  him  in  all  his  conduct  towards 
him,  and  a  thankful  acceptance  of  the  mediation  of  his  son, 
being  heartily  willing  to  be  his  servant  for  life,  as  the  greatest 
privilege  he  could  think  of,  —  I  say,  when  he  found  this  to 
be  true,  his  mind  was  tilled  with  more  dreadful  apprehensions. 
Yet  his  heart  did  not  relent  and  yield  at  all,  and  was  so  far 
from  becoming  any  more  friendly  to  the  prince,  that  it  swelled 
with  the  most  horrid  enmity  against  him ;  at  the  same  time 
that  he  was  told,  and  he  was  convinced  in  his  conscience,  that 
the  prince  and  his  son  had  acted  a  becoming  part,  and  were 
amazingly  kind  to  him,  and  that  he  was  under  the  highest 
obligations  immediately  to  submit  to  them,  and  perfectly  with- 
out any  excuse  for  not  doing  it.  In  this  way  of  quarrelling 
directly  with  the  prince  and  his  son,  and  obstinately  refusing 
their  kindest  oti'ers,  he  spent  many  years,  until  the  prince 
resolved  to  wait  on  him  no  longer,  and  ordered  him  to  be 
executed. 

Now,  is  it  not  easy  to  determine  in  which  part  of  this  man's 
life  he  was  most  guilty  and  vile?  Was  he  not  unspeakably 
more  so  in  the  latter  than  in  the  former,  in  which  he  had  so 
much  more  done  for  him,  by  which  he  was  brought  to  such 
light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  and  in  consequence  of 
which  his  heart  turned  more  directly  and  strongly  against  his 
prince,  and  exerted  itself  against  him  in  a  much  higher  degree 
of  opposition  and  malignity,  directly  in  the  face  of  all  this 
light  and  conviction,  and  contrary  to  the  strong  and  pressing 
motives  set  before  him  to  a  friendly  submission?  Would  not 
he  be  justly  looked  upon  as  an  enemy  to  the  prince  and  his 
son,  or  at  least  to  have  low  thoughts  of  their  character,  and  to 
be  a  friend  to  the  rebel  and  take  his  part,  who  should  so  much 
as  doubt  of  this?  Much  more  so,  if  he  should  take  a  great 
deal  of  pains  to  represent  the  rebel  when  apprehended  by  the 
officer,  and  in  the  circumstances  and  exercises  that  have  been 
described,  as  greatly  reformed  and  much  better  in  the  state  of 
his  mind,  and  in  a  great  degree  innocent  and  blameless,  com- 
pared with  what  he  was  before. 

And  if  this  is  a  plain  case,  I  see  not  why  that  before  us  is 
not  much  more  so.  The  ditference  appears  to  me  so  great, 
and  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  to  be  so  much  more 
guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  or  could  be  in  a  state  of  security, 
that,  when  the  matter  is  justly  stated,  I  see  not  how  any  can 


320       ARGUMENTS    IN    FAVOR    OF    THE    QUESTION    IN    DISPUTE. 

be  at  a  loss  about  it.  And  I  cannot  but  be  confident  that  it 
will  be  as  manifest  to  the  attentive,  impartial  reader  that  the 
former  is  immensely  more  guilty  and  vile  than  the  latter,  as  it 
is  to  any  one  that  the  whole  earth  is  bigger  than  the  least 
pebble,  and  vastly  outweighs  it;  there  being  no  more  need  of 
nice  scales,  and  critical,  metaphysical  distinctions  to  decide  in 
the  one  case  than  in  the  other. 

However,  if  the  unregenerate  sinner,  as  to  his  absolute  char- 
acter, is  viewed  in  a  just  light,  which  I  suppose  is  that  in 
which  he  is  set  in  this  and  the  foregoing  sections,  I  have  an- 
swered the  great  end  I  proposed,  whether  the  consequence  is 
thought  to  be  just  or  not  with  respect  to  his  comparative  guilt 
and  vileness.  I  said  what  I  did  on  this  head,  in  my  section 
on  means,  with  a  design  to  oppose  that  very  notion  of  an 
awakened,  convinced  sinner  which  Mr.  M.  contends  for;  which 
is  not  much  different,  if  at  all,  from  that  which  Dr.  Mayhew 
had,  and  which  I  knew  was  very  common  even  among  pro- 
fessed Calvinists ;  which  I  thought  to  be  directly  contrary  to 
the  truth,  and  of  a  very  bad  tendency.  If,  therefore,  what  I 
have  said,  fully  and  clearly  exposes  and  confutes  this  notion 
of  the  sinner's  absolute  character,  I  have  obtained  what  I 
chiefly  had  in  view,  even  though  it  should  not  be  thought  to 
be  made  evident  beyond  all  dispute  that  such  a  one  is  more 
guilty  and  vile  than  he  could  be,  or  than  sinners  generally  are, 
in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  security.  Though,  I  confess,  I 
know  not  how  any  one  can  have  a  just  view  of  the  character 
and  exercises  of  the  former,  and  not  pronounce  him,  beyond 
comparison,  more  guilty  and  vile  than  the  latter. 

I  considered  the  matter  in  this  comparative  view  on  purpose 
to  set  the  guilt  and  vileness  of  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner 
in  a  striking  light.  I  find  Christ  took  this  method  to  represent 
the  great  guilt  and  vileness  of  the  inhabitants  of  Capernaum, 
and  convince  them  of  it.  He  told  them  they  were  more  guilty 
than  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  were.  This  was,  doubtless,  as 
shocking  and  offensive  to  thousands  as  the  comparison  I  have 
made  has  been  to  Mr.  M.  or  any  one  else.  And  it  would  be 
easy  to  show  that  this  shocking,  offensive  saying  of  our  Savior 
might  be  most  successfully  opposed  in  the  very  way  and  by 
the  same  arguments  which  Mr.  M.  has  made  use  of  against 
me.  This  leads  me  to  what  is  to  be  the  subject  of  the  next 
section. 


EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.'s    EVASIONS,    ETC.  321 


SECTION   IV. 

The  Way  Mr.  M.  evades  several  Passages  of  Scripture  which 
were  referred  to  in  Support  of  ivhat  he  opposes,  examined. 

In  my  section  on  means,  I  entered  into  no  labored  proof  of 
what  I  advanced  with  respect  to  the  increase  of  the  guilt  of 
the  awakened,  convinced  sinner;  I  only  stated  the  character 
of  such  in  a  few  words  here,  having  done  it  more  largely  in 
a  former  section,  and  then  referred  to  several  texts  of  Scrip- 
ture, supposing  they  proved  what  I  had  asserted  beyond  all 
controversy,  the  sinner's  character  being  allowed  to  be  justly 
stated.  In  all  I  say  on  this  head,  I  keep  in  view  the  sinner's 
character,  as  one  who  does  "  continue  obstinately  to  oppose  light 
and  truth,  and  reject  the  otfers  of  the  gospel."  Mr.  M.  does 
not  expressly  deny  this  to  be  true  of  the  awakened  sinner. 
He,  indeed,  gives  a  quite  different  character  of  such,  though 
he  never  once  attempts  to  prove  that  mine  is  wrong,  or  that 
his  is  right.  And  as  he  builds  all  his  opposition  to  me  on  this 
mere  sUjjiposition,  without  any  proof,  it  appears  to  me  a  very 
sandy  foundation,  which  is  no  way  sufficient  to  support  the 
superstructure.  He  ought,  in  the  first  place,  to  have  excepted 
against  the  character  I  had  given  of  the  awakened  sinner,  and 
proved  it  not  just,,  and  then  established  his  own;  and  this 
would  have  finished  the  controversy;  for  the  whole  debate 
between  him  and  me  turns  upon  this,  as  it  did  in  that  be- 
tween Dr.  Mayhew  and  me  as  has  been  before  observed.  It 
will  appear,  I  trust,  on  examination,  that  what  Mr.  M.  has 
said  to  show  that  the  Scriptures  I  adduced  to  prove  my  point 
are  not  to  the  purpose,  is  grounded  on  a  supposition  that  the 
character  I  have  given  of  the  convinced  sinner  is  not  true,  and 
therefore,  that  the  most  he  says  here,  as  well  as  elsewhere,  is 
rather  an  unfair  begging  of  the  question  than  a  confutation 
of  what  I  have  advanced. 

The  passages  of  Scripture  I  mentioned  are  the  following: 
"  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  has  come  into  the 
world,  and  men  have  loved  darkness  rather  than  light."  (John 
iii.  19.)  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had 
not  had  sin."  (John  xv.  22.)  And  what  Christ  says  of  those 
cities  wherein  most  of  his  mighty  works  were  done,  and  who 
had  the  most  light  and  instruction  by  his  preaching,  and  yet 
continued  impenitent,  viz.,  that  they  were,  on  this  account, 
more  guilty  than  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  even 
Sodom  itself.  (Matt.  xi.  20-24.)  And  St.  Paul  says  the  gos- 
pel is  "  a  savor  of  death  unto  death,  in  them  that  perish." 
(2  Cor.  ii.  15,  16.) 


322  EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.'s    EVASIONS 

The  general  answer  Mr.  M.  gives  to  this  is,  that  these  (Scrip- 
tures say  nothing  of  an  awakened,  convinced  sinner;  nothing 
of  that  light  which  is  let  into  the  conscience,  which  he  calls 
internal  light,  but  have  respect  only  to  what  he  calls  exter- 
nal, objective  light;  so  are  nothing  to  the  purpose. 

I  thought  these  passages  proved  that  opposing  and  rejecting 
the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  continuing  impenitent,  obstinate 
enemies  to  Christ,  in  the  face  of  this  light,  and  direct  abuse 
of  it,  was  unspeakably  the  greatest  crime  men  can  be  guilty 
of;  that  this  will  be  the  principal  ground  of  their  condemna- 
tion, as  that  in  which  their  guilt  chiefly  consists ;  and  that 
the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  had  much  more  of  this  light 
than  others  let  into  his  conscience,  which  he  opposed  and  re- 
jected more  directly,  and  with  greater  strength  and  obstinacy 
than  he  did  the  small  degree  of  light  which  he  had  before,  and 
much  more  against  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience.  From 
this  state  of  the  case,  it  appeared  to  me  a  plain  and  undenia- 
ble consequence,  that  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  is  more 
guilty  and  vile  in  the  state  and  exercises  of  his  mind  than 
when  he  was  ignorant  and  secure  ;  and  it  appears  in  the  same 
light  to  me  now.  If  sinning  against  and  opposing  t^e  light 
of  the  gospel  is  the  chief  aggravation  of  all  sin,  and  that  in 
which  persons'  guilt  under  the  gospel  summarily  consists,  then 
he  who  sins  against  the  greatest  and  clearest  light,  and  that 
most  directly,  and  with  the  greatest  degree  of  opposition  of 
heart,  must  be  the  greatest  sinner.  I  see  not  that  the  dis- 
tinction which  Mr.  M.  makes  between  external,  objective  light, 
and  internal  light,  a  light  in  the  judgment  and  conscience,  is 
any  thing  to  this  purpose.  If  two  men  are  under  the  same 
external  revelation,  but  one  has  special  pains  taken  with  him 
to  inculcate  the  truth  revealed,  by  which  his  judgment  and 
conscience  is  convinced,  while  the  other  has  really  no  more 
light  in  his  judgment  and  conscience  than  if  no  revelation  had 
been  made  ;  if  the  chief  of  their  guilt  lies  in  opposing  and 
rejecting  the  light  of  this  revelation,  surely  he  who  has  so 
much  the  most  light  and  advantage  must  be  unspeakably 
the  greatest  sinner  while  he  continues  wholly  to  oppose  and 
reject  it  all.  The  wickedness  of  the  latter,  his  want  of  love 
to  the  truth  and  opposition  of  heart  to  it,  keeps  the  light  which 
is  set  before  him  wholly  out  of  his  mind  and  conscience,  and 
this  will  be  the  chief  matter  of  his  condemnation.  The  other 
would  have  continued  as  blind  and  ignorant  as  he,  had  not 
light  been  forced  into  his  conscience  by  some  extraordinary 
means,  which  he  now  hates  and  opposes  in  a  manner  and 
degree  which  the  latter  has  no  opportunity  to  do. 

And  now,  who  can  be  at  a  loss  which  is  the  greatest  sinner  ? 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    SCRIPTURE.  323 

Mr.  M.  represents  the  secure  sinner  as  very  criminal  in  sinning 
against  the  light  of  his  conscience,  and  by  this  means  wasting 
his  conscience,  as  he  expresses  it ;  and  speaks  of  this  as  the 
great  aggravation  of  all  his  crimes.  This  is  as  really  internal 
light  as  that  of  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner,  it  being  of 
the  same  nature  and  kind,  and  all  the  difference  is  in  the  de- 
gree of  light;  and  if  sinning  against  the  former  is  a  great 
crime,  yea,  that  in  which  the  guilt  of  the  secure  sinner,  who 
goes  on  in  open  wickedness,  chiefly  consists,  then  surely  the 
latter  is  a  greater  sinner  than  the  ibrmer  in  proportion  to  the 
greater  degree  of  light  of  conscience  which  he  sins  against. 
It  would  be  strange,  indeed,  if  sinning  against  and  opposing 
a  small  degree  of  light  of  conscience  should  be  very  criminal, 
even  the  greatest  of  all  crimes,  but  sinning  against  and 
opposing  an  immensely  greater  degree  of  light  of  conscience 
should  be  quite  harmless  and  innocent.  But  so  it  must  be,  if 
there  is  any  reason  in  this  distinction  which  Mr.  M.  makes. 
In  making  this  distinction  he  has  flatly  contradicted  himself, 
as  has  been  observed;  for  he  allows  that  opposition  to  this 
same  internal  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  in  the  un- 
awakened  sinner  is  the  chief  aggravation  of  his  crimes.  To 
be  consistent  with  himself  on  this  head,  he  must  hold,  that 
light  and  conviction  of  conscience  does  in  no  case  aggravate 
the  sins  of  men  ;  but  he  is  the  greatest  sinner  who  has  the  least 
knowledge  and  understanding,  and  whose  judgment  and  con- 
science dictates  nothing  at  all  with  respect  to  what  is  right  or 
wrong;  and  he  is  the  least  guilty,  or  certainly  not  more,  who 
has  the  most  understanding  and  light  of  conscience,  though 
he  abuses  and  sins  against  it  all. 

Oar  Savior  says,  "  That  servant  which  knew  his  Lord's  will, 
and  prepared  not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  wifl, 
shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes.  But  he  that  knew  not,  and 
did  commit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes."  (Luke  xii.  47,  48.)  It  would  be  a  forced  construc- 
tion of  these  words  indeed,  to  say  that  the  meaning  is  not  that 
he  who  actually  knows  what  God  requires,  and  neglects  to  do 
it  in  opposition  to  his  judgment  and  conscience,  is  most  guilty, 
and  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes  ;  but  he  who  is  under 
advantages  to  know,  but  does  not  really  know  any  thing  about 
his  Lord's  will,  shall  be  beaten  with  few  stripes.  It  is  true  that 
he  who  is  under  advantages  to  know  the  will  of  God,  and  yet 
knows  it  not,  is  more  guilty  and  worthy  of  a  greater  punishment 
if  he  acts  contrary  to  his  will,  than  he  who  was  under  no  ad- 
vantages, and  had  no  opportunity  to  know.  Yea,  the  latter  is 
not  guilty  at  all,  so  does  not  things  worthy  of  any  stripes, 
because  in  this  case  his  ignorance  is  properly  invincible.    There- 


324  EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.'s    EVASIONS 

fore,  our  Savior  has  no  reference  to  svich  a  case.  But  by  him 
that  knew  not  his  Lord's  will,  and  yet  did  things  worthy  of 
stripes,  he  must  mean  one  who  is  under  advantages  to  know, 
at  least  in  some  degree,  and  yet  does  not  know.  And  by  him 
that  knew  his  Lord's  will,  he  means  one  that  really  and  actu- 
ally knew  it;  that  is,  has  internal  light,  conviction,  and  sensi- 
bility of  conscience.  He,  then,  who  sins  against  this  light  is 
the  greatest  criminal ;  and  the  greater  is  the  degree  of  this 
light  and  knowledge,  the  more  guilty  and  vile  he  is. 

JMr.  M.'s  distinction,  therefore,  is  not  only  contrary  to  all 
reason  and  common  sense,  but  directly  contrary  to  these  words 
of  our  Savior.  He  who  actually  knows  his  Lord's  will,  let 
his  light  and  knowledge  come  how  it  will,  whether  in  a  mirac- 
ulous way  or  by  a  standing  external  revelation  ;  and  whether 
he  was  brought  to  understand  this  by  some  extraordinary 
providence,  which  awakened  his  attention  and  roused  his 
conscience,  or  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  I  say,  let 
his  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  come  in  either  of  these 
ways,  or  in  any  other,  if  he  does  not  act  according  to  his  knowl- 
edge, but  neglects  to  come  up  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience, 
this  light  and  knowledge  unspeakably  aggravates  his  guilt. 

But  let  us  hear  what  Mr.  M.  has  to  say  to  vindicate  his  dis- 
tinction, and  show  that,  though  external  light  does  greatly 
aggravate  the  guilt  of  sinners  under  the  gospel,  yet  internal 
light  of  an  awakened  conscience  does  not.  He  says,  "  They 
do  essentially  and  specifically  differ :  the  one  is  external,  ob- 
jectively set  before  the  mind ;  the  other  is  internal  and  mental. 
The  former  is  liable  to  be  utterly  rejected  with  contempt,  with- 
out any  influence  upon  the  conscience  or  life.  The  latter  is 
received  into  the  mind,  and  allowed  by  the  author  in  this  de- 
bate to  have  great  influence  on  both,  to  raise  conviction,  and 
excite  reformation  and  amendment  of  life,  to  the  highest  de- 
gree the  unregenerate  are  capable  of,  by  the  common  infiuence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and,  therefore,  to  argue  from  the  one  to 
the  other,  as  if  they  were  the  same,  the  reasoning  must  needs 
be  inconclusive." 

Here  are  two  differences  mentioned,  which  he  calls  "  essen- 
tial and  specifical."  The  first  is,  "one  is  external  —  the  other 
is  internal  and  mental."  How  this  diftVrence  should  make 
any  odds  in  favor  of  the  latter  I  cannot  imagine.  To  suppose 
it  does,  is  contrary  to  all  reason  and  common  sense,  and  to 
the  words  of  Christ  just  quoted,  as  well  as  directly  contrary  to 
himself;  for  he  allows  that  sins  against  the  light  and  dictates 
of  conscience  are  above  all  others  aggravated,  as  has  been 
observed;  but  this  light  is  as  "internal  and  mental"  as  any 
can  be. 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    SCRIPTURE.  325 

As  to  the  other  difference;  if  by  being  "  received  into  mind," 
he  means  any  thing  inconsistent  with  rejecting  and  opposing 
the  truth  with  contempt,  and  opposite  to  this,  as  it  is  plain 
that  he  does,  in  that  he  sets  the  on^  in  opposition  to  the  other; 
then,  instead  of  proving  any  thing,  he  only  begs  the  question  in 
dispute,  and  supposes  that  this  light  reforms  the  sinner;  so 
that,  on  the  whole,  his  character  is  really  mended,  and  that 
the  mind,  or  heart,  truly  conforms  and  submits  to  it  in  its 
exercises.  This  is  the  only  question  in  dispute ;  and  if  this 
must  be  taken  for  granted,  the  dispute  is  at  an  end.  Mr.  M. 
has  really  begged  the  question  in  dispute,  through  his  whole 
book,  by  such  representations  as  these,  and  those  which  are 
more  grossly  false,  without  ever  attempting  to  prove  that  they 
are  just.  Let  his  book  be  stripped  of  this  disguise,  and  most 
he  says  would  appear  in  its  true  weakness.  Let  Mr.  M.,  or  any 
of  his  adherents,  prove  what  he  here  and  everywhere  supposes 
and  takes  for  granted,  and  the  debate  will  be  finished;  for  this 
is  really  the  only  thing  in  dispute.  Mr.  M.  here  says,  I  allow 
what  he  calls  "  internal  light "  to  have  great  influence.  It  is 
true ;  but  the  influence  I  allow  is  directly  contrary  to  that 
which  he  speaks  of,  viz.,  that  it  is  the  occasion  of  exciting  direct 
opposition  and  enmity  against  God  and  Christ,  and  of  a  per- 
son's acting  more  against  the  light  and  dictates  of  his  own 
conscience,  in  neglecting  and  obstinately  refusing  to  do  his 
Lord's  will,  of  which  he  has  a  thousand  times  more  clear  and 
extensive  knowledge  than  the  ignorant,  secure  sinner.  What 
Mr.  M.  means  by  internal  light  having  "great  influence  on  the 
concience,"  I  am  at  a  loss.  He  does  not  mean  that  it  enlight- 
ens the  conscience;  for  this  would  be  only  saying  that  light 
in  the  conscience  is  light  in  the  conscience  :  for  internal  light 
is  the  conscience  enlightened.  This,  therefore,  would  b(^  only 
saying  nothing ;  or  if  it  is  saying  something,  it  is  nothing  to 
his  purpose.  If,  by  "  influence  upon  the  conscience,"  he  means 
any  influence  by  which  the  heart  or  will  does  in  any  degree 
become  ))liable  and  submit  to  the  truth  and  obey  it,  I  am  sure 
I  do  not,  nor  ever  did,  "  allow  "  this ;  nor  had  he  any  right  to 
take  it  for  granted. 

From  this  ditTerence  which  he  makes,  he  infers  "  that  to 
argue  from  the  one  to  the  other  as  if  they  were  the  same,  the 
reasoning  must  needs  be  inconclusive."  It  is  granted  they  are 
not  the  same.  There  is  a  difference :  I  do  not  argue  from 
the  one  to  the  other  as  if  they  were  the  same;  but  the  argu- 
ment is  from  the  less  to  the  greater.  If  this  is  the  condemna- 
tion, if  this  is  the  great  crime  for  which  persons  under  the 
gosj:)el  will  be  condemned,  that  light  is  come  into  the  world 
in  an  external  revelation  and  they  have  hated  and  opposed  it, 
VOL.  III.  28 


326  EXAMINATION    OF    ISIR.    AI.'S    EVASIONS 

thtMi  they  into  whose  miiuls  and  consciences  this  light  is  made 
to  shine,  so  that  they  have  a  thousand  times  more  knowledge 
of  the  revealed  truth  than  others,  and  hate  and  oppose  it  more 
in  proportion,  are  sinners  above  all  others,  and  their  condem- 
nation will  be  proportionably  greater.* 

Having  considered  his  general  answer  to  show  that  these 
Scriptures  are  not  to  my  purpose,  which  he  often  repeats,  I 
shall  take  notice  of  some  other  things  which  he  says  with  re- 
spect to  each  of  these  jjassages  in  order  to  evade  the  force 
of  them. 

He  says  of  the  first,  '•  This  is  the  condemnation,"  etc,  "  Not 
a  word  of  an  awakened,  reformed  sinner  in  the  text  and  con- 
text; nothing  of  internal  light*  or  sensibility  of  conscience,  or 
any  of  the  effects  that  might  imply  it.  Nay,  the  character  here 
given  of  those  spoken  of,  is  quite  the  reverse  of  an  awakened, 
reformed  sinner.  They  are  said  to  practise  evil,  i,  e.,  so  as  the 
reformed  sinner  does  not;  and  to  shun  the  light,  lest  their 
evil  deeds  should  be  reproved,  and  they  called  to  part  w^ith 
them." 

I  have  just  now  shown  that  the  strength  of  my  argument 
from  this  text  does  not  depend  upon  its  having  a  direct  and 
immediate  reference  to  an  awakened  sinner;  but  on  supposition 
an  unawakened  sinner  only  is  meant,  the  argument  from  such 
a  one  to  an  awakened  sinner  is  very  strong,  if  the  latter  hates 
and  opposes  the  light  he  has,  as  much,  and  more  than  the 
former.  That  he  does  not,  Mr.  M.  here  takes  for  granted ;  so 
that  he  begs  the  question  again  here,  as  he  does  from  be- 
ginning to  end. 

But  let  us  see  how  he  proves  that  these  words  have  no 
reference  to  an  awakened  sinner.  He  says,  "  The  character 
here  ♦given  of  those  spoken  of  is  quite  the  reverse  of  the 
awakened,  reformed  sinner;  they  are  said  to  practise  evil,  i.  e., 
so  as  the  reformed  sinner  does  not."  But  of  this  he  has  not 
given  the  least  proof  unless  it  be  in  the  repetition  of  the  words 
reformed  sinner ;  which  is  a  very  ambiguous  phrase,  as  Mr.  M. 
has  used  it  here,  and  every  where  else.  There  is,  indeed,  no 
such  reformed,  unregeneraie  siimer  as  he  here  supposes,  who 
cannot  be  said  to  do  evil,  and  hate  the  light,  and  whose  charac- 

*  But  after  all,  I  -would  observe  that,  if  wliat  Mr.  M.  says  in  this  argument 
•was  well  groiinded,  and  the  distinction  ho  makes  between  sinning  against  and 
abusing  external  light,  and  internal  and  mental,  had  any  reason  in  it  and  was  to 
the  purpose,  (wliich  I  think  appears  to  be  far  otherwise,)  yet,  before  he  has  done 
he  demolislies  all  he  has  said  hero,  by  declaring  that  they  to  whom  our  Savior 
spoke  were  awakened,  reformed  sinners.  Ly  this  he  has  given  up  the  whole  of 
this  pretended  argument,  having  Hatly  contradicted  what  he  so  much  insisted 
upon  here  ;  and  in  this  he  has  the  history  of  the  evangelists  on  his  side  too.  But 
of  this,  more  hereafter. 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    SCRIPTURE.  327 

ter  is  directly  the  reverse  of  this.  There  is  no  such  unregen- 
erate  sinner  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  i'rom  begiiniing  to  end; 
such  a  character  is  the  invention  of  Mr.  M.  and  a  thousand 
others,  in  direct  conir:idictii)n  to  the  wliole  of  divine  revelation. 
It  is  directly  contrary  to  this  passage  now  under  consideration. 
Our  Savior  speaks  of  two  sorts -of  persons,  of  distinct  and 
directly  opposite  characters,  viz.,  they  who  do  evil  and  hate 
the  light,  and  they  who  love  and  practise  the  truth,  whose 
deeds  are  wrought  in  God.  And  he  so  speaks  of  these  as  to 
exclude  any  middle  character  between  these  two  extremes, 
and  his  words  strongly  imply  that  there  can  be  no  such  person. 
With  what  face  then  can  Mr.  M.  dress  up  an  awakened  sin- 
ner, so  as  not  to  belong  to  either  of  these  characters,  in  which 
Christ  evidently  includes  all  mankind  I 

Besides,  Christ  is  here  speaking  expressly  of  the  condemna- 
tion that  shall  come  on  all  unbelievers;  so  on  all  who  do  not 
know  and  love  the  truth  ;  which  appears  from  the  foregoing 
words  with  which  these  are  connected.  "  He  that  believeth 
not  is  condemned  already.  And  this  is  the  condemnation," 
etc.  Mr.  M.,  it  seems,  has  found  a  set  of  persons  who,  though 
they  do  not  believe  on  Christ,  yet  are  dressed  in  such  fine 
colors  that  they  will  not  fall  under  this  condemnation!  They 
are  certainly  a  sort  of  creatures  which  he  who  spoke  these 
words  knew  nothing  of;  and  it  is  most  certain  the  Bible 
knows  nothing  about  these  poor,  harmless,  penitent,  reformed, 
humble,  obedient,  unregenerate  sinners,  vvho  do  not  hate  the 
truth,  nor  do  evil.  Nor  do  any  such  exist  in  nature,  as  such  a 
character  is  the  most  perfect  contradiction,  and*  necessarily 
destroys  itself.  They  are  the  creatures  of  the  imagination  of 
a  set  of  men  in  the  Christian  world,  with  which  they  have  done 
infinite  mischief  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  religion. 

I  proceed  to  examine  what  he  says  on  the  next  Scripture 
mentioned:  "  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they 
had  not  had  sin."  I  suppose  our  Savior  in  these  words  repre- 
sents the  sin  the  Jews  were  guilty  of,  in  hating  and  rejecting 
him  when  he  had  come  and  spoken  to  them,  and  exhibited 
his  character  and  the  evidence  of  his  divine  mission  in  a  clear 
and  striking  light,  to  be  unspeakably  greater  than  all  their 
other  sins  could  be,  had  he  not  thus  come  and  spoken  to  them. 
This  sin  was  so  amazingly  aggravated,  that  their  other  sins, 
however  great  in  themselves,  were  light  and  as  nothing,  and 
not  to  be  mentioned  in  comparison  with  this.  I  thought  it 
hence  followed,  with  undeniable  evidence,  that  the  awakened, 
convinced  sinner,  who,  under  the  full  blaze  of  light  let  into 
his  mind  and  conscience,  continued  to  hate  and  reject  Jesus 
Christ,  is  unspeakably  more  guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  in  a 


328  EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.'s    EVASIONS 

state  of  ignorance  and  blindness  when  he  did  not  see,  and  so 
could  not  hate  and  oppose  Christ  as  he  does  now. 

To  this,  Mr.  M.  objects  two  things.  One  is,  that  the  light 
here  spoken  of  as  resisted  is  "  merely  external,  and  has  no 
necessary  relation  to,  or  connection  with,  an  awakened,  re- 
formed sinner." 

This  has  been  just  now  considered  as  his  general  objection 
to  all  the  passages  of  Scripture  now  under  consideration. 
And  I  hope  it  has  been  sufficiently  shown  how  weak  and 
groundless  this  is. 

•  Another  thing,  he  says,  to  show  this  text  is  not  to  my  pur- 
pose is,  that  according  to  our  Savior's  own  account,  the  Jews, 
of  whom  these  words  are  spoken,  "were  in  a  state  and  tem- 
per of  their  minds,  previous  to  their  rejecting  the  gospel,  more 
wicked  than  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  or  even  Sod- 
om itself."  This  he  thinks  is  evident  in  that  he  says,  the  latter 
"  would  have  repented  by  the  same  means  which  the  former 
rejected."  Hence  he  infers,  ]:hat  if  they  were  more  wicked  than 
the  inhabitants  of  Sodom,  antecedent  to  their  rejecting  Christ, 
this  their  wickedness  could  not,  with  any  propriety,  be  said 
to  be  little  or  nothing  compared  with  what  they  were  now 
guilty  of.  Therefore,  that  this  cannot  be  the  meaning  of  our 
Savior. 

To  this  I  answer,  in  the  first  place,  that  it  is  by  no  means 
evident  that  when  Christ  speaks  of  these  cities  wherein  most 
of  his  mighty  works  were  done,  as  more  guilty  than  Sodom, 
he  has  respect  to  the  sins  they  were  guilty  of  antecedent  to 
his  coming  and  preaching  to  them,  but  the  contrary  is  most 
evident.  Therefore  his  consequence  has  no  foundation,  so 
comes  to  nothing.  But  of  this  I  shall  have  occasion  to  speak 
more  particularly  presently. 

In  the  next  place,  I  say,  if  what  he  supposes  were  true,  his 
consequence  does  by  no  means  follow.  Though  the  Jews 
were  worse  than  Sodom,  antecedent  to  Christ's  coming  and 
preaching  to  them,  it  does  not  follow  that  they  were  not  im- 
mensely more  guilty,  in  consequence  of  the  visit  Christ  made 
them,  than  they  were  before,  though  very  guilty  then.  Their 
guilt  might  be  vastly  greater  than  that  of  Sodom,  and  yet  they 
might  be  put  into  such  circumstances,  and  have  so  much 
greater  light,  as  to  increase  their  guilt  amazingly ;  so  as  that, 
in  the  comparison,  their  former  guilt  sinks,  as  it  were,  into 
nothing,  as  not  to  be  mentioned  with  the  latter.  This  is  the 
very  light  in  which  this  same  thing  is  set  in  other  passages  of 
Scripture.  "  For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast, 
and  every  transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just  recom- 
pense of  reward,  how  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great 


OF  SEVERAL  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  829 

salvation,  which  at  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord ! " 
(Heb.  ii.  2, 3.)  Here  we  see  the  sin  of  rejecting  Christ  when  he 
had  come,  is  represented  as  beyond  expression  greater  than  any 
disobedience  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  or  before  Christ 
came.  The  words.  How  shall,  we  escape^  if  we  ne^^lect  so  great 
salvation!  are  very  emphatical,  and  strongly  express  the  un- 
paralleled guilt  which  they  contract,  above  all  others,  who  reject 
Christ  and  the  salvation  offered  by  him  ;  and  are  full  as  strong 
an  expression  as  the  words  of  Christ  under  consideration, 
taken  in  the  sense  I  have  put  upon  them.  But  this  is  ex- 
pressed more  strongly  yet,  if  possible.  "  See  that  ye  refuse 
not  him  that  speaketh  ;  for  if  they  escaped  not  who  refused 
him  that  spake  on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we  escape,  if 
we  turn  away  from  him  that  speaketh  from  heaven."  (Heb. 
xii.  25.) 

St.  Paul,  in  order  to  set  forth  the  excellence  and  glory  of  the 
gospel  as  far  exceeding  the  glory  of  the  legal  dispensation 
under  Moses,  says,  "For  even  Ihat  which  was  made  glorious 
had  no  glory  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excel- 
leth."  (2  Cor.  iii.  10.)  This  expression  is  exactly  parallel  with 
the  words  of  Christ  under  consideration,  taken  in  the  sense  I 
put  upon  them.  And  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  if  the  dispen- 
sation opened  by  Christ  so  much  exceeded  the  former  dispen- 
sation in  glory  that  it  may  be  said  to  have  no  glory  in  com- 
parison with  this,  then  it  may  be  with  as  great  propriety 
affirmed  of  the  sins  under  these  different  dispensations,  that 
sins  under  the  former  are  no  sins,  have  no  guilt  and  crimi- 
nalness,  in  comparison  with  sins  under  the  latter.  For  de- 
spising and  rebelling  against  the  latter  is  more  criminal  than 
despising  the  former,  in  proportion  to  the  greater  glory  of  the 
latter. 

The  husbandmen,  to  whom  the  householder  let  out  his  vine- 
yard, were  very  criminal  in  abusing  the  servants  he  sent  to 
them  to  receive  his  due  of  the  fruit,  and  proceeding  to  kill 
some  of  them.  But  how  much  more  criminal  and  guilty  were 
they  in  seizing  and  putting  to  death  his  only  son,  when  he 
was  sent  to  them  I  This,  as  it  were,  swallowed  up  all  their 
former  crimes,  so  that  they  are  hardly  to  be  mentioned  in 
comparison  with  this.  In  what  words  could  the  greatness  of 
this  crime  be  better  represented  than  by  such  an  expression  as 
this :  "  If  he  had  not  sent  his  only  son,  they  had  not  had  sin ; 
their  guilt  would  have  been  little  or  nothing  compared  with 
what  it  is  now;  for  now  they  have  seen,  and  murdered  his  only 
son."  It  is  common  to  represent  the  greatness  of  a  crime  by 
saying,  Such  or  such  a  sin  is  nothing  to  this ;  or  all  the 
wickedness  he  was  guilty  o^  '>efore  is  nothing  to  this.  And  is 
28* 


33(V  EXAMIXATIOX    OF    MR.    m's.    EVASIONS 

not  Christ's  oxpression  exactly  parallel  to  this?     How,  then, 
can  we  be  at  a  loss  about  the  rneanitig  of  it? 

This  does,  indeed,  set  Jesus  Christ  in  a  very  grand  light; 
that  all  the  sins  in  the  world  should  be  nothing  to  that  of 
rejecting  and  hating  him  when  he  comes  in  person,  and 
speaks  and  offers  himself.  It  is  impossible  that  they  who  have 
as  low  and  mean  notions  of  him,  and  as  high  ones  of  them- 
selves as  the  Jews  had,  should  understand  them.  No  wonder, 
then,  if  all  such  join  with  Mr,  M.,  and  say,  "  Since  this  cannot 
be  the  meaning,  another  must  be  sought." 

When  we  consider  the  high  and  grand  character  of  Jesus 
Christ  the  Son  of  God,  his  amazing  condescension  and  grace 
in  becoming  incarnate  and  living  among  the  Jews,  their  high 
expectations  and  desires  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  the 
excellence  and  amiableness  of  his  character,  how  abundant, 
clear,  and  plain  his  public  instructions  were,  and  what  full, 
bright,  and  awakening  evidence  he  gave  by  his  stupendous 
works,  that  he  was  indeed  the  Son  of  God  ;  I  say,  when  we 
well  consider  all  this,  and  much  more  that  might  be  mentioned, 
the  crime  of  hating  and  rejecting  him,  in  those  circumstances, 
will,  I  am  confident,  rise  so  high  in  our  view,  that  there  will 
appear  no  difficulty  in  understanding  the  words  under  consid- 
eration in  the  sense  I  have  put  upon  them  ;  and  it  will,  I 
doubt  not,  appear,  that  to  say  that  this  crime  does  not  rise  so 
high  above  all  others  as  to  justify  such  an  expression,  thus 
understood,  and  on  this  ground  to  seek  another  meaning,  is 
very  dishonorable  to  Jesus  Christ. 

In  this  light,  therefore,  I  think  I  have  good  ground  to  look 
on  what  Mr.  M.  has  said  here,  especially  if  we  consider  what 
is  the  meaning  which  he  has  "sought"'  and  found.  This  I 
will  give  in  his  own  words:  "And  since  this  cannot  be  the 
meaning,  (i.  e.,  the  meaning  I  had  put  upt)n  the  words,)  anoth- 
er must  be  sought,  which  is  plainly  this,  viz.,  they  had  not  had 
that  sin  of  rejecting  the  clear  light  of  the  evidence  of  the  divine 
mission  of  Christ,  and  so  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel."  That  is, 
if  Christ  had  not  come  and  given  them  opportunity  to  re- 
ject him,  they  v/ould  not  have  been  guilty  of  rejecting  him. 
This  is  much  the  same  as  if  he  had  said,  "  If  they  had  not 
been  guilty  of  this  sin,  they  would  not  in  fact  have  been  guilty 
of  it."  Who  can  think  that  our  divine  Teacher,  who  never 
spoke  a  word  but  to  some  good  purpose,  took  pains  repeatedly 
to  inculcate  this,  which  every  one  knew  without  his  mention- 
ing it;  and  if  they  did  not,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  importance ;  so 
that  to  assert  it  is  but  mere  trifling.  Who,  I  say,  can  imagine 
this?  If  Mr.  M.  will  find  another  such  instance  in  the  whole 
Bible,  or  in  any  author  of  tolerable  sense,  he  may  be  excused. 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    SCRIPTURE.  331 

He  was  surely  driven  to  a  hard  shift,  that  when  lie  sovight  a 
meaning  to  these  words,  he  could  find  no  better,  if  he  rejected 
that  which  I  had  given. 

But  he  goes  on  to  say,  "  They,  indeed,  did  it  in  their  hearts, 
but  it  lay  concealed,  hid  under  the  cloak  of  h.igh  pretensions 
to  sanctity;  but  when  they  acted  it  out,  the  cloak  fell  otl",  and 
their  wickedness  appeared  to  all  the  world.  This  acting  out  the 
wickedness  of  their  hearts,  we  readily  grant,  was  an  aggravation 
of  their  sin.  But  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  all  their  sinfulness 
of  heart  and  life,"  (i.e.,  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chorazin,  etc.,) 
''  whereby  they  were  more  vile  than  the  idolatrous  heatlien,  and 
most  abominable  Sodomites,  is  little  or  nothing  compared  with 
acting  it  out  in  this  particular?  Is  the  fountain  nothing  to 
the  streams?  The  cause  nolhing  totheeflect?  Is  not  this 
to  invert  the  known  and  established  rules  of  reasoning?  " 

Here  he  speaks  of  these  Jews  as  covering  all  their  wicked- 
ness under  the  cloak  of  high  pretensions  to  sanctity,  and  in 
the  next  breath  speaks  of  their  wickedness  of  life.  So  here 
are  a  set  of  men  who  are  guilty  of  great  sinfulness  of  life, 
1.  e.,  outward,  open  wickedness,  and  yet  at  the  same  lime  hide 
all  their  wickedness  of  heart  under  high  pretensions  to  sancti- 
ty. A  strange  sort  of  people,  indeed  I  It  is  to  be  also  remem- 
bered that  he  elsewhere  speaks  of  these  very  persons  as  "re- 
formed sinners,  who  were  awakened,  broiight  to  consider,  and 
in  a  measure  to  amend  their  lives."  What,  th(^n,  does  he 
here  mean  by  sinfulness  of  life?  But  if  they  were  never  so 
sinful  in  their  lives,  to  what  purpose  is  it  mentioned  here, 
when  he  is  speaking  only  of  sinfulness  of  heart,  of  the  "foun- 
tain," not  of  the  "  streams  "  ?  Is  sinfulness  of  life  the;  fountain, 
not  the  streams  ;  the  cause,  and  not  the  effect  ? 

As  to  his  two  questions  here,  the  first  has  been  answered 
already.  Let  these  be  as  sinful  in  heart  and  life  as  Mr..  M. 
sup])oses,  so  that  they  were  more  vile  than  the  most  abomi- 
nable Sodomites,  antecedent  to  their  having  opportunity  to  sin 
against,  hate,  and  reject  Christ,  yet  their  acting  out  the  wick- 
edness of  their  hearts  in  this  particular  way,  had  unspeakably 
more  guilt  and  vileness  in  it  than  all  their  other  sins  put  together. 
To  say  the  contrary,  is  to  speak  dishonorably  of  Christ,  and 
c<)ntrary  to  what  he  has  said  not  only  here,  but  elsev.here,  and 
to  other  passages  of  Scripture,  as  has  been  shov/n. 

As  to  the  other  question,  "Is  the  fountain  norhing  to  the 
streams?  "  etc.,  I  answer,  I  see  not  what  relation  tliis  question 
has  to  that  which  is  now  in  dispute.  What  Christ  speaks  of 
in  the  words  before  us  are  the  exercises  and  exertions  of  wick- 
edness in  hating  and  rejecting  him;  and  these  he  says  are  so 
greatly  aggravated,  that  all  the  exercises  and  acts  of  wicked- 


332 


EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.  S    EVASIOi^S 


¥ 


ness  which  they  would  or  could  be  guilty  of,  had  he  not  come 
and  spoken  to  them,  had  been  light,  and  as  nothing,  compared 
with  these.  So  that  what  is  liere  said  has  no  relation  to  wick- 
edness of  heart,  considered  as  distinct  from  all  exercises  of 
every  kind,  and  antecedent  to  such,  if  there  is  indeed  any  such 
wickedness  of  heart  in  nature.  In  a  word,  if  by  the  "  foun- 
tain "  he  means  that  sinfulness  of  heart  and  life  whereby  the 
Jews  were  more  vile  than  the  idolatrous  heathen,  then  by 
fountain  and  streams,  cause  and  effect,  he  means  the  same 
thing,  or  rather  has  no  meaning  at  all.  Their  sinfulness  of 
heart  and  life  by  which  they  hated  and  opposed  Christ,  was 
no  more  the  streams  from  the  fountain  than  that  wickedness 
of  heart  and  life  by  which  they  were  more  vile  than  the  idola- 
trous heathen  ;  and  the  former  was  as  much  the  fountain  and 
cause  as  the  latter.  But  if  by  fountain  and  cause  here  Mr.  M. 
means  the  wickedness  of  the  heart  distinct  from  all  exercises, 
and  antecedent  to  them,  his  question  is  quite  foreign  to  the 
matter  under  consideration  ;  as  the  words  of  Christ  have  no 
relation  to  this,  but  to  sinful  exercises  of  heart  in  hating  the 
Father  and  him;  This,  he  says,  was  such  a  high  degree  of 
wickedness  that  all  sins  they  could  have  been  guilty  of  were 
as  nothing  to  this. 

His  next  words  are,  "  But  what  increases  my  surprise  is, 
that  in  the  passages  above  quoted  from  the  author  he  seems 
to  argue  that  the  sinner's  being  restrained  from  acting  out  the 
wickedness  of  the  heart  in  overt  acts  is  as  nothing;  but  what 
he  is  in  his  heart  is  all.  Whatever  particular  ways  of  sin  he 
has  forsaken,  yet  on  the  whole  he  is  more  vile.  And  now,  all 
the  wickedness  of  the  heart  whereby  the  sinner  is  disposed  to 
the  act,  if  occasion  offers,  is  little  or  nothing,  if  the  overt  act 
is  restrained.  Does  the  tables  being  turned  really  change  the 
nature  of  things  ?  " 

Reply.  Mr.  M.  here  puts  the  charge  upon  himself,  and  is 
the  sole  cause  of  increasing  his  own  surprise,  and  of  the  con- 
tradiction he  would  fasten  upon  me,  by  using  the  words  overt 
acts,  in  an  indeterminate,  confitsed  manner,  and  so  as  to  mean 
one  thing  in  one  sentence,  and  quite  another  in  the  next.  If, 
by  overt  acts,  are  meant  external  acts  of  sin,  in  distinction 
I'rom  the  voluntary  exercises  of  the  heart,  I  liave  said  that 
whatever  overt  acts  the  sinner  is  restrained  from,  he  may,  not- 
withstanding, be  more  guilty  and  vile  in  acting  out  the  wicked- 
ness of  his  heart,  in  hating  and  opposing  Christ,  under  great 
light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  than  he  was  when  guilty 
of  these  overt  acts  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  security.  In 
this  sense  Mr.  M.  uses  these  words  in  the  first  sentence,  unless 
he  abuses  me,  and  himself  too.     But  where  is  the  inconsistency 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    SCRIPTURE.  333 

with  this,  in  representing  the  great  sin  of  the  Jews  as  consist- 
ing in  hating  and  opposing  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  all  their 
overt  acts  of  sin  that  they  had  been  guilty  of,  or  could  be  with- 
out this,  were  as  nothing  to  it  ?  Is  not  this  perfectly  consistent  ? 
Every  reader  who  has  sense  and  attention  enough  to  read  two 
plain  sentences,  must  know  it  is.  But  Mr.  M.  has  used  the 
words  "overt  act,"  in  the  last  sentence,  in  quite  another  sense, 
as  meaning  all  the  exercises  of  the  mind  whatever,  in  distinc- 
tion from  the  dormant  principles  of  the  heart,  antecedent  to 
all  thought,  motion,  or  exercise,  "  whereby  the  sinner  is  dis- 
posed to  act,  if  occasion  offers."  Now  I  have  said  nothing 
about  this  through  the  whole  section  he  is  remarking  upon.  I 
speak  of  no  wickedness  of  heart  but  what  consists  in  thought 
and  voluntary  exercise,  or  the  neglect  of  proper  exercise  when 
occasion"  offers ;  and  therefore  make  no  comparison  between 
the  one  and  the  other.  It  is  Mr.  M.,  therefore,  that  has  "  turned 
the  tables,"  and  confused  and  surprised  himself  and  his  reader 
with  his  own  mistake  and  inaccuracy. 

Before  I  leave  this  passage  I  would  observe,  that  Mr.  M.,  by 
representing  the  streams  as  nothing  to  the  fountain, —  meaning 
by  streams,  overt  acts  of  sin, —  has  in  a  great  measure  spoiled 
his  reformed  sinner,  about  whom  he  says  so  much,  laying  a 
mighty  stress  upon  his  external  reformation,  as  being  sufficient 
to  counterbalance  all  the  greater  guilt  he  contracts  by  his  op- 
position of  heart  to  immensely  more  light  and  conviction  than 
he  had.  This  external  reformation  now  dwindles  into  little  or 
nothing  compared  with  the  fountain  of  corruption  that  remains 
as  great  and  with  as  much  strength  as  ever.  If  he  had  kept 
this  in  view  every  where,  we  should  not  have  heard  so  much 
of  his  poor,  trembling,  reformed  sinner;  nor  so  much  said  in 
his  favor,  how  opposite  soever  is  his  heart  to  Jesus  Christ  and 
the  gospel. 

I  come  now  to  consider  the  other  passage  of  Scripture  which 
I  referred  to  in  support  of  what  I  had  advanced.  It  is  this  : 
"  Then  began  he  to  upbraid  the  cities  wherein  most  of  his 
mighty  works  were  done,  because  they  repented  not.  Woe 
unto  thee,  Chorazin;  woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida;  for  if  the  mighty 
works  which  were  done  in  you  had  been  done  in  Tyre  and 
Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long  ago  in  sackcloth  and 
ashes.  But  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre 
and  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for  you.  And  thou, 
Capernaum,  which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,  shalt  be  brought 
down  to  hell ;  for  if  the  mighty  works  which  have  been  done 
in  thee,  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  would  have  remained 
until  this  day.  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  it  shall  be  more  tol- 
erable for  the  land  of  Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for 
thee." 


334  EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.'s    EVASIONS 

Mr.  M.  says,  Christ  has  respect  here  only  to  the  wickedness 
and  hardness  ot"  heart  the  inhabitants  of  these  cities  were  found 
guilty  of  antecedent  to  his  preaching  and  working  miracles 
among  them,  by  which  they  had  rendered  themselves  harder 
and  more  unimpressible  by  these  powerful  means  than  the 
inhabitants  ol'  Tyre  and  Sidon  were.  This  he  thinks  to  be 
certain  from  Christ's  telling  them  that,  if  the  same  means  had 
been  used  with  the  latter,  they  would  have  repented;  and  he 
hence  concludes,  also,  that  the  repentance  here  spoken  of,  for 
the  neglect  of  which  he  upbraids  these  cities,  and  which  he 
says  the  Tyrians  and  Sidonians  would  have  been  brought  to 
by  these  means,  was  not  true  repentance,  or  a  repentance  which 
implies  any  real  love  to  God  and  hatred  of  sin,  and  turning  of 
the  heart  "from  it,  but  what  he  calls  "  a  legal  repentance,  or 
repentance  on  natural  principles."  He  thinks  this  is  certain, 
"•'  seeing  our  blessed  Savior  well  knew  that  neither  these  means 
which  they  enjoyed,  nor  any  other  means,  could  ever  bring 
them  to  a  saving  repentance,  without  an  almighty  power  ex- 
erted in  giving  a  new  heart."  He,  therefore,  gives  the  sense 
of  this  passage  in  the  following  words  :  "  As  if  Christ  had  said, 
you  have,  by  your  own  wickedness,  wasted  natural  conscience, 
sinned  away  your  moral  sense,  and  rendered  yourselves  more 
unimpressible  by  the  same  motives  and  arguments  to  repent- 
ance, set  in  the  same  advantageous  light,  than  the  idolatrous 
Tyrians  and  Sidonians  ;  and,  therefore,  on  that  single  account, 
your  state  is  more  wicked  than  theirs,  and  you  are  justly 
exposed  to  a  more  aggravated  condemnation  in  the  day  of 
judgment  than  they." 

Upon  this,  I  take  leave  to  observe  the  following  things:  — 
1.  It  is  strange  and  unaccountable  indeed,  if  Christ  here 
sharply  reproves  the  inhabitants  of  these  cities  for  not  repent- 
ing with  a  legal  repentance,  which  implies  in  it  no  true  regard 
to  his  character  or  opposition  of  heart  to  sin,  and  says  not  a 
word  to  them  for  their  not  coming  to  that  repentance  which 
John  Baptist,  his  harbinger,  and  he  himself,  from  the  beginning 
of  his  ministry,  had  been  inculcating  and  calling  tljem  to. 
John  Baptist  had  sounded  an  alarm  among  them  all,  and 
loudly  preached  "  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins."  This 
was  certainly  saving  repentance;  and  when  John  was  put  in 
prison,  "Jesus  came  into  Galilee  (to  these  very  cities)  preach- 
ing the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  saying.  The  time 
is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  (lod  is  at  hand  ;  repent  ye,  and 
believe  the  gospel."  (Mark  i.  14,  15.)  Christ  had  been  calling 
and  urging  them  to  true  repentance  in  all  his  teaching,  and 
by  all  his  miracles;  and  it  is  ptn-fectly  unaccountable  and 
astonishing,  if  he  now  drops  this  demand,  and  says  not  a  word 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    SCRIPTURE.  335 

to  them  by  way  oi"  reproof  for  not  hearkening  to  his  calls  and 
demands,  and  to  what  was  the  language  of  all  his  mighty 
works  ;  but  reproves  and  upbraids  them  severely  for  something 
else,  which  he  never  expressly  mentioned  before,  or  called 
them  to,  but  only  as  it  is  implied  in  true  repentance,  and 
which  im])lies  in  it  no  true  regard  and  obedience  to  him,  and 
leaves  them  as  really  in  a  state  of  misery  and  ruin  as  ever. 

2.  The  reason  which  Mr.  M.  gives  why  our  Savior  cannot 
mean  saving  repentance,  is  really  as  much  of  a  reason  why  he 
cannot  mean  legal  repentance;  for  he  holds  that  this  is  not 
effected  merely  by  means,  but  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  are  as  necessary  to  bring  men  to  legal  repentance  as  they 
are  to  bring  them  to  saving  repentance;  and  he  represents 
that  a  very  dangerous  and  hurtful  doctrine  that  teaches  that 
legal  repentance  is  not  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Mr. 
M.  must  either  espouse  this  new  divinity,  or  his  argument  will 
prove  that  Christ  did  not  mean  legal  repentance  ;  for  according 
to  his  own  doctrine,  "  our  blessed  Savior  infinitely  well  knew, 
that  neither  these  means  they  enjoyed,  nor  any  other  means, 
could  ever  bring  them  to"  legal  repentance  "without  an  al- 
mighty power  exerted"  by  the  common  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  in  a  work  of  awakening  and  conviction.  His 
argument,  therefore,  is  good  for  nothing,  or  rather  much  worse 
than  nothing,  because  it  proves  too  much  ;  and  he  is  guilty  of 
gross  self-contradiction  in  using  it  as  he  does. 

3.  The  whole  of  what  he  says  here  is  in  direct  contradiction 
to  the  truth  of  the  case,  according  to  the  history  the  evan- 
gelists give,  and  contrary  to  what  he  asserts  elsewhere.  He, 
speaking  of  what  Christ  says  of  the  unclean  spirit,  which  is 
cast  out  and  afterwards  returns  and  finds  the  house  swept  and 
garnished,  etc.,  (Matt.  xii.  43-45,)  observes,  "  By  the  house 
empty,  sv^'ept,  and  garnished,  is  represented  the  state  of  an 
awakened,  reformed  sinner  when  wickedness  as  to  the  actings 
of  it  is  restrained,  the  unclean  spirit  gone  out.  This  is  applied 
to  the  Jewish  nation  :  Even  so  shall  it  be  also  with  this  wicked 
generation,  i.  e.,  they  who  were  awakened,  brought  to  consider, 
and  in  a  measure  amend  their  lives  by  the  preaching  of  John 
Baptist,  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  by  the  mighty  works 
done  among  them."  Here  you  see  these  very  persons  are 
awakened  and  reformed,  and  brought  to  a  legal  repentance  by 
the  preaching  of  John  Baptist,  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  by 
the  mighty  works  done  among  them,  who,  he  says  in  the  pas- 
sage under  consideration,  were  not  awakened,  and  did  not 
reform  by  all  this  preaching,  and  these  mighty  works  ;  and  that 
this  is  the  very  thing  of  which  Christ  upbraids  them,  as  that  in 
which  they  appeared  to  be  worse  than  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre 


336 


EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.  S    EVASIONS 


and  Sidon.  What,  is  now  bocoine  of  his  argument  to  prove 
that  the  Jews  were  worse  than  the  Socloniites  "on  this  single 
account,"  that  they  were  not  brought  to  legal  rejjentance  by 
Christ's  preaching?  He  has  quite  confuted  it  himself,  by  de- 
claring this  was  not  true  of  them,  but  that*  they  did  in  fact 
repent;  and  in  this  he  is  supported  by  the  history  the  evan- 
gelists give  of  the  matter. 

He,  therefore,  has  not  hit  on  the  true  meaning  of  this 
passage;  and  "another  must  be  sought,"  But  I  proceed  to 
observe,  — 

4.  If  the  sense  which  he  has  put  upon  this  passage  should 
be  allowed  to  be  true,  however  inconsistent  it  is  with  the 
evangelists,  and  with  himself,  yet  it  stands  full  to  the  purpose 
for  which  I  quoted  it,  viz.,  to  prove  that  they  are  the  most 
guilty  and  vile  who  enjoy  the  most  light,  and  rebel  against  it. 
For  if  these  Jews  were  worse  than  Sodom  antecedent  to 
Christ  coming  among  them,  their  greater  guilt  did  not  consist 
in  their  open  profligacy  and  wickedness,  for  in  this  Sodom 
doubtless  exceeded  them,  but  in  their  abuse  of  greater  light 
and  advantages,  and  by  this  means  bringing  themselves  into 
a  more  guilty,  hardened  state. 

But  as  the  case  stands,  and  as  Mr.  M.  says  it  in  fact  was, 
it  is  exactly  to  my  purpose.  Here  is  an  instance  of  sinners 
"who  were  awakened,  brought  to  consider  and  to  amend  their 
lives,"  who  are  declared  by  Christ  himself  to  be  more  guilty 
and  vile  than  the  abandoned  profligates  of  Sodom,  purely 
because  they  remained  impenitent  and  rejected  him,  under  all 
their  awakenings,  convictions,  and  external  reformations. 

The  inhabitants  of  these  cities  had  been  for  a  long  time 
thoroughly  reformed  from  idolatry,  to  which  their  fathers  were 
so  much  given,  and  were  punctual  and  zealous  in  attending 
the  instituted  duties  of  worship  and  religion.  They  did  not 
practise  the  abominable  vices  of  Sodom.  And  they  had  been 
greatly  alarmed  and  awakened,  and  reformed  in  their  external 
conduct,  by  the  preaching  of  John.  They  flocked  to  him  in 
crowds,  and  were  baptized,  confessing  their  sins,  and  earnestly 
asking  the  important  question,  "What  shall  we  do?"  And, 
when  Christ  came  to  preach  among  them,  they  flocked  to  him 
from  all  quarters,  and  heard  with  great  attention,  admiration, 
and  applause.  "  iVnd  Jesus  returned  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit 
into  Galilee,  and  there  went  out  a  fame  of  him  through  all  the 
region  round  about.  And  he  taught  in  their  synagogues, 
being  glorified  of  all."     (Luke  iv.  14,  15.) 

But,  notwithstanding  all  this,  they  did  with  one  consent 
reject  the  message  that  Christ  brought  to  them,  and  refused  1o 
repent  and  believe  the  gospel.     And  for  this  impenitence  and 


OF  SEVERAL  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE.  337 

unbelief,  persisted  in,  under  all  this  light,  awakening,  convic- 
tion, and  reformation,  and  while  these  mighty  works  were 
wrought  in  their  sight;  for  this,  I  say,  Christ  upbraids  them, 
and  tells  them  that,  "  on  this  single  account,"  notwithstanding 
all  their  convictions,  fears,  and  reformations,  and  attending  on 
his  preaching  with  affection,  admiration,  and  applause,  they 
were  worse,  more  guilty  and  vile  than  open,  gross  idolaters,  or 
even  Sodom  itself.  And  not  "  that  they  had,  by  their  own 
wickedness,  wasted  natural  conscience,  sinned  away  their 
moral  sense,  and  rendered  themselves  more  unimpressible  by 
the  same  motives  and  arguments  to  repentance,  set  in  the 
same  advantageous  light,  than  the  idolatrous  Tyrians  and 
Sidonians." 

This  saying  of  our  Lord  was  doubtless  very  shocking,  offen- 
sive, and  provoking  to  the  inhabitants  of  these  cities;  nothing 
could  be  more  so,  especially  to  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  and 
to  every  one  who  had  as  favorable  an  opinion  of  the  "  awak- 
ened, reformed  sinner,"  who  yet  persists  in  impenitence,  and 
obstinately  rejects  Jesus  Christ,  as  Mr.  M.  has.  And  no  won- 
der if  on  this  occasion  they  mentioned  all  the  dreadful  absurdi- 
ties of  this  principle,  and  uttered  all  the  exclamations  that  are 
found  in  Mr.  M.'s  book,  or  something  like  them.  "  Strange 
absurdity  this!  Strange  divinity,  indeed  I  Nor  is  it  in  our 
power  to  doubt,  that  the  grand  enemy  of  the  Messiah  and 
precious  souls  put  his  hearty  amen  to  it.     Thrice  amazing  I" 

After  all,  I  cannot  think  the  inhabitants  of  Capernaum 
came  up  to  the  character  of  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner 
of  which  I  spake.  They  had  not  that  degree  of  light,  and 
were  not  so  fully  convinced  in  their  consciences  that  Jesus  was 
the  Christ,  nor  did  they  so  clearly  see  their  inexcusableness  in 
rejecting  him,  and  the  dreadful  consequences  to  them,  etc.,  as 
the  awakened  sinner  does,  of  whom  I  speak.  But,  as  such  a 
sinner  is  as  really  an  impenitent  as  they  were,  and  does  as 
fully  reject  Jesus  Christ  as  they  did,  and  that  under  immensely 
greater  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  than  they  had,  how 
much  more  guilty  is  he  than  the  Sodomites,  or  even  than  the 
inhabitants  of  Capernaum,  who  were  themselves  so  much 
worse  than  those  of  Sodom ! 

When  our  Savior  says  to  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida,  "  If  the 
mighty  works  which  have  been  done  in  you  had  been  done  in 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long  ago  in  sack- 
cloth and  ashes,"  I  suppose  we  are  not  to  understand  him  as 
asserting  that  this  would  certainly  have  been  the  efi'ect  of  such 
means  being  used  with  the  inhabitants  of  these  cities,  as  if  he 
spake  in  the  character  of  the  omniscient  God,  as  certainly 
knowing  what  in  all  cases  would  be.  But  he  is  here  to  be 
VOL.  III.  29 


338  EXAMINATION    OF    MR.    M.'s    EVASIONS 

considered  as  speaking  as  a  man,  (and  he  was  no  more  than 
a  man  in  their  view  to  whom  he  spake,)  and  after  the  manner 
of  men,  viewing  and  judging  of  this  matter  according  to  hu- 
man appearance  and  probabihty.  As  if  he  he  had  said, 
"  Who  could  have  thought  that  you  would  not  repent  and 
believe  the  gospel,  before  whose  eyes  such  mighty  works  have 
been  done  for  your  conviction.  If  such  things  had  been  done 
among  men  of  -the  worst  character,  even  the  inhabitants  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  surely  they  wonld  have  repented  immediately. 
It  would  be  natural  to  expect,  and  be  confident  that  this  would 
be  the  effect."  If  the  words  are  understood  in  this  sense,  they 
will  be  very  agreeable  to  some  other  passages  in  the  Bible. 
"  For  he  said,  surely  they  are  ray  people,  children  that  will  not 
lie :  so  he  was  their  Savior."  (Isa.  Ixiii.  8.)  Here  God  is 
represented  as  putting  confidence  in  his  people,  that  they 
would  be  faithful  to  him,  according  to  their  profession,  vows, 
and  engagements  ;  and  so  is  represented  as  speaking  only  after 
the  manner  of  men ;  for  as  the  omniscient  God,  he  knew  they 
did  fie,  and  would  break  all  their  promises.  The  following 
passage,  I  think,  is  exactly  parallel  to  this  under  consideration  : 
"  For  thou  art  not  sent  to  a  people  of  a  strange  speech,  and 
of  a  hard  language,  but  to  the  house  of  Israel ;  not  to  many 
people  of  a  strange  speech  and  a  hard  language,  whose  words 
thou  canst  not  understand;  surely,  had  I  sent  thee  to  them 
they  would  have  hearkened  unto  thee."     (Ezek.  iii.  5,  6.) 

Christ's  design  was  to  represent  to  them  their  folly  and  ob- 
stinacy in  a  way  that  was  suited  to  their  conviction,  and  to 
stop  their  mouths.  And  what  was  better  suited  to  do  it,  than 
to  observe  to  them  the  confidence  any  one  would  have,  before 
the  trial,  that  those  who,  in  their  view  were  the  worst  of  men, 
and  whom  they  held  in  the  highest  contempt  and  abhorrence, 
would  have  been  brought  to  the  deepest  repentance,  by  the 
same  means  under  M'hich  they  had  continued  obstinately 
impenitent  ? 

Before  I  leave  this  passage,  I  would  observe,  that  our  Savior 
does  not  ground  his  assertion  that  it  should  be  more  tolerable 
for  Tyre  and  Sidon  at  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  the  inhab- 
itants of  these  Jewish  cities,  upon  this  —  that  the  former  would 
liave  repented  had  the  mighty  works  been  done  in  them  which 
were  done  among  the  latter.  This  Mr.  M.  takes  for  granted 
in  afi  he  says,  but,  I  think,  without  any  reason.  If  this  had 
been  the  case,  the  word  would  have  been,  "  Therefore  I  say 
unto  you  it  shafi  be  more  tolerable,"  etc.,  and  not  "  But  I  say 
unto  you,"  etc.  Christ  tells  them,  that  if  the  same  means  had 
been  used  with  these  wicked  cities,  which  these  Jews  did  most 
abominate  and  contemn,  that  had  been  used  with  them,  any 


OF    SEVERAL    PASSAGES    OF    .SCRIPTURE.  339 

one  would  be  confident  they  would  have  repented,  as  best 
suited  to  strike  conviction  into  their  minds,  and  make  them 
reflect  on  their  own  amazins^  unreasonableness  and  obstinacy. 
And  then  goes  on  to  say,  "  But  I  say  unro  you,"  etc.  As  if  he 
had  said,  "  But,  be  this  as  it  will,  whether  they  v\^ould  have  re- 
pented or  not,  I  have  one  thing  to  say  to  you  which  you  may 
depend  upon  as  infallibly  certain ;  however  abominably  vile 
and  wicked  you  think  these  cities  to  be,  you  are  much  more 
guilty  than  they,  and  they  shall  have  a  lighter  punishment  than 
you,  when  every  thing  shall  be  adjusted  according  to  the  truth." 

But  let  it  be  remembered  that  whether  I  have  given  the 
true  sense  or  not,  it  does  not  affect  the  matter  in  dispute  be- 
tween Mr.  M.  and  me ;  for,  be  this  as  it  will,  it  is  certain  the 
sense  he  has  given,  in  order  to  oppose  me,  cannot  be  right; 
which  I  conclude  has  been  sufficiently  proved. 

The  last  text  mentioned  must  now  be  attended  to.  "  The 
gospel  is  a  savor  of  death  unto  death,  in  them  that  perish." 

I  referred  to  this  Scripture  to  prove  that  all  means  used 
with  sinners,  all  light  and  advantages  they  have  had,  and 
therefore  all  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  if  they  con- 
tinue impenitent  and  perish,  will  turn  against  them  and  ag- 
gravate their  condemnation ;  and  said,  "  consequently  the 
more  light  and  conviction  men  have,  the  more  their  attention 
is  awakened  to  the  things  of  the  gospel ;  and  the  more  means 
they  attend  upon,  and  are  used  with  them,  while  they  con- 
tinue obstinately  to  oppose  light  and  truth  and  reject  the  offers 
of  the  gospel,  the  more  guilty  and  vile,  and  the  greater  crimi- 
nals are  they  in  God's  sight."  Before  I  proceed,  I  beg  leave 
to  take  notice,  that  Mr.  M.,  when  he  quotes  these  words,  hav- 
ing transcribed  the  following,  "  While  they  continue  obsti- 
nately to  oppose  light  and  truth,  and  reject  the  offers  of  the 
gospel,"  stops  here,  and  adds,  "  i.  e.,  while  they  continue  unre- 
generate,  as  the  author  explains  himself."  This  he  seems  to 
add  out  of  his  great  tenderness  to  the  awakened,  unregenerate 
sinner,  to  quality  my  words,  as  if  they  set  the  sinner  in  too 
bad  a  light,  and  as  if  to  be  barely  unregenerate  was  a  more 
innocent,  harmless  character  than  these  words  represented. 
He  puts  in  this  softening  expression,  as  he  seems  to  think  it, 
whenever  he  has  occasion  to  quote  the  words  in  which  I  rep- 
resent the  state  and  exercises  of  the  unregenerate,  even  under 
the  highest  awake4iings  and  convictions.  A  plain  evidence 
this,  among  a  hundred  others,  that  he  does  not  think  the 
awakened,  unregenerate  sinner  does  obstinately  reject  the 
offers  of  the  gospel.  But  why  then  did  he  not  speak  this  out 
plainly,  and  expressly  oppose  me  on  this  foot,  which  is  really 
the  turning  point,  and  the   only  dispute   between  us?     He 


340  EXAMINATION    OF    MR.   M.'s    EVASIONS,    ETC. 

might  then,  perhaps,  have  been  more  consistent  with  himself, 
whether  he  had  gained  his  point  or  no. 

But  let  us  attend  to  what  he  observes  upon  this  passage  of 
Scripture  to  show  that  it  is  not  to  my  purpose.  This  is  in 
the  following  words :  "  Were  it  never  so  fully  conceded  that 
those  that  perish  from  under  the  external  light  of  the  gospel 
do  thereby  fall  under  a  more  aggravated  condemnation,  yet 
this  would  be  nothing  to  the  author's  purpose,  because  this  may 
be  the  case  with  multitudes,  that  they  reject  the  external  light 
of  the  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  with  scorn  and  de- 
rision, without  ever  being  awakened  or  reformed  by  it;  so  the 
gospel  may  be  a  savor  of  death  unto  death,  unto  thousands 
that  never  were  one  of  them  a  proper  subject  of  this  debate, 
because  never  awakened  to  reformation  and  amendment  of 
life." 

This  passage  is  somewhat  dark  to  me,  I  own  ;  but  if  I  have 
understood  it,  the  meaning  is  this :  though  it  is  granted  that 
the  gospel  becomes  a  savor  of  death  unto  them  that  perish 
from  under  it,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  it  is  so  to  them  who 
are  awakened  and  reformed ;  because  this  may  be  true  of 
thousands  under  the  gospel,  who  do  reject  it  with  scorn.  If 
any  thing  is  proved  by  this,  I  think  it  is,  that  the  awakened 
and  reformed  do  not  any  of  them  perish ;  so  these  words  have 
no  relation  to  them,  but  only  to  those  who  reject  the  gospel 
with  scorn.  They,  indeed,  perish,  and  the  gospel  is  a  means 
of  aggravating  their  condemnation.  If  any  of  the  awakened 
and  reformed  perish,  then  the  gospel  is  a  savor  of  death  unto 
death  unto  them  ;  for  it  is  so  to  all  that  perish,  be  they  awak- 
ened and  reformed  or  not. 

Indeed,  I  do  not  wonder  if  Mr.  M.  thinks  the  awakened, 
humbled,  reformed,  unregenerate  sinner,  who  honestly  attempts 
to  be  obedient,  and  lies  at  the  foot  of  sovereign  mercy  as  his 
only  hope,  does  never  perish,  though  he  allows  there  are  no 
promises  made  to  such.  Our  Savior  divides  all  under  the 
gospel  into  those  who  do  evil  and  hate  the  light,  and  con- 
sequently shall  fall  under  an  aggravated  condemnation  ;  and 
those  who  love  and  obey  the  truth,  and  so  shall  be  saved. 
Mr.  M.  insists  upon  it  that  his  awakened,  reformed  sinner  does, 
not  belong  to  the  former  class,  as  has  been  observed ;  therefore 
will  not  be  condemned.  What  he  says  here  is  of  the  same 
tenor.  St.  Paul  divides  all  into  them  that  shall  perish,  and 
those  who  shall  be  saved ;  and  Mr.  M.  says,  the  awakened,  re- 
formed sinner  is  not  to  be  ranked  among  the  former,  therefore 
shall  be  saved. 

I  shall  finish  this  section  when  I  have  taken  notice  of  one 
passage  more  under  this  head.     Mr.  M.  says,  "  Another  mis- 


EXAMINATION    OF    SOME    OF    MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS,  ETC.      341 

taken  way  in  which  the  author  argues  his  point,  as  it  appears 
to  me,  is  determining  the  degree  of  man's  wickedness,  merely 
from  the  degree  of  light  sinned  against,  without  any  regard  had 
to  the  degree  of  the  strength  of  his  bias  to  sin." 

I  cannot  say  how  this  happened  to  appear  to  Mr.  M. 
However,  I  think  it  did  not  "  appear  to  him  "  from  any  thing 
that  I  have  said.  To  illustrate  this  remark,  he  supposes  two 
persons  with  different  degrees  of  bias  to  sin,  under  the  same 
degree  of  light;  and  concludes  that  he  who  has  the  strongest 
bias  or  inclination  to  sin  is  the  greatest  sinner.  This  is 
granted ;  but  I  have  said  nothing  that  relates  to  such  a  case. 
I  am  speaking  of  the  same  sinner,  having  different  degrees  of 
light  at  different  times  ;  in  which  there  is  no  room  for  the  sup- 
position of  different  degrees  of  bias,  unless  we  suppose  that 
his  bias  to  sin  increases  as  the  light  of  his  conscience  does. 
And  this  supposition  is  so  far  from  rendering  my  argument 
inconclusive,  that  it  greatly  strengthens  it.  And  if  I  any 
where  speak  of  two  sinners,  representing  him  as  the  greatest 
who  has  the  most  light,  it  is  supposed  that  their  natural  pow- 
ers, advantages,  and  bias  to  sin  are  in  all  other  respects  equal. 


SECTION   V. 

In  which  several  Tilings  which  Mr.  Mills  says  in  Favor  of  the 
Negative  are  examined. 

Mr.  Mills  has  mentioned  several  things  which  he  intends 
as  arguments  against  what  I  have  advanced,  though  they  are 
not  formally  proposed  as  such  ;  which,  as  they  are,  perhaps,  as 
weighty  as  any  he  has  offered,  and  will  probably  have  more 
influence  on  the  minds  of  many  of  his  readers  to  prejudice 
them  against  me  and  the  doctrine  I  have  advanced  than  all 
he  has  said  in  his  book  besides,  it  seems  necessary  in  the  first 
place  to  consider  them. 

One  argument  of  this  kind,  which  he  holds  up  to  view,  and 
harps  upon  abundantly  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  his 
piece,  is,  that  the  doctrine  I  advance  is  new.  He  makes  his 
first  attack  upon  me  with  this  weapon.  In  his  first  sentence, 
after  he  has,  in  his  own  words,  stated  the  doctrine  he  means 
to  oppose,  he  has  these  words :  "  I  must  say,  the  divinity  here 
exhibited  appears  to  me  strange  and  new;  never  before  ad- 
vanced in  the  Christian  world,  by  any  divine  of  tolerable  sense 
and  reputation,  so  far  as  my  acquaintance  reacheth."  And  as 
he  thus  begins,  he  holds  up  the  cry  of  new  divinity  to  the  end 
of  his  book. 

29* 


342  EXAMINATION    OF    SOME    OF    MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS 

This  has,  indeed,  been  often  objected  to  doctrines  that  have 
been  advanced,  and  many  are  so  weak  and  foolish  as  to  be 
ready  to  reject  any  thing  that  is  proposed,  which  is  to  them 
strange  and  new ;  because  neio,  erroneous,  and  wrong,  are  with 
them  synonymous  words.  This  was  objected  against  Christ 
and  his  apostles.  This  was  a  grand  objection  against  the 
reformation  from  popery.  And  it  is  now  a  sutKcient  objection 
against  any  doctrine  advanced  by  any  divine  in  the  church  of 
Rome,  that  it  is  new,  —  never  before  advanced  by  any  of  the 
fathers.  And  this  has  always  been  the  cry,  whenever  there 
has  been  any  attempt  to  bring  on  a  reformation  in  doctrine  or 
manners,  —  "  These  are  new  things,  therefore  wrong,  and  not  to 
be  received."  Mr.  M.  himself  has  not  forgotten,  I  conclude,  that 
he  has  been  often,  in  a  way  of  reproach,  called  a  neiv  llg-ht. 
And  as  he  has  had  so  much  to  teach  him  what  influence  this 
now  has  with  too  many,  and  must  be  sensible  that  it  is  quite 
sufficient  to  set  them  against  a  man  and  his  doctrine,  to  tell 
them  he  has  published  strange  and  new  divinity,  his  making 
use  of  it  as  he  has  done  is  not  only  very  weak,  but  is  quite 
unjustifiable  and  wrong.  For  this  is  in  a  high  degree  impos- 
ing on  such,  and  confirming  them  in  a  prejudice  which  every 
public  teacher  ought  to  guard  against  and  endeavor  to  eradi- 
cate to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  as  it  can  never  do  any  real 
good,  and  has  proved  infinitely  mischievous  in  ten  thousand 
instances,  and  will  always  be  improved  against  the  discovery 
of  new  truth,  and  the  increase  of  light  and  knowledge  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  which  is  so  much  predicted  in  Scripture,  and 
is  so  greatly  to  be  desired.  And  Mr.  M.  is  yet  more  inexcusa- 
ble and  culpable  if  he  has  raised  and  kept  up  this  cry  of  7iew 
divinity  with  a  design  to  avail  himself  of  this  too  common 
prejudice  among  mankind,  the  more  eflfectually  to  run  down 
and  raise  the  popular  cry  against  the  man  and  the  doctrine 
which  he  had  undertaken  to  oppose. 

Mr.  M.,  perhaps,  thinks  he  has  given  sufficient  caution  on 
this  head,  in  that  when  he  speaks  of  my  doctrine  as  "  quite 
new,"  he  adds,  "  and  therefore  requires  the  greater  caution 
not  to  admit  of  other  than  clear  and  demonstrative  Scripture 
evidence  and  proof  for  the  confirmation  of  it."  But  what  he 
has  asserted  here  is  directly  contrary  to  truth  and  all  reason. 
We  ought  always  to  exercise  so  much  caution  as  never  to 
admit  any  doctrine  as  true  without  good  evidence;  and  all 
doctrines  proposed  to  us  as  true,  whether  old  or  new,  are  to  be 
carefully  examined  and  tried  in  the  light  of  Scripture,  and  not 
to  be  received  unless  we  judge  them  supported  by  that  un- 
erring rule;  and  in  this  inquiry  and  examination,  their  being 
old  or  new  ought  not  to  come  into   consideration,  so  as  to 


IN    FAVOR    OF    THE    NEGATIVE.  343 

have  the  least  weight  with  us,  on  one  side  or  the  other.  It  is 
no  argument  at  all  that  a  doctrine  is  true,  because  it  has  been 
long  received  as  such ;  nor  is  it  the  least  evidence  that  a  doc- 
trine is  not  agreeable  to  Scri})ture,  that  it  is  "  quite  new,  and 
never  before  advanced."  And,  therefore,  both  old  and  new  are 
to  be  examined  Avith  equal  caution,  and  the  latter  to  be  as 
readily  admitted  as  the  former,  if  it  be  equally  agreeable  to 
Scripture.  And  if  any  one  uses  greater  caution  in  examin- 
ing and  admitting  one  or  the  other,  either  because  it  is  new 
or  because  it  is  old,  he  so  far  is  governed  by  unreasonable 
prejudice.  The  word  neiv  ought  not  to  be  mentioned  in  such 
an  inquiry.  Therefore,  Mr.  M.  cannot  be  justified  in  any 
thing  he  has  said  on  this  head ;  but  is  answerable  for  all 
the  prejudice  he  has  by  this  means  excited  in  the  minds  of 
any  against  the  author  and  doctrine  he  opposes,  and  for  all 
the  odium  this  outcry  has  raised. 

The  church  has  yet  been  in  its  infant  state  as  to  knowledge. 
The  Bible  is  in  no  measure  understood  as  it  will  be,  when  it 
shall  be  properly  and  thoroughly  attended  to.  Many  things 
which  have  been  held  for  truth  by  long  prescription  will  be 
exploded,  and  new  truths  will  rise  into  view.  "  Many  shall 
run  to  and  fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased."  "  Every 
scribe  which  is  instructed  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  like 
a  man  that  is  a  householder,  which  bringeth  forth  out  of  his 
treasure  things  new  and  old."  And  shall  any  one  of  these 
professed  scribes  raise  a  cry  against  another  merely  because  he 
brings  forth  new  divinity  ? 

But  this  charge  and  outcry  will  appear  worse,  and  more 
injurious  still,  if  the  fact  is  not  true,  and  the  doctrine  I  have 
advanced  is  indeed  not  new  divinity,  but  has  been  often  taught, 
though  not  just  in  my  words,  or  in  so  express  and  particular  a 
manner  as  I  have  done,  by  many  old  and  noted  divines.  They 
have  all  asserted  it  in  effect  who  have  taught  that  the  sum  of 
all  sin  lies  in  the  exercises  of  the  heart,  and  that  unbelief,  or 
rejection  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  beyond  comparison  the  greatest  sin 
that  men  can  be  guilty  of;  and  that  the  awakened,  convinced 
sinner  does  reject  Christ  with  as  great  strength  and  obstinacy 
of  heart  as  ever,  under  all  his  light  and  conviction,  which  does 
amazingly  aggravate  his  sin.  Was  it  a  matter  of  importance 
enough  to  call  for  it,  a  volume  of  collections  to  this  purpose, 
from  many  eminent  divines  that  have  been  long  dead,  might 
be  published.  But  this  would  be  labor  in  vain,  as  it  would 
not  be  the  least  evidence  that  the  doctrine  I  ha\e  published  is 
true,  or  afford  the  least  degree  of  reason  why  it  should  be  re- 
ceived with  less  caution  than  if  it  was  in  direct  opposition  to 
all  the  divines  that  ever  lived.     However,  for  M.  M.'s  satisfac- 


344  EXAMINATION    OF    SOME    OF    MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS 

tion,  and  to  calm  his  mind,  which  has  been  so  greatly  agitated 
and  troubled  about  this  "  strange,  new  divinity,"  which  ap- 
peared to  him  "too  strange  to  be  true,"  I  will  make  a  quota- 
tion or  two  from  one  who  I  trust  he  will  own  was  a  "divine 
cftolerable  sense  and  reputation."  It  is  no  less  or  later  a  divine 
than  Dr.  Owen. 

He,  speaking  of  awakened,  convinced,  reformed  sinners, 
under  a  work  of  the  law,  says,  "  The  spring  of  sin  is  not  dried 
up,  only  the  streams  of  it  are  turned  another  way.  It  may  be 
the  man  is  fallen  upon  other  more  secret,  or  more  spiritual  sins  ; 
or  if  he  be  beat  oft"  from  them  also,  the  whole  strength  of  lust 
and  sin  will  take  up  its  residence  in  self-righteousness,  and 
pour  out  thereby  as  filthy  streams  as  in  any  other  way  what- 
ever." Again,  speaking  of  endeavors  of  the  unregenerate  to 
mortify  sin  by  prayers,  fasting,  etc.,  he  says,  "  Sin  is  not  mor- 
tified ;  no,  nor  the  power  of  it  weakened ;  but  what  it  loseth 
in  sensual,  in  carnal  pleasures,  it  takes  up  with  great  advantage 
in  blindness,  darkness,  superstition,  self-righteousness,  foul 
pride,  contempt  of  the  gospel,  and  the  righteousness  of  it, 
and  reigns  no  less  than  in  the  most  profligate  sinners  in  the 
world." 

To  this  may  be  added  the  opinion  of  some  later  divines. 
President  Edwards  says,  "  It  is  very  manifest  by  Scripture  and 
reason,  that  for  men  to  live  in  enmity  against  God  and  Christ, 
and  in  wilful  unbelief  and  rejection  of  Christ,  (as  the  Scriptures 
teach  is  the  case  with  all  unsanctified  men  under  the  gospel,) 
is  to  live  in  some  of  the  most  heinous  kinds  of  wickedness,  as 
is  allowed  by  all  Calvinistic  divines  in  general,  and  by  Mr. 
Stoddard  in  particular,  who  says,  'You  cannot  anger  God 
more  by  any  thing  than  by  continuing  in  the  neglect  of  Christ. 
This  is  the  great  controversy  God  has  with  sinners ;  not  that 
they  have  been  guilty  of  these  and  those  particular  transgres- 
sions, but  that  they  abide  in  the  rejection  of  the  gospel.'  "  And 
again  he  says,  "  The  great  sin  that  God  is  angry  with  you  for, 
is  unbelief.  Despising  the  gospel  is  the  great,  provoking  sin." 
President  Edwards  says,  moreover,  "  The  truth  is,  that  as  long 
as  men  reject  Christ,  and  do  not  savingly  believe  on  him,  how- 
ever they  may  be  awakened,  and  however  strict,  and  conscien- 
tious, and  laborious  they  may  be  in  religion,  they  have  the 
wrath  of  God  abiding  on  them,  and  they  are  his  enemies,  and 
the  children  of  the  devil;  and  they  are  then  especially  provok- 
ing to  God,  under  those  terrors,  that  they  stand  it  out  against 
Christ,  and  will  not  accept  an  offered  Savior,  though  they  see 
so  much  need  of  him." 

Here  are  not  only  two  of  the  most  noted  divines  not  against 
me,  but  expressly  on  my  side  of  the  question,  but  Calvinistic 


IN  FAVOR  OF  THE  NEGATIVE.  345 

divines  in  general,  so  far  as  President  Edwards's  judgment  is 
to  be  relied  upon  with  respect  to  this  fact.  I  have  transcribed 
this  partly  to  enlarge  INlr.  M.'s  acquaintance,  that  he  may  no 
longer  be  able  to  say  the  divinity  I  have  exhibited  was  "never 
before  advanced  in  the  Christian  world  by  any  divine  of  toler- 
able sense  and  reputation,  so  far  as  my  acquaintance  reacheth." 

After  what  I  have  said  above  it  will  perhaps  be  needless  to 
observe,  that  I  do  not  make  these  quotations  because  I  u^ould 
not  be  thought  to  have  published  any  thing  new.  I  now  de- 
clare I  had  much  rather  publish  new  divinity  than  any  other. 
And  the  more  of  this  the  better,  if  it  be  but  true.  Nor  do  I 
think  any  doctrine  can  be  "too  strange  to  be  true."  I  should 
think  it  hardly  worth  while  to  write  if  I  had  nothing  new  to 
say.  And  if  I  am  so  unhappy  as  to  live  in  an  age  in  which  I 
must  be  condemned  merely  because  I  bring  certain  strange 
things  to  tiieir  ears,  I  will  appeal  from  them,  and  from  Mr.  M. 
in  particular,  to  the  happy  people  who  shall  live  in  the  last 
days,  who  will  be  thankful  to  every  one  who  has  cast  in  his 
mite  towards  the  overthrow  of  error,  however  long  established, 
and  the  discovery  of  truth,  however  new  and  overlooked  by  all 
generations  before ;  and  will  look  on  him  as  an  enemy  to  the 
church  and  to  mankind  who  has  used  his  inlluence  to  stifle 
and  suppress  every  or  any  new  truth,  because  he  had  never 
heard  or  thought  of  it  before. 

Another  argument  against  me  is,  that  the  doctrine  I  have 
advanced  is  not  only  new,  but  directly  contrary  to  the  opinion 
of  many  eminent  fathers  and  divines  ;  and  among  the  rest, 
"  the  late  President  Edwards,  who  will,"  says  Mr.  M., "  serve, 
I  suppose,  instead  of  many  with  our  author." 

Answer.  This  argument  appears  to  me  of  no  more  weight 
than  the  former.  The  opinion  of  no  man  or  body  of  men, 
however  great  and  renowned  in  their  day,  ought  to  have  the 
least  weight  with  us  in  our  inquiries  after  the  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel. He  who  pays  the  least  regard  to  this,  or  is  in  any  degree 
influenced  by  it,  gives  himself  up  to  a  very  uncertain,  fallible 
guide ;  and  if  he  is  not  led  wrong,  but  believes  what  is  real 
truth,  merely  upon  the  credit  and  testimony  of  others,  it  will  be 
of  no  more  saving  advantage  to  him  than  if  it  was  not  true  ;  for 
such  implicit  faith  is  no  better  than  no  faith  at  all.  Besides, 
it  is  a  great  abuse  of  any  divine  who  is  dead,  to  rely  upon  him 
or  quote  him  as  an  authority,  who  knew  himself  to  be  fallible, 
and  would  be  very  sorry  to  have  his  mistakes  received  as  truth, 
merely  because  he  was  so  unhappy  as  to  publish  them. 

He,  therefore,  may  be  justly  censured  who  quotes  any  father, 
or  number  of  fathers,  as  an  authority,  or  of  the  least  weight  to 
support  what  he  holds,  or  run  down  what  he  opposes.     It  is 


346  EXAMINATION    OF    SOME    OF    MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS 

much  worse  than  childish  trifling;  it  is  an  abuse  of  the  public, 
and  tends  to  upliol(J  j)eople  in  lliat  which  they  are  very  prone 
to,  and  has  proved  pernicious  to  thousands,  viz.,  relying  on  the 
opinion  ot"  others,  especially  those  who  have  had  the  character 
of  sound  and  great  divines,  without  examining  for  themselves. 
But,— 

2.  It  does  not  appear  evident  to  me  that  the  divines  Mr.  M. 
has  quoted  against  me  do  say  any  thing  really  contrary  to 
what  I  have  advanced.  If  it  is  an  abuse  to  quote  an  author 
as  an  authority  to  support  or  oppose  any  doctrine,  it  is  yet 
much  more  injurious  to  misunderstand  them,  and  produce 
them  to  oppose  a  doctrine  which  they  never  meant  to  oppose. 
Therefore,  though  the  matter  in  chspute  between  Mr.  M.  and 
me  is  not  in  the  least  degree  to  be  determined  by  them,  and  it 
is  really  no  matter,  in  this  view,  on  which  side  of  the  question 
they  are,  yet  it  is  but  a  piece  of  justice  to  them  to  remove  the 
misrepresentation  when  their  words  are  quoted  in  a  sense 
which  they  never  meant. 

Mr.  M.'s  quotation  from  the  Westminster  and  Savoy  con- 
fessions is  in  the  following  words :  "  Works  done  by  unre- 
generate  men,  although,  for  the  matter  of  them,  they  may  be 
things  which  God  commands,  and  of  good  use  both  to  them- 
selves and  others ;  yet,  because  they  proceed  not  from  a  heart 
purified  by  faith,  nor  are  done  in  a  right  manner,  according  to 
the  word,  nor  to  a  right  end,  the  glory  of  God,  they  are,  there- 
fore, sinful,  and  cannot  please  God,  or  make  man  meet  to 
receive  grace  from  God ;  and  yet  their  neglect  of  them  is  more 
sinful  and  displeasing  to  God." 

Mr.  M.  says,  "  This  last  clause,  taken  in  a  compound  sense, 
is  denied  by  Mr.  Hopkins."  I  confess  I  know  not  what  sense 
that  is  which  he  here  calls  a  compound  sense,  unless  it  be  a 
sense  compounded  of  the  author's  sense  and  Mr.  M.'s.  It  does 
not  appear,  I  think,  that  this  clause,  taken  according  to  com- 
mon sense,  has  ever  been  denied  by  me. 

All  they  say  is,  that  the  practice  of  these  things  which  are 
externally  right,  is  less  sinful  than  the  neglect  of  them  would 
be,  other  things  being  equal ;  and  I  say  nothing  contrary  to 
this.  They  do  not  say  that  he  is  the  least  sinner,  less  guilty 
and  vile  in  all  cases  and  in  every  instance,  who  attends  on 
those  external  things,  than  he  might  be  in  the  neglect  of  them. 
Nor  is  this  true.  A  person  may  put  on  all  external  sobriety 
and  religion  out  of  enmity  to  Christianity,  and  with  a  design 
to  put  himself  under  advantage  thereby  to  overthrow  it  more 
eti'ectually.  In  this  case,  I  suppose  all  will  grant  he  is  as  sin- 
ful and  vile  as  if  he  had  lived  in  the  neglect  of  these  things. 
II'  a  person  believes  in  his  conscience  it  is  wrong  and  very 


IN    FAVOR    OF    THE    NEGATIVE.  347 

sinful  for  him  to  attend  the  externals  of  religion,  and  tliat  God 
forbids  hi«i  to  do  it,  his  doing  these  things  in  this  case  would 
be  more  sinlul  in  him  than  the  neglect  of  them.  The  passage 
under  consideration  (Mr.  M.  will  grant)  has  no  respect  to  such 
instances  as  these ;  so  affirms  nothing  about  them.  But  it  has 
as  much  respect  to  these  as  to  the  case  I  have  stated  in  my 
section  on  means,  I  state  a  particular  case,  in  which  I  say 
the  unregenerate  sinner  is  more  guilty  and  vile,  even  though 
he  reforms  all  external  ways  of  sin,  and  performs  all  external 
duty,  than  he  was  when  he  did  not  so ;  at  the  same  time  I 
expressly  assert  that  his  greater  sinfulness  does  not  consist  in 
his  reformation  of  external  sins,  but  in  something  else,  quite 
independent  of  this.  Is  this  to  assert,  attendance  on  these  ex- 
ternals is  not  in  itself  considered,  other  things  being  equal,  less 
sinful  ?  Surely,  no  ;  nor  any  thing  like  it.  Therefore,  I  do  not 
contradict  what  the  assembly  of  divines  here  assert.  I  do  not 
say  that  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  would  not  be  more 
guilty  in  continuing  in  external  wickedness  and  the  neglect  of 
external  religion  than  he  is  in  his  external  reformations,  but  that 
he  is  now  more  guilty  and  vile,  all  things  considered,  than  he 
was  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  security,  whatever  alteration 
there  is  in  his  external  conduct.  How  Mr.  M.  came  to  think  I 
had  denied  what  is  asserted  in  the  passage  quoted,  I  caimot 
tell.  Perhaps  he  will  unfold  the  matter  when  he  comes  to 
explain  his  compound  sense;  until  this  shall  be  done,  I  must 
say,  "  No  consequence,  and  wait  for  light." 

Before  I  leave  this  passage  I  would  just  observe,  that  though 
it  contains  nothing  in  opposition  to  what  I  have  asserted,  Mr. 
M.  has  advanced  things  in  his  book  which  I  think  are  directly 
contrary  1o  it.  Here  it  is  said,  "  They"  (i.  e.,  works  done  by 
unregenerate  men)  "are  sinful,  and  cannot  please  God."  But 
Mr.  M.,  speaking  of  Ahab,  says,  the  Lord  took  a  favorable 
notice  of  his  doings;  and  he  speaks  of  God's  express  appro- 
bation of  Jehu,  and  the  congregation  of  Israel  in  the  wilder- 
ness for  what  they  did  while  unregenerate.  Surely,  to  say 
that  the  doings  and  works  of  the  unregenerate  cannot  please 
God,  and  to  say  that  God  takes  a  favorable  notice  of  thein, 
and  approves  of  them,  are  as  contrary  and  opposite  propo- 
sitions as  any  can  be.  To  say  that  God  approves  of  that 
with  which  he  is  not,  and  cannot  be  pleased,  is  a  flat  contra- 
diction, and  is  just  the  same  as  to  say,  God  cannot  be  pleased 
with  that  with  which  he  actually  is  pleased. 

In  this  passage  it  is  also  said,  that  the  works  and  attain- 
ments of  the  unregenerate  do  not  make  a  man  meet  to  receive 
grace  from  God.  Mr.  M.,  in  direct  onjiosition  to  this,  has  la- 
bored through  several  pages  to  prove  that  the  unregenerate  do, 


348  EXAMINATION    OF    SOME    OF    MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS 

by  their  exercises  and  works,  get  nearer  to  true  grace  or  holi- 
ness, or  in  the  state  of  their  mind  nearer  to  that  of  good  men. 

I  do  not  mention  Mr.  M.'s  opposition  to  "  the  testimony  of 
so.  many  Calvinistic  divines"  as  any  evidence  that  he  is  not 
right.  That  he  has  herein  grossly  erred  from  the  truth,  I  trust 
will  appear  evident  enough  before  I  have  done ;  though  his 
contradicting  these  divines  is  no  evidence  against  him  at  all. 
I  observe  this  only  to  show  his  self-contradiction,  in  that  he 
with  high  approbation  quotes  a  passage  as  being  directly 
against  me,  and  then  repeatedly  contradicts  it  himself;  so 
that  when  the  matter  comes  to  be  examined,  it  stands  not  at 
all  against  me,  but  directly  against  himself. 

We  will  now  attend  to  what  he  has  quoted  from  President 
Edwards.  He  says,  "  He  is  so  express  to  the  point  as  if  he 
had  wrote  on  purpose  to  confute  the  doctrine  I  am  opposing." 
His  words  are,  "  The  exercise  of  natural  conscience  is  such  and 
such  degrees,  wherein  appears  such  a  measure  of  awakening 
or  sensibility  of  conscience,  though  it  be  not  of  the  nature  of 
real  positive  virtue,  or  true  moral  goodness,  yet  has  a  nega- 
tive moral  goodness,  because  in  the  present  state  of  things,  it 
is  an  evidence  of  the  absence  of  that  higher  degree  of  wick- 
edness which  causes  great  insensibility,  or  stupidity  of  con- 
science." 

That  the  author  in  these  words  has  no  respect  to  the  doc- 
trine Mr.  M.  is  opposing,  and  much  less  says  any  thing  on 
purpose  to  confute  it,  will  be  evident,  if  the  following  things 
are  well  considered  :  — 

1.  He  is  not  here  speaking  of  that  light  and  conviction  of 
conscience  which  the  unregenerate  sinner  has  in  a  work  pre- 
paratory to  regeneration  and  conversion,  but  of  that  sensibility 
and  those  dictates  of  conscience  which  most  men  have  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  even  heathen  as  well  as  those  that  are 
under  the  light  of  the  gospel,  which  suggest  to  them  in  general 
what  they  owe  to  God  and  to  their  neighbors,  and  the  reason- 
ableness of  God's  law,  which  may  be  called  the  law  of  nature. 
He  is  here  dealing  with  those  men  who  insist  upon  it  that 
these  dictates  of  natural  conscience  are  true  virtue,  and  hence 
infer  that  all  men  are  naturally  virtuous  in  some  degree.  He 
is  here  giving  the  reason  why  these  dictates  of  conscience  have 
been  mistaken  for  true  virtue.  They  with  whom  he  is  con- 
cerned here  never  speak  of  that  peculiar  kind  and  degree  of 
awakening  and  conviction  of  conscience  which  sinners  under 
genuine  conviction  have.  They  are  so  far  from  mistaking 
such  conviction  for  true  virtue,  that  they  rather  look  upon  it 
to  be  gross  delusion,  grounded  on  quite  wrong  and  false  no- 
tions of  things.      President  Edwards,  therefore,  has  not  this 


IN  FAVOR  OF  THE  NEGATIVE.  349 

awakening  and  conviction  in  view,  nor  has  any  respect  to  it  in 
these  words ;  therefore,  his  words  do  not  confute  any  thing 
which  I  have  said  concerning  that  to  which  they  have  no 
reference. 

2.  President  Edwards  is  here  speaking  of  those  dictates  of 
conscience  which  are  regarded  and  obeyed,  in  a  great  measure 
at  least,  in  the  view  and  apprehension  of  him  who  is  the  sub- 
ject of  them.  Surely  he  does  not  mean  to  assert  that  however 
the  dictates  of  conscience  are  disregarded,  opposed,  and  sinned 
against,  yet  this  conviction  is  an  evidence  that  he  who  has 
them  is  not  so  great  a  sinner  as  he  who  commits  the  same  sins 
in  ignorance,  and  not  against  his  conscience.  If  he  does,  these 
words  are  as  much  against  Mr.  M.,  and  almost  every  body  else, 
as  they  are  against  me.  But  I  am  speaking  of  an  awakening 
and  sensibility  of  conscience,  which  is  perfectly  opposed  and 
sinned  against.  It  is,  therefore,  certain,  that  he  has  no  refer- 
ence to  the  convinced  sinner  of  whom  I  speak ;  and  what 
makes  this  more  certain,  if  possible,  is,  that  when  he  is  ex- 
pressly speaking  of  such  an  awakened,  convinced  sinner,  he 
represents  him  as  guilty  of  the  most  heinous  kinds  of  wicked- 
ness, and  especially  provoking  to  God,  as  has  been  shown. 

In  one  word,  he  here  speaks  of  different  persons  under  the 
same  degree  of  light  and  advantage  every  way.  This  light 
makes  impression  on  one  and  not  on  the  other.  In  this  case 
it  is  evident  that  the  former  is  not  so  much  blinded  and  hard- 
ened by  sin  as  the  latter,  so  is  an  evidence  of  a  higher  degree 
of  sin  in  the  latter  than  in  the  former.  But  what  is  this  to  the 
awakening  and  convictions  of  conscience,  which  are  brought 
on  not  by  the  mere  force  of  external  means  but  by  extraordi- 
nary influences  on  the  mind,  counteracting  and  repelling  the 
influence  of  that  wickedness  of  heart  which  had  before  held 
the  mind  in  blindness  and  security  ?  Not  a  word  is  said  about 
such  a  case  as  this  ;  therefore,  nothing  to  the  purpose  for  which 
Mr.  M.  has  made  the  quotation. 

3.  Let  it  be  observed  that  the  words  here  quoted,  taken  in 
the  sense  in  which  Mr.  M.  understands  them,  are  directly 
against  himself.  He  speaks  of  this  awakening  and  sensibility 
of  conscience  as  taking  place  in  an  ordinary  and  common  way, 
and  as  common  to  all  in  whom  it  is  not  weakened  and  sup- 
pressed by  a  course  of  opposition  to  it.  Therefore  it  is  not 
brought  on  the  mind,  and  wrought  in  it,  by  any  influences  of 
the  Spirit  of  God.  K,  therefore,  he  is  here  speaking  of  that 
awakening  and  conviction  which  is  preparatory  to  conversion, 
he  supposes  no  special  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  this, 
and  implicitly  denies  it;  which  Mr.  M.  repeatedly  speaks  of  as 
a  dangerous  error.     Mr.  M.,  therefore,  by  quoting  these  words, 

VOL.  III.  30 


350  EXAMINATION    OF    SOME    OF    MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS 

in  the  sense  he  puts  upon  them,  and  with  approbation,  is 
guilty  of  self-contradiction,  as  he  was  in  the  former  instance. 

I  come  now  to  the  last  argument  of  this  kind  which  Mr.  M. 
makes  use  of  against  me.  It  is  in  one  word  this,  that  I  have 
joined  with  Sandeman  ;  so  far,  at  least,  as  to  be  on  his  side 
of  the  question,  and  favor  what  he  has  advanced  in  what  Mr. 
M.  undertakes  to  oppose.  Of  this  he  takes  care  to  remind  the 
reader  in  the  first  sentence,  after  he  has  stated  what  he  says  I 
have  asserted.  "  I  must  say  the  divinity  here  exhibited  ap- 
pears to  me  strange  and  new,  never  before  advanced  in  the 
Christian  world  by  any  divine  of  tolerable  sense  and  reputa- 
tion, so  far  as  my  acquaintance  reacheth ;  unless  something 
of  a  like  complexion  is  to  be  found  in  the  letters  on  Theron 
and  Aspasio,  ascribed  to  Sandeman,  who  has  well  nigh  con- 
demned all  other  divines  to  establish  himself  and  his  party  as 
the  only  true  church  of  Christ  upon  earth,  which  it  is  said, 
hath  for  many  ages  been  concealed  in  the  wilderness,  but  now 
lately  hath  appeared  in  them,  agreeable  to  other  enthusiastic 
visionaries." 

Sad,  indeed,  to  be  guilty  of  saying  that  which  looks  like  any 
thing, which  has  been  published  by  such  a  man!  He  has 
endeavored  to  keep  this  in  view  to  the  end  of  his  book ;  and 
in  his  concluding  paragraph,  says,  "  I  have  not  been  able  to 
persuade  myself  but  that  some  things  have  by  him  (the  au- 
thor he  is  opposing)  been  carried  too  far  in  favor  of  what  is 
commonly  called  the  Sandemanean  error."  Thus  I  am  ranked 
wdth  Sandeman  in  front  and  rear.  I  cannot  persuade  myself 
that  Mr.  M.  thought  this  ought  to  have  the  weight  of  a  feather 
in  determining  whether  what  I  have  asserted  is  right  or  wrong. 
This  argument,  however,  will  have  more  influence  on  the 
minds  of  many  of  his  readers  than  all  that  he  has  said  besides. 
Mr.  M.  could  not  be  insensible  of  this;  and  if  he  has  taken 
this  method,  and  said  these  things  with  this  view,  and  on  pur- 
pose to  raise  an  odium,  and  gain  any  advantage  to  his  cause 
by  this  means,  he  cannot  be  excused.  But  of  this  the  reader 
will  jndge. 

I  know  not  what  foundation  or  good  reason  Mr.  M.  had  to 
mention  Sandeman's  name  in  this  controversy.  Mr.  S.  says 
not  one  word,  that  I  have  observed,  relating  to  this  point  in 
any  of  his  writings.  Nor  is  there  any  reason  to  conclude  that 
what  I  have  asserted  is  more  agreeable  to  him  than  to  Mr.  M. 
I  claim  no  alliance  to  him,  nor  he  to  me,  that  I  know  of.  I 
have  thought,  and  still  think,  that  the  faith  and  holiness  w^hich 
he  teaches  are  not  the  faith  and  holiness  which  are  inculcated 
in  the  New  Testament;  but  essentially  defective,  and  even 
opposite  to  the  whole  of  divine  revelation ;  so  quite  subversive 


IN    FAVOR    OF    THE    NEGATIVE.  351 

of  true  Christianity.  He  has,  however,  said  many  things  very 
well,  and  some  by  which  many  public  teachers  stand  justly 
corrected.  And  it"  he  must  be  branded  with  holding  the  San- 
demanean  error  who  agrees  with  Sancieman  in  any  point,  or 
says  any  thing  "  of  a  like  complexion  "  with  something  which 
he  has  written,  who,  then,  shall  escape  ? 

By  all  I  can  learn,  my  section  on  means  is  no  more  agree- 
able to  Sandeman  and  his  followers  than  to  Mr.  M.  Mr.  M. 
approves  of  the  nine  first  sections,  but  finds  great  fault  with 
the  tenth ;  and  so  does  Mr.  Sandeman.  Herein  they  agree. 
And  it  would  not  be  a  dilficult  task  to  show  that  Mr.  M.  agrees 
with  him  in  many  more  points  than  I  do ;  and  there  is  evi- 
dence enough  that  he  has  a  much  better  opinion  of  the  man 
and  the  religion  he  teaches  than  I  have,  and  that  Mr.  S.  is 
much  more  friendly  to  him  than  to  me,  and  rather  takes  his 
side  in  the  controversy  between  us.  What  reason,  then,  had 
Mr.  M.  to  raise  such  an  outcry  through  all  the  country,  and 
insinuate  to  the  world  that  I  held  the  Sandemanean  error? 
Was  it  because  he  knew  that  this  would  make  many  stare  at 
me,  as  some  dreadful  monster  ? 

When  I  have  attended  to  this  method  Mr.  M.  has  taken  in 
his  dispute  with  me,  and  the  way  in  which  he  has  managed 
it,  which  seems  almost  peculiar  to  himself,  and  how  he  has  not 
only  tacked  Sandeman  upon  my  back  and  took  care  to  keep 
him  fast  there,  and  held  him  up  in  sight  from  beginning  to 
end,  but  has  also  ranked  me  with  Arminians  and  Quakers,  yea, 
with  the  devil  himself;*  I  say,  when  I  have  attended  to  this, 
it  has  brought  to  my  mind  the  method  the  Roman  Catholics 
have  often  taken  with  Protestant  martyrs  who  were  con- 
demned to  be  put  to  death ;  that  is,  to  place  a  large  cap  on 
their  head,  on  which  are  painted  a  number  of  hideous  monsters 
and  ugly  devils,  on  purpose  to  raise  the  indignation  of  the 
crowd  against  them.  It  is  to  be  observed,  however,  that  they 
do  this  to  those  only  who  they  really  think  deserve  such  treat- 
ment, they  being  in  their  view  as  bad,  at  least,  as  the  devil 
himself;  whereas  Mr.  M.  has  done  all  this  to  his  "  dear  brother 
and  worthy  author,  and  one  whom  he  highly  esteems." 

*  Page  21,  speaking  of  my  book,  he  says,  "  Nor  is  it  in  my  power  to  doubt 
that  the  grand  enemy  of  Christ's  cause  and  precious  souls  puts  his  hearty 
amen  to  it." 


352  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 


SECTION   VI. 

In  which  Mr.  Mills's  four  Arg^rments  to  prove  the  Negative  are 
considered  and  refuted. 

Mr.  Mills  has  reduced  his  arguments  against  what  I  have 
advanced  to  four  general  heads,  which  I  shall  consider  in  the 
order  in  which  he  has  placed  them. 

His  first  argument  is  founded  on  the  absurdities  which  he 
says  will  follow  from  what  I  have  asserted,  three  of  which  he 
particularly  mentions. 

The  first  he  states  in  the  following  words :  "  If  the  principle 
advanced  be  true,  there  is  no  possibility  of  the  profligate  sin- 
ner's becoming  less  vicious  in  the  state  of  his  mind,  whatever 
be  the  wickedness  he  lives  in  the  practice  of,  by  any  reforma- 
tion of  life  while  unregenerate  ;  because  reforming  in  any  in- 
stance supposes  the  increase  of  internal  light  and  sensibility 
of  conscience;  and  then,  according  to  this  new  principle,  he 
is  undoubtedly,  on  the  whole,  more  vile,  odious,  and  abomina- 
ble in  God's  sight  than  he  would  have  been  had  he  continued 
secure  and  at  ease,  going  on  in  his  sins." 

It  appears,  from  what  I  have  said  already,  that  this  is  not  a 
just  consequence  from  that  which  I  have  asserted.  For  every 
instance  of  reformation  of  life  does  not  suppose  an  increase  of 
internal  light.  The  profligate  may  reform  his  life  from  world- 
ly motives,  or  by  the  removal  of  the  temptation  and  opportu- 
nity, etc.,  without  having  any  more  light  and  conviction  of 
conscience  than  he  had  before.  Or,  he  may  have  light  and 
conviction  of  conscience  enough  to  lead  him  to  reform  his  life, 
and  yet  not  be  the  convinced  sinner  of  whom  I  speak,  as  has 
been  observed  before.  This,  therefore,  is  not  an  absurdity  (if 
it  is  one)  that  is  contained  in  the  doctrine  I  have  advanced, 
but  is  wholly  grounded  in  the  misrepresentation  he  has  made 
of  it. 

I  have,  indeed,  asserted  that  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner 
whom  I  describe  is  more  guilty  and  vile  in  the  exercises  of  his 
mind  than  he  was  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  security,  what- 
ever is  his  external  reformation.  This  is  the  principle  itself 
which  I  hold.  And  what  Mr,  M.  mentions  as  an  absurdity 
no  more  follows  from  this  proposition  than  it  does  from  any 
other  that  ever  was  thought  of.  If  there  is  any  absurdity  in 
the  case,  it  lies  in  the  proposition  itself;  if  there  is  no  absurdi- 
ty in  this,  no  absurd  consequence  can  be  drawn  from  it ;  un- 
less the  absurdity  consists  in  its  being  a  forced  and  unjust 
consequence.     In  this  sense,  I  acknowledge  Mr.  M.  has  made 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  353 

out  a  very  strange  and  monstrous  absurdity  indeed.  But  as 
it  is  one  entirely  of  his  own  make,  I  choose  he  should  have 
all  the  credit  of  it. 

Is  there  any  absurdity  in  saying  that  a  profligate  may  re- 
form his  external  conduct  in  such  circumstances  and  with 
such  views  and  exercises  of  heart,  as  on  the  whole  to  be  more 
guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  before?  If  not,  then  there  is  no 
absurdity  in  what  I  have  advanced  on  this  head.  I  assert  that 
it  is  impossible  for  a  sinner  not  to  grow  more  guilty  and  vile 
than  he  was  before,  whatever  alteration  takes  place  in  his  ex- 
ternal conduct,  if  he  goes  into  a  course  of  stronger  and  more 
direct  acts  of  opposition  to  Jesus  Christ,  contrary  to  much 
higher  degrees  of  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  than  be- 
fore. This,  I  think,  has  been  fully  proved;  and  am  sure  it 
leads  to  no  absurdity  whatsoever.  If  it  is  impossible  that  a 
profligate  should  reform  in  any  instance,  without  bringing 
himself  into  these  circumstances,  then  all  persons  unregen- 
erate  do  become  more  guilty  and  vile  in  every  instance  of 
reformation.  But  where  is  the  absurdity  of  this  ?  Is  there 
any  absurdity  in  supposing  that  the  abuse  of  light,  and  sin- 
ning against  it,  is  in  all  cases  criminal  in  proportion  to  the 
degree  of  that  light;  and  that  the  unregenerate  do  always 
abuse  all  the  light  they  have ;  and  that  the  awakened,  con- 
vinced sinner  is  guilty  of  a  much  higher  abuse  of  light  than 
any  other  person  can  be  ? 

But  before  I  leave  the  passage  now  quoted  I  would  par- 
ticularly remank  upon  two  expressions  in  it.  He  says,  "  There 
is  no  possibility  of  the  profligate  sinner's  becoming  less  vicious 
in  the  state  of  his  mind,  by  any  reformation  of  life."  This 
supposes  that  reformation  of  life  has  some  influence  on  the 
state  of  the  mind  to  render  the  latter  less  vicious  ;  the  former 
preceding  as  the  cause,  and  the  latter  following  as  the  effect. 
This  is  certainly  an  absurdity.  All  vice  lies  in  the  state  or 
exercises  of  the  mind ;  and  no  external  conduct  is  virtuous  or 
vicious,  less  or  more,  nor  has  any  relation  to  the  state  of  the 
mind,  any  further  than  it  is  the  fruit  and  effect  of  that.  But, 
passing  this  absurdity,  what  he  asserts  here  is  only  this :  the 
profligate  is  not  less  vicious  in  the  state  of  his  mind  by  any 
reformations  of  life,  so  long  as  the  state  of  his  mind  is  not  less 
vicious.     "  Strange  absurdity  this,  indeed ! " 

The  other  expression  I  would  take  notice  of  is  this  :  "  sensi- 
bility of  conscience."  This  is  a  very  ambiguous  expression. 
By  it  sometimes  is  meant  tenderness  of  conscience,  and  so 
denotes  something  good  and  right  in  the  heart.  It  sometimes 
means  only  conviction  of  conscience.  This  is  consistent  with 
the  most  perfect  degrees  of  wickedness  of  heart.  It  is  never 
30* 


354  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

true  of  the  unregenerate  that  they  have  any  sensibility  of  con- 
science in  the  former  sense,  in  which  sense  Mr.  M.  seems  to 
use  it ;  and  the  reader  who  is  not  well  on  his  guard  will  take 
it  in  this  sense,  and  so  be  insensibly  led  aside  by  it.  This 
expression  he  often  uses,  and  always  so  as  tends  to  blind  and 
mislead.  Not  with  such  a  design,  I  believe ;  for  I  conclude 
he  first  imposed  on  himself,  by  putting  a  sense  on  these  words 
which  is  not  compatible  with  the  unregenerate,  and  then  im- 
posed on  his  reader. 

I  am  inclined  here  to  transcribe  the  following  words,  in 
which  Mr.  M.  endeavors  to  represent  the  absurdity  he  fathers 
on  me,  in  a  very  striking  light,  especially  as  they  are  a  speci- 
men of  much  of  the  same  kind  scattered  through  his  book: 
"  I  appeal  to  the  common  sense  of  mankind,  is  not  this  strange 
divinity?  What!  is  there  no  possibility  that  the  drunkard, 
the  thief,  the  liar,  the  profane  swearer,  the  adulterer,  the  mur- 
derer, and  blasphemer,  should  become,  on  the  whole,  less 
vicious  in  God's  sight  while  unregenerate,  by  reforming  all 
this  atrocious  wickedness,  though  on  no  higher  principle  than 
that  of  natural  conscience,  awakened  by  the  common  influ- 
ences of  the  spirit,  than  he  would  be  continuing  in  the  prac- 
tice of  all  this  wickedness?     Strange  absurdity  this!" 

Here  is  a  loud  outcry  indeed !  But  is  there  any  reason  in  it  ? 
Is  it  not  rather  only  an  application  to  the  imagination,  preju- 
dices, and  passions  of  the  ignorant  and  unguarded,  and  the 
whole  of  it  a  gross  misrepresentation  ?  It  is  an  easy  matter 
thus  to  harangue,  and  cry  out,  O  strange!  strange  absurdity 
this!  He  has  -pronounced  this  an  absurdity  repeatedly  in 
very  strong  terms.  But  if  it  really  is  one,  he  has  not  oftered 
the  least  reason  to  prove  it  to  be  so,  nor  so  much  as  attempted 
it.  Mr.  M.  professes  to  remove  as  far  as  possible  from  all  ab- 
struse, metaphysical  reasoning.  By  this  means,  or  some  other, 
he  seems  to  be  got  far  enough  from  reasoning  of  every  kind. 
I  suppose  I  have  said  enough  in  the  foregoing  sections  to 
show,  that  this  is  so  far  from  being  an  absurdity  with  respect 
to  the  convinced,  unregenerate  sinner,  that  it  is  a  most  evident 
and  important  truth.  Let  the  calm,  thoughtful  reader  stop 
and  judge. 

The  next  absurdity  is  expressed  in  the  following  words : 
"  Another  absurdity  arising  from  this  new  principle  is,  that 
the  more  stupid,  careless,  and  unconcerned  men  are,  under  the 
gospel,  about  what  sins  they  commit,  and  what  duties  they 
neglect,  the  less  vile,  odious,  and  abominable  they  are,  on  the 
whole,  in  God's  sight." 

If  Mr.  M.  had  said,  that  the  more  blind  and  ignorant  men 
are  under  the  gospel,  about  sin,  and  duty,  the  less  vile  they 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED. 


355 


are  in  committing  those  sins  and  omitting  the  duties;  this 
would  indeed  not  have  been  a  consequence  from  what  he  is 
arguing  against,  but  really  the  very  principle  itself;  and  this 
surely  is  so  far  from  being  an  absurdity,  that  it  is  a  self-evident 
proposition.  Whatsoever  is  contained  in  the  words  now 
quoted  more  than  this  is  a  misrepresentation.  In  these  words, 
and  what  follows  for  the  illustration  of  them,  it  is  represented 
as  if  it  followed  from  what  I  have  advanced  that  the  more 
conscientious  men  are,  or  the  more  inclined  and  disposed  they 
are  to  act  agreeable  to  their  consciences,  and  come  up  to 
them,  the  more  vile  and  odious  they  are.  But  I  have  been  so 
far  from  asserting  this,  or  any  thing  from  whence  it  will  fol- 
low, that  I  place  the  greater  guilt  and  vileness  of  the  convinced 
sinner  in  his  opposing  and  acting  against  the  clear  light  and 
dictates  of  his  own  conscience,  however  sensible  he  is  of  the 
dreadful  consequence  of  this  to  him.  The  reader  needs  only 
to  keep  this  in  view  to  see  how  groundless  all  that  Mr.  M. 
says  on  this  head  is,  and  that  the  whole  is  only  a  gross  mis- 
representation. 

But  what  if  sinners  are  in  such  a  situation  that,  so  long  as 
they  contmue  perfect  enemies  to  God  and  the  Savior,  and  are 
disposed  to  abuse  all  light  and  advantages,  and  all  means  used 
with  them  to  bring  them  to  repentance;  all  means  used  with 
them,  and  all  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  render  their 
obstinacy  and  impenitence  more  vile  and  odious  ?  What  ab- 
surdity is  there  in  this?  Mr.  M.  has  not  attempted  to  show 
where  the  absurdity  lies.  He  has  only  dressed  the  matter  up 
in  such  words  and  phrases  as  to  keep  the  truth  of  the  case  out 
of  view  and  mislead  the  inattentive  reader,  and  then  cries  out, 
"  Strange  absurdity  this  I " 

I  come  now  to  the  last  absurdity  which  Mr.  M.  mentions. 
"  Another  absurdity  that  arises  from  this  principle  is,  that  in  an 
exact  proportion  as  any  one  under  the  gospel  is,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  author,  more  likely  to  be  saved,  and  in  the  phrase 
of  our  Savior,  '  nearer  the  kingdom  of  God,'  he  is,  on  the 
whole,  more  vile  and  odious  in   God's  sight." 

But  where  is  the  absurdity  of  this?  Mr.  M.  does  not  at- 
tempt to  show  wherein  the  absurdity  lies.  It  seems  he  thought 
his  calling  it  an  absurdity  was  sutiicient  to  make  it  pass  for 
one.  It  may,  perhaps,  with  the  unthinking  reader,  who  takes 
Mr.  M's  advice  and  follows  his  example,  in  "  removing  as  far 
as  possible  from  all  abstruse,  metaphysical  reasoning,"  that  is, 
as  I  take  it,  from  all  that  close,  sound  reasoning  which  requires 
exactness  of  thought  and  fixed  attention  of  mind.  It  will  also 
pass  for  the  greatest  absurdity  with  all  those  who  think  that 
God  is  more  inclined  to  show  mercy  to  a  less  sinner  than  to  a 


356  MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

greater,  and  that  the  least  guilty  and  vile  are  more  likely  to  be 
saved  than  others ;  and  are  founding  their  hopes  of  their  own 
salvation  very  much  in  this,  that  they  are  "  not  as  other  men," 
—  not  so  great  sinners,  so  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight  as  the 
ignorant,  secure  profligate.  M.  M.'s  whole  book  is  suited  to 
please  persons  of  this  stamp,  as  he  not  only  goes  on  this  sup- 
position here  but  every  where  else. 

I  particularly  observed  in  my  section  on  means,  that  there 
is  no  foundation  for  such  a  notion  in  Scripture ;  to  which  Mr. 
M.  has  not  said  a  word.  He  ought  to  have  shown  that  what 
I  had  asserted  there  was  groundless  and  contrary  to  Scripture, 
and  not  to  have  taken  for  granted  what  I  thought  I  had  proved 
from  Scripture  not  to  be  true,  and  then  to  build  so  much  upon 
it.  Indeed  it  is  a  notion  so  shockingly  dishonorable  to  the 
sovereign  grace  of  God,  and  contrary  to  the  whole  gospel,  and 
has  such  a  direct  tendency  to  exclude  every  one  from  all  hope 
and  throw  him  into  absolute  despair,  who  does  not  with  the 
proud  Pharisee  think  himself  a  less  sinner  than  others  in  gen- 
eral are,  that  I  wonder  not  at  all  that  Mr.  M.  chose  rather  to 
keep  it,  as  it  were,  behind  the  curtain,  than  to  bring  it  out  to 
open  view  and  avow  it  expressly. 

But  to  attend  more  particularly  to  this  absurdity.  If  there 
is  any  in  the  case,  it  lies  in  this  proposition,  viz.,  that  a  great- 
er sinner,  one  who  is  on  the  whole  more  vile  and  odious  in 
God's  sight  than  another,  may  be  more  likely  to  be  saved  than 
that  other,  and  than  he  himself  was,  when  he  was  not  so  guilty 
and  vile  as  he  now  is.  But  this  is  so  far  from  containing  any 
absurdity  in  it,  that  all,  and  even  Mr.  M.  himself,  will  grant  it 
to  be  true  beyond  all  dispute.  For  instance,  those  who  live 
under  the  gospel  are  more  likely  to  be  saved  than  those  who 
live  in  heathenish  darkness,  as  all  allow ;  and  yet  it  will  be  as 
readily  granted  that  gospel  sinners  are,  in  general  at  least, 
much  more  guilty  and  odious  in  the  sight  of  God  than  the 
heathen. 

As  Mr.  M.  goes  on  to  illustrate  this  absurdity  by  instancing 
in  two  persons,  brought  up  under  the  same  external  light  and 
advantages,  one  is  a  secure  profligate,  the  other  is  under  great 
awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience.  The  latter,  he 
says,  according  to  me,  is  most  likely  to  be  saved,  and  yet  is  by 
far  the  most  guilty  and  odious  of  the  two.  Well,  what  then  ? 
There  is  nothing  shocking  or  absurd  in  this,  more  than  there 
is  in  the  case  just  now  mentioned,  unless  it  be  in  what  arises 
from  his  dressing  up  the  latter  in  an  innocent,  favorable  light, 
and  setting  out  the  former  in  most  monstrous  colors,  and  then 
supposing  him  to  be  much  more  vile  and  odious  than  the 
other ;  yea,  "  the  most  vile,  odious,  and  abominable  sinner  on 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  357 

the  face  of  the  whole  earth."  He  represents  the  latter  in  the 
following  words :  "  From  early  childhood  he  has  constantly- 
paid  such  reverence  and  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  con- 
science, as  hath  nourished  the  greatest  degrees  of  tenderness 
to  regard  all  duty  and  avoid  all  sin  that  can  agree  to  an  un- 
regenerate  state."  In  this  way  of  stating  the  matter,  Mr.  M. 
has  been  guilty  of  two  things,  — 

1.  He  has  entirely  misrepresented  the  matter  in  dispute  be- 
tween us,  by  dressing  up  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  un- 
regenerate  in  such  line  colors  as  do  not  belong  to  him  ;  for 
such  a  one,  instead  of  reverencing  and  obeying  his  conscience, 
lives  in  the  greatest  sin,  in  opposition  to  the  dictates  of  his 
conscience,  and  a  thousand  times  as  much  light  as  others 
have;  and  instead  of  paying  any  "regard  to  all  duty,"  he  has 
no  true  regard  to  any  duty  at  all,  as  such,  but  really  refuses  to 
do  the  whole  that  God  commands.  This  misrepresentation, 
as  has  been  observed,  runs  through  the  whole  of  Mr.  M.'s 
book.     I  mention  this  as  a  specimen. 

2.  He  has  hereby  really  gone  off  from  the  point  he  was  pro- 
fessedly attending  to,  viz.,  that  they  who  are  most  likely  to 
be  saved,  are  proportionably  more  guilty  and  vile  in  God's 
sight  than  they  were ;  and  has  led  the  attention  of  his  reader 
to  quite  another  thing,  viz.,  the  absurdity  of  supposing  the 
convinced  sinner  so  much  more  vile  and  odious  than  the  other. 
I  think  this  is  indeed  to  "remove  as  far  as  possible  from  all 
reasoning;,  abstruse,  metaphysical,"  or  any  other. 

And  thus  having  quite  forgot  the  argument  he  was  upon, 
he  leads  his  reader  a  jaunt  into  the  heathen  world,  to  show 
him  who  is  the  vilest  among  them,  upon  my  principles.  I  say, 
he  quite  forgot  the  argument  he  was  upon ;  for  among  the 
heathen  one  is  not  more  likely  to  be  saved  than  another ;  which 
was  the  only  point  he  was  now  professedly  attending  to. 
But  to  pass  this ;  if  we  particularly  follow  him  in  his  ramble, 
we  shall  find  him  here  guilty  of  a  very  gross  absurdity ;  (I  leave 
it  to  the  reader,  whether  it  does  not  weigh  down  all  that  he 
attempted  to  fasten  upon  me  ;)  it  is  this  :  he  finds  a  heathen  who 
"  comes  up  nearest  to  the  dictates  of  conscience,"  and  yet,  "  in 
failing  to  come  up  to  his  duty  he  sins  against  the  greatest 
light."  How  he  sins  against  the  greatest  light,  in  not  coming 
up  to  his  duty,  who  "  comes  up  nearest  to  the  dictates  of  his 
conscience,"  it  is  difficult  to  say. 

In  the  close  of  this  argument,  Mr.  M.  adds :  "  It  is  needless 
to  observe  here,  that  these  things  never  did  agree  to  the  com- 
mon sense  of  mankind,  or  of  the  Christian  world ;  and  to  my 
weak  understanding,  I  must  say,  they  sound  too  strange  to  be 
true."     I  agree  with  Mr.  M.,  that  this  observation  was  quite 


358     MR.  M.'S  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

needless,  seeing  all  the  appearance  of  absurdities  is  owing  to 
his  departing  from  the  dictates  of  common  sense,  to  raise  a 
scarecrow  to  fright  the  unwary  reader.  And  whether  his 
taking  such  pains  to  frame  such  absurdities  as  these  is  to  be 
attributed  to  his  weak  understanding,  of  which  he  so  often 
boasts,  or  to  a  misimprovement  of  what  he  has,  I  leave  the 
reader  to  judge. 

Mr.  Mills's  second  argument  is  from  two  passages  of 
Scripture. 

The  first  is  in  these  words :  "  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise 
in  judgment  with  this  generation,  and  shall  condemn  it ;  be- 
cause they  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas :  and  behold  a 
greater  than  Jonas  is  here."     (Matt.  xii.  41.) 

He  forms  an  argument  from  these  words,  in  the  following 
manner :  The  repentance  of  the  Ninevites,  upon  the  preaching 
of  Jonas,  shall  condemn  the  Jews  for  not  repenting  as  the 
Ninevites  did,  though  they  were  under  the  preaching  of  Christ. 
Now  the  repentance  of  the  Ninevites  was  only  a  legal  repent- 
ance, by  which  they  were  brought  to  the  state  of  awakened, 
convinced  sinners.  It  hence  follows  that  the  awakened,  con- 
vinced sinner  is  not  more  vile  in  God's  sight  than  the  una- 
wakened,  secure  sinner ;  for  then  the  Ninevites  coming  to  this 
state,  in  which  they,  on  the  whole,  became  more  vile  than 
they  were  before,  even  in  a  state  of  security  and  open  wicked- 
ness, could  not  condemn  the  Jews  for  not  repenting  as  the 
Ninevites  did. 

Ans.  1.  The  Ninevites  were  not  awakened,  convinced  sin- 
ners, in  the  sense  in  which  I  speak  of  such  ;  so  no  argument 
can  be  formed  from  them  in  this  case.  Mr.  M.  himself  says, 
in  a  marginal  note  under  this  argument,  "  They  were  in  the 
depth  of  heathenish  darkness,  and  for  any  thing  we  know,  had 
not  so  much  as  the  name  of  a  Mediator  to  be  believed  on 
among  them."  If  this  was  their  case  they  were  not  capable 
of  that  sin,  in  which  I  constantly  place  the  greater  guilt  and 
vileness  of  awakened,  convinced  sinners  under  the  gospel,  viz., 
in  their  persisting  in  an  impenitent  rejecting  and  hating  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  opposition  to  the  light  of  their  own  con- 
sciences. The  Ninevites,  according  to  Mr.  M.,  had  no  degree 
of  this  light  and  conviction,  therefore  were  not  in  a  capacity 
to  sin  against  it,  and  so  become  more  guilty  and  vile  in  con- 
sequence of  their  awakening  and  conviction.  The  Ninevites, 
if  Mr.  M.'s  account  of  them  is  right,  acted  fully  up  to  the  light 
and  conviction  of  their  consciences,  and  did  all  that  they 
knew  was  required  of  them  and  that  was  necessary  in  order 
to  their  escaping  the  divine  judgments  threatened.  Mr.  M. 
was  surely  quite  inattentive  to  the  case  before  him,  and  wholly 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  359 

overlooked  the  character  of  the  awakened,  convinced,  unre- 
generate  sinner  under  the  gospel,  or  he  would  have  known 
that  the  case  of  the  Ninevites  was  very  far  from  being  any- 
thing to  his  purpose,  and  that  the  argument  he  has  formed 
from  them  is  extremely  weak  and  altogether  inconclusive. 

Ans.  2.  All  that  Jonah  said  to  the  Ninevites  was,  "  Yet 
forty  days  and  Nineveh  shall  be  overthrown."  This  was  all 
the  light  and  instruction  he  gave  them.  They  believed  him, 
that  they  should  be  destroyed  unless  they  reformed  these  open 
sins,  by  which  their  consciences  told  them  they  had  provoked 
God.  These  they  reformed  immediately ;  and  thus  they 
hearkened  to  Jonah  as  they  understood  him  ;  they  believed  his 
words,  and  they  were  influenced  by  them,  according  to  the 
light  and  dictates  of  their  consciences.  Christ,  a  greater  than 
Jonah,  came  to  the  Jews  with  much  greater  and  more  striking 
evidence  that  he  was  sent  of  God  than  Jonah  had ;  but  the 
Jews  did  not  believe  him  and  comply  with  his  instructions, 
invitations,  and  warnings.  They  did  not  come  to  that  repent- 
ance which  Christ  called  them  to,  but  persisted  in  rejecting 
him.  With  great  propriety  then  did  Christ  address  the  Jews 
in  these  words:  "  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise  in  judgment 
with  this  generation  and  shall  condemn  it,"  etc.  As  if  he  had 
said,  "  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  be  an  instance  by  which 
this  generation  shall  be  condemned  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
for  they  hearkened  to  Jonah  and  regarded  him,  when  he  was 
sent  to  them,  as  they  understood  him ;  but  this  generation  re- 
fuse to  hearken  to  me,  and  continue  impenitent  under  all  my 
instructions  and  warnings." 

Ans.  3.  In  these  words  our  Savior  has  no  reference  to  the 
real,  internal  character  of  the  men  of  Nineveh  whether  they 
were  sincere  in  their  repentance  or  not;  whether  they  were,  on 
the  whole,  more  guilty  and  vile  or  less  than  they  were  before 
Jonah  came  among  them.  All  that  was  to  his  purpose  is, 
that  the  men  of  Nineveh  hearkened  to  the  preaching  of  Jonah, 
and  repented  visibly ;  whereas  the  Jews  did  not  hearken  to 
Christ,  but  visibly  opposed  and  rejected  him.  Christ  speaks 
of  nothing  but  their  external  appearance  and  conduct,  without 
determining  what  they  were  at  heart.  This  is  evident  from 
the  words  immediately  following,  with  respect  to  the  queen  of 
the  south.  We  cannot  infer  that  she  came  to  hear  the  wis- 
dom of  Solomon  from  any  'pious  and  good  end,  or  that  she 
was,  on  the  whole,  less  vile  than  if  she  had  not  seen  Solomon 
and  heard  his  wisdom,  because  Christ  says  her  coming  to  hear 
the  wisdom  of  Solomon  shall  condemn  the  Jews,  who  despised 
and  rejected  one  so  much  greater  than  Solomon.  She  in  fact 
paid  more  regard  to  Solomon  than  the  Jews  did  to  Christ ;  and 


360     MR.  M.'s  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

this  was  fully  to  his  purpose,  let  her  act  from  what  principles 
she  would,  and  whatever  was  the  consequence  to  her;  he 
having  regard  only  to  that  which  was  visible  in  her,  from  the 
history  of  her,  and  not  to  that  of  which  we  have  no  account. 
And  in  the  same  manner  he  speaks  of  the  Ninevites. 

The  other  passage  of  Scripture  Mr.  M.  mentions  under  this 
argument  is  what  Christ  says  to  the  scribe  in  consequence  of 
his  answering  the  question  which  he  was  then  attending  to, 
"discreetly;"  i.  e.,  understandingly,  —  "  Thou  art  not  far  from 
the  kingdom  of  God."  Mr.  M.  insists  upon  it  that  these  words 
must  mean,  that  though  he  was  not  a  good  man,  yet  he  was 
less  sinful  in  the  state  of  his  mind,  and  so  nearer  the  state 
of  a  good  man,  on  account  of  the  attainments  he  had  arrived 
to,  than  those  who  were  destitute  of  these,  or  than  he  would 
have  been  in  their  absence.  Hence  he  infers,  that  all  awak- 
ened, reformed  sinners,  under  the  gospel,  are  not,  on  the  whole, 
more  vile  in  God's  sight  than  when  secure  and  at  ease,  going 
on  in  their  sins  under  the  same  external  means  of  light. 

His  argument,  to  prove  that  by  his  being  not  far  the  king- 
dom of  God  consisted  in  his  being  less  sinful  in  the  state  of 
his  mind,  and  in  this  respect  not  far  from  the  state  of  a  good 
man,  is,  that  he  could  not  be  said  to  be  so  in  any  other  sense. 
He  particularly  says,  by  this  cannot  be  meant  that  "  he  was 
merely  more  likely  to  be  converted,  without  respect  had  to  any 
of  those  things  by  which,  considered  in  themselves,  he  was 
less  sinful,  since  it  is  evident,  from  the  express  letter  of  the 
sacred  text,  that  in  what  is  said  of  the  scribe's  being  nigh,  or 
not  far  from,  the  kingdom  of  God,  respect  is  had  to  those 
things,  and  those  only,  by  which,  considered  in  themselves,  he 
was  less  sinful." 

On  this  it  may  be  observed,  in  the  first  place,  that  in  this  he 
only  begs  the  question  and  proves  nothing.  The  question  is, 
in  what  sense  the  scribe  v^^as  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  what  Christ  has  respect  to  in  these  words  ?  Mr.  M. 
says,  he  had  respect  to  those  things,  and  those  only,  by  which, 
considered  in  themselves,  he  was  less  sinful ;  and  that  "  this  is 
evident  from  the  express  letter  of  the  sacred  text."  But  this 
is  the  very  thing  in  dispute.  Christ  has  respect  to  the  words 
of  the  scribe,  in  which  he  discovered  his  sentiments  to  be  right 
with  respect  to  a  very  important  truth,  and  which,  if  followed 
in  all  its  just  consequences,  would  lead  him  to  the  most  im- 
portant doctrines  of  Christianity.  But  that  this  orthodoxy 
in  speculation  implied  any  thing  with  respect  to  the  state 
of  his  mind,  as  being  more  or  less  sinful,  Mr.  M.  has  not 
proved,  but  takes  wholly  for  granted,  and  founds  his  argu- 
ments upon  it. 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  361 

I  had  said  that  orthodoxy,  or  right  speculative  knowledge, 
brings  a  man  nearer  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  renders  him 
more  likely  to  be  saved  than  if  he  had  it  not,  let  the  state  of 
his  mind,  his  heart,  be  more  or  less  sinful.  And  here  is  an 
instance  to  my  purpose,  if  Mr.  M.  rightly  understands  the 
phrase,  "  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God."  Here  is 
a  person,  of  whom  Christ  says  this  merely  upon  his  appearing 
to  be  right  in  his  speculations  in  an  important  point ;  and  the 
text  says  not  a  word  of  any  thing  else.  But  Mr.  M.  must 
bring  into  the  account  something  good  in  his  heart,  or  at  least 
less  sinful,  because  he  could  not,  upon  his  plan,  be  nearer  the 
kingdom  of  God  than  others  without  this.  But  this  is  to  beg 
the  question,  as  I  have  observed.  Mr.  M.  had  observed, 
that  to  be,  in  my  language,  "  more  likely  to  be  saved," 
was,  in  the  phrase  of  our  Savior,  to  be  "  nearer  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Had  he  kept  this  in  view  he  might  easily  have  seen  in 
what  sense  the  scribe  might  be  nearer  the  kingdom  of  God, 
by  the  degree  of  speculative  knowledge  he  appeared  to  have, 
without  concerning  himself  with  the  state  of  his  heart,  and 
contriving  to  make  that  less  sinful,  from  a  text  which  says  not 
a  word  about  it.  At  least,  he  should  have  proved  that  he 
could  not  be  nearer  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  that  sense,  in- 
stead of  passing  it  over  in  silence,  as  if  there  could  be  no  such 
sense  put  upon  the  words. 

But  Mr.  M.  seems  to  take  it  for  granted,  (for  he  has  not 
said  a  word  to  prove  it,)  that  the  speculative  knowledge  which 
the  scribe  appeared  to  have,  implied  something  good,  or  less 
bad  and  sinful  in  the  state  and  temper  of  his  mind.  But  this 
is  contrary  to  all  reason  and  to  known  fact.  If  he  will  prove 
this  to  be  true,  that  men's  hearts  are  less  sinful  and  come  nearer 
to  the  temper  and  exercises  of  good  men  in  proportion  as 
their  judgment  and  consciences  are  convinced,  and  they  ad- 
vance in  right  speculative  notions  of  the  truths  of  divine  reve- 
lation ;  I  say,  if  he  will  prove  this,  he  will  gain  his  point  and 
entirely  overthrow  what  he  has  undertaken  to  dispute  against; 
yea,  he  will  confute  what  St.  Paul  himself  has  asserted.  For, 
if  men  unregenerate  in  all  cases  grow  less  sinful  as  light  and 
conviction  of  conscience  increases,  then  certainly  they  are  not 
more  gixilty  and  vile  ;  nor  can  any  one  "  hold  the  truth  in  un- 
righteousness," as  St.  Paul  says  many  did.     (Rom.  i.  18.) 

It  appears,  therefore,  in  every  view,  that  Mr.  M.  has  here 
only  begged  the  whole  of  the  question  in  dispute  between  us. 

And  he  has  done  more  than  this ;  he  has  grossly  contradicted 
himself,  and  that  two  ways.  He  has  said,  "  It  is  evident  and 
certain  that  every  degree  of  knowledge,  etc.,  attained  by  the 
unregenerate,  that  is  necessary  in  order  to  a  state  of  gi-ace 

VOL.    III.  31 


362     MR.  M.'s  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

and  salvation,  brings  them  in  a  state  one  degree  nearer  to  it." 
But  here  he  takes  it  for  granted  a  person  cannot  be  said  to  be 
nearer  the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  account  of  his  knowledge. 
Again,  he  elsewhere  finds  fault  with  me  that  I  speak  of  specu- 
lative knowledge  only,  and  not  of  any  reformation  of  the  sin- 
ner, as  rendering  him  more  likely  to  be  saved  ;  where  he 
supposes  there  is  no  connection  between  any  speculative 
knowledge  of  the  unregenerate  and  any  degree  of  reformation, 
and  that  the  latter  is  no  ways  implied  in  the  former.  But 
here  he  takes  it  for  granted  that  speculative  knowledge,  or 
light  in  the  understanding,  does  imply  something  good  in 
heart,  or  a  less  degree  of  sinfulness,  and  that  it  necessarily 
brings  a  person  to  a  state  of  mind  nearer  to  that  of  a  good 
man.  Yea,  that  this  is  one  of  those  things  by  which,  consid- 
ered in  itself,  a  man  is  less  sinful ;  for  he  says,  Christ  has 
respect  to  such  things  only.  Men  who  will  make  such  suppo- 
sitions, and  suppose  and  take  for  granted  the  whole  matter  in 
dispute,  and  ground  an  argument  on  that,  and  at  the  same 
time  contradict  themselves  so  many  ways,  as  it  were  in  the 
same  breath,  will,  in  their  way,  prove  any  thing  they  please. 

I  observe,  in  the  next  place,  upon  the  passage  quoted,  that 
he  says,  "  It  is  evident,  that  in  what  is  said  of  the  scribe's  being 
nigh,  or  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  respect  is  had  to 
those  things,  and  those  things  only,  by  which,  considered  in 
themselves,  he  was  less  sinful."  The  scribe  might  appear  to 
have  many  things  which,  considered  in  themselves,  might  be 
less  sinful  than  something  else,  and  yet,  on  the  whole,  be  more 
sinful  and  vile  than  if  he  had  them  not.  So  that,  what  Mr. 
M.  here  takes  for  granted,  if  allowed  him  as  he  has  expressed 
it,  makes  nothing  to  his  purpose.  The  scribe  might,  notwith- 
standing all  this,  be,  on  the  whole,  more  sinful  in  the  state  of 
his  mind  than  others  who  had  not  those  things,  by  which,  con- 
sidered in  themselves,  they  would  be  less  sinful.  Suppose,  for 
instance,  the  speculative  knowledge  which  the  scribe  had  was 
one  thing  by  which,  considered  in  itself,  he  was  less  sinful ; 
yet,  if  he  hated  and  rejected  Jesus  Christ,  with  all  this  light 
and  knowledge,  (which  he  did,  if  he  was  still  an  unregenerate 
man,)  he  was,  on  the  whole,  a  greater  sinner  than  they  who 
had  not  this  knowledge.  I  therefore  stand  ready  to  prove  that 
if  the  scribe  was  not  really  a  good  man,  and  did  not  love  God 
and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  he  was,  on  the  whole,  much  more 
sinful  and  vile,  in  the  state  and  exercises  of  his  mind,  than 
those  who  were  without  this  speculative  knowledge.  And  I 
presume  it  is  impossible  that  any  one  should  find  any  thing 
in  this  text  contrary  to  this. 

Mr.  M.,  in  order  to  make  these  words  of  Christ  answer  his 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  363 

purpose,  supposes  the  scribe  to  be  unregenerate,  and  yet  not 
prejudiced  against  Christ,  but  in  an  awakened  reformed  state, 
and  that  in  this  state  his  heart  was  less  sinful,  and  not  far  from 
a  state  of  grace;  and  concludes  that  the  kingdom  of  God 
means  a  state  of  grace.  All  these  things  he  lays  as  the  foun- 
dation to  build  his  conclusion  upon.  All  of  which  have  not 
the  least  evidence  to  support  them.  Surely,  that  must  be  a 
very  weak,  flimsy  argument,  which  is  built  wholly  on  such  a 
number  of  precarious,  uncertain  suppositions ;  and  he  must  be 
at  a  great  loss  for  Scriptures  to  argue  from  who  can  find  none 
more  to  his  purpose  than  this. 

By  the  kingdom  of  God  here,  may  be  meant  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation, or  the  visible  kingdom  which  Christ  was  setting  up, 
as  this  is  very  commonly  the  meaning  of  this  phrase ;  and  the 
scribe  might  be  a  man  of  true  piety  on  the  Jewish  plan,  but 
had  not  yet  been  under  advantage  to  satisfy  himself  about  the 
character  of  Christ  and  his  doctrines.  If  it  should  be  objected 
to  this,  that  St.  Matthew  says  this  very  scribe  asked  Christ 
this  question,  tempting  him,  —  I  answer,  this  may  be  under- 
stood not  in  a  bad  sense ;  it  may  only  mean,  that  he  asked 
this  question  to  try  him,  and  see  what  his  opinion  was  on  this 
point,  that  he  might  be  the  better  able  to  form  a  judgment  of 
him.  If  these  words  are  not  understood  in  this  sense,  they 
are  not  consistent  with  his  being  so  near  the  state  of  a  good 
man  as  Mr.  M.  supposes  him  to  be.  In  short,  there  is  as  much 
evidence  that  he  was  quite  a  pious,  good  man,  as  there  is  that 
he  was  so  near  to  this,  as  Mr.  M.  says  he  was,  and  he  has  been 
perfectly  arbitrary  in  bringing  him  so  near  the  state  of  a  good 
man,  and  yet  not  allowing  him  to  be  really  good.  If  he  was 
a  good  man,  the  meaning  of  Christ's  words  to  him  is,  "  I  find 
you  have  so  much  light  and  knowledge  that  you  want  only  to 
be  a  little  more  acquainted  with  me  and  my  doctrines  in  order 
to  be  one  of  my  disciples,  a  professed  member  of  that  king- 
dom which  the  Messiah  is  now  about  to  set  up." 

But,  after  all,  it  is  my  opinion,  that  as  we  know  nothing  of 
the  character  of  this  scribe  but  what  appears  in  his  putting  a 
question  to  Christ,  and  approving  of  his  answer,  and  making  an 
observation  upon  it,  —  and  it  is  expressly  said  that  the  reply 
of  our  Lord  was  grounded  entirely  on  his  answer, —  Christ  has 
reference  to  this  only ;  and  declares  that  this  important  senti- 
ment, in  which  he  appeared  to  be  so  full  and  clear,  compre- 
hended so  much,  and  was  in  such  a  degree  the  foundation  of 
all  he  taught,  that  he  was  hereby  in  a  great  measure  prepared 
to  understand  all  the  doctrines  necessary  to  be  known  and 
believed,  in  order  to  be  a  member  of  his  kingdom,  and  in  this 
respect  was  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God. 


364     MR.  M.'S  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

But  if  this  is  not  the  true  meaning  of  these  words,  and  they 
must  intend  a  nearness  to  a  state  of  grace  and  salvation,  there 
is  not  the  least  evidence  that  this  consisted  in  any  good,  or 
less  sinful  disposition  of  mind  by  which  he  was  not  far  from 
the  temper  and  exercises  of  a  good  man,  and  more  disposed 
heartily  to  embrace  the  gospel,  than  any  other  unregenerate 
man,  as  has  been  observed. 

Mr,  M.  and  others  have  taken  it  for  granted,  that  a  person, 
in  order  to  be  more  likely  to  be  saved  than  others,  or  to  be  in 
any  true  sense  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  must  be  in 
some  degree  well  disposed  or  less  inclined  to  sin,  and  less  op- 
posite to  God  and  holiness,  and  so  a  much  less  sinner  than 
others ;  hence,  when  they  read  this  text,  and  find  one  pro- 
nounced not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God,  by  Christ,  they 
conclude  he  was  a  man  of  a  good  disposition,  almost  disposed 
to  embrace  the  gospel,  though  not  one  word  is  said  about  it  in 
the  text. 

On  this  plan,  he  has  the  least  ground  to  hope  for  salvation 
who  views  himself  to  be  a  greater  sinner  than  others;  yea,  he 
cannot  reasonably  have  any  hope  until  he  has  a  better  opinion 
of  himself,  and  thinks  himself  better  than  any  one  who  shall 
finally  perish ;  and  every  one  who  is  under  the  government  of 
the  same  spirit  which  Christ  points  out  in  the  Pharisee,  who 
went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  may  have  high  hopes  of  salva- 
tion, and  swell  in  his  confidence  that  he  is  not  so~-|jad  as  other 
men.  But  this  notion,  so  far  as  it  is  received,  will  strike  death 
to  all  the  hopes  of  every  person  who  is  of  a  different  and 
opposite  spirit. 

And,  indeed,  if  the  scribe,  by  his  speculations  and  the  right 
notions  which  he  appeared  to  have,  was  become  less  sinful 
and  opposite  to  God  and  the  gospel,  and  not  far  from  a  state 
of  grace  or  true  holiness  in  the  state  and  exercises  of  his  heart, 
which  must  imply,  at  least,  that  he  was  got  much  above  half 
way  to  it,  no  reason  can  be  given  why  he  might  not  soon 
arrive  to  the  state  and  exercises  of  a  good  man,  by  making  a 
little  more  progress  in  his  present  course,  and  advancing  in  the 
same  kind  of  light  and  knowledge  and  disposition  of  mind 
which  he  now  had  in  such  a  considerable  degree.  If  he  had 
got  so  near  to  real  holiness  as  not  to  be  far  from  it,  the  greatest 
dilficulty  was  over ;  and  a  few  steps  more  in  the  same  course 
in  which  he  had  hitherto  proceeded  would  have  brought  him 
completely  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Mr.  M.'s  third  argument  consists  in  stating  the  matter  in 
dispute  between  us,  as  he  says,  "  in  a  fair  light,"  and  then 
"appealing  to  the  judicious  reader"  to  judge  who  is  on  the 
right  side  of  the  question.     This,  I  confess,  appears  to  me  to 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  365 

be  somewhat  of  an  odd  argument,  and  to  be  expressed  in  a 
very  round  about,  intricate  way.  However,  we  must  make 
the  best  of  it  that  we  can. 

I  agree  with  him  that  the  only  point  to  be  determined,  as 
that  on  which  the  whole  controversy  turns,  is.  Whether  the  sin 
and  guilt  which  the  awakened,  convinced,  unregenerate  sinner 
exercises  and  contracts  in  consequence  of  the  light  and  con- 
viction that  he  has,  and  which  he  was  not  chargeable  with  in 
a  state  of  ignorance  and  security,  are  so  great  as  to  overbal- 
ance all  his  external  reformations,  be  they  as  great  as  they 
will ;  so  that  on  the  whole,  he  is  now  more  guilty  and  vile 
than  he  was  before,  even  in  the  practice  of  all  that  external 
wickedness,  which  he  has  now  forsaken?  Mr.  M.  has  not 
stated  the  point  in  these  words,  but  I  conclude  this  is  his 
meaning. 

I  have  particularly  and  largely  considered  this  matter  in 
some  of  the  foregoing  sections  ;  and  I  am  willing  to  join  issue 
with  Mr.  M.  here,  and  appeal  to  the  judicious  reader  who  has 
carefully  attended  to  what  has  been  said. 

But  I  must  beg  leave  to  observe,  that  what  Mr.  M.  calls  "  set- 
ting this  matter  in  a  fair  light "  is  really  a  gross  misrepresenta- 
tion of  it.  Of  this  the  "judicious  reader"  will  be  sensible, 
without  my  saying  a  word  upon  it ;  but  he  who  is  not  so,  will 
be  in  danger  of  being  deceived  by  it.  For  the  sake  of  such, 
therefore,  I  would  say  a  few  things  to  prevent  the  influence 
which  it  might  otherwise  have  on  them. 

1.  He  has  not  set  the  aggravated  sin  and  guilt  of  the 
awakened,  convinced  sinner  in  a  true  light ;  or,  rather,  has  not 
brought  it  into  view  at  all,  in  the  whole  that  he  has  said.  He 
indeed  speaks  of  "  the  additional  sin,  arising  merely  from  that 
sensibility  of  conscience,  whereby  the  awakened  sinner  reforms 
all  known  sin."  But  there  can  be  no  "  additional  sin  "  in  this 
state  of  the  case  ;  for  the  sinner  is  supposed  to  act  up  to  the 
sensibility  and  light  of  his  conscience,  in  reforming  all  known 
sin.  Such  a  one  is  either  not  an  awakened,  convinced  sinner, 
because  he  does  not  know  that  unbelief  and  rejecting,  hating 
and  opposing  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  sin,  and  by  far  the  greatest  of 
which  he  can  be  guilty,  or  he  does  embrace  the  gospel,  and  so 
is  not  unregenerate.  The  awakened,  convinced  sinner  is  so 
far  from  reforming  all  known  sin,  that  he  is  constantly  guilty 
of  a  thousand  times  more  known  sin  than  he  was,  or  could  be, 
before  he  was  thus  awakened  and  convinced,  and  the  actual 
hardness  and  rebellion  of  his  heart  is  immensely  increased. 
This  is  kept  wholly  out  of  view  by  Mr.  M.  Yea,  his  repre- 
sentation is  in  direct  opposition  to  this,  and  so  most  contrary 
to  the  truth.  This  he  has  done  through  his  whole  book,  as 
31* 


866     MR.  M.'S  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

has  been  before  observed.  And  he  here,  and  every  where  else, 
puts  "  sensibility  of  conscience  "  in  opposition  to  "  hardness  of 
heart,"  and  a  "  hardened  state,"  which  is  contrary  to  the  truth, 
and  only  tends  to  mislead  the  unwary  reader.  The  awakened, 
convinced  sinner  has  as  much  hardness  of  heart,  and  is  as 
really  in  a  hardened  state,  as  the  secure  sinner,  if  by  hard 
heart  is  meant  a  rebellious,  obstinate  heart,  which  is  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  in  Scripture ;  yea,  his  heart  is  harder  than  it 
was  in  a  state  of  security,  as  much  greater  degrees  of  light 
and  conviction  are  now  let  into  his  mind. 

2.  He  has  not  set  the  state  of  the  unawakened,  secure  sin- 
ner in  a  just  light.  This  appears  in  what  has  been  just  ob- 
served of  his  representing  him  as  having  hardness  of  heart, 
and  being  in  a  hardened  state,  as  differing  herein  from  the 
awakened,  convinced  sinner.  The  secure  sinner  is  indeed  in  a 
hardened  state,  but  not  more  so,  nor  so  much,  as  the  awakened, 
convinced  sinner.  The  former  would  be  as  much  awakened 
and  concerned  about  himself  as  the  latter,  had  he  as  much 
light  in  his  mind  and  conscience,  but  this  would  not  remove 
the  least  degree  of  hardness  of  heart,  but  be  the  occasion  of 
increasing  it. 

Again,  he  represents  the  secure  sinner  as  committing  all  his 
open  wickedness  "  presumptuously,  not  only  against  the  light 
of  God's  word,  but  against  the  clear  dictates  of  natural  con- 
science." It  is  doubtless  true  in  general,  of  secure  profligates, 
under  the  gospel,  that  they  sin  more  or  less  against  the  dic- 
tates of  their  conscience.  But  the  light  and  dictates  of  their 
consciences  are  very  weak  and  faint,  and  they  seldom  attend 
to  this  matter,  or  think  any  thing  about  it,  and  are  not  con- 
vinced that  there  is  really  much  harm  in  what  they  do.  They 
have  no  realizing  apprehension  that  they  shall  be  called  to  an 
account  for  what  they  are  doing,  and  be  punished  for  it.  This 
must  be  supposed ;  for,  in  proportion  as  their  consciences 
dictate  this,  they  will  be  awakened  and  concerned.  They 
cannot,  therefore,  be  properly  said  to  sin  against  the  clear  dic- 
tates of  natural  conscience.  To  be  sure,  they  cannot  be  said 
to  do  so  in  distinction  from  the  convinced  sinner;  for,  as  has 
been  observed,  the  latter  sins  a  thousand  times  as  much 
against  his  conscience  as  the  former,  and  against  immensely 
clearer  light  and  dictates  of  conscience,  both  with  respect  to 
what  is  sin,  and  what  are  the  just  consequences  of  it. 

As  to  what  he  says,  that  he  has  "  clearly  showed  that  the 
degree  of  wickedness  in  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida,  above  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  consisted  in  a  greater  degree  of  stupidity  and  hard- 
ness of  heart  in  the  former,  whereby  they  were  more  unim- 
pressible  than  the  latter,  the  same  external  means  and  advan- 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  367 

tages  to  repent  being  supposed,"  I  trust  the  reader  who  has 
attended  to  what  I  have  already  said  upon  this  case,  will  not 
think  he  has  given  the  least  evidence  of  it. 

Mr.  Mills's  fourth  argument  consists  in  showing,  "  Of  what 
account  these  characters  are  with  the  blessed  God,  and  how 
he  treats  them  in  his  word  and  providence,  viz.,  that  of  the 
awakened  sinner,  brought,  though  on  principles  of  nature,  to 
humble  himself  before  God,  repent,  reform  known  evils,  and 
conscientiously  attend  known  duties,  and  that  of  the  stout- 
hearted, bold,  daring,  hardened  sinner,  that  obstinately  persists 
in  all  manner  of  vicious  and  immoral  practices,  under  the 
same  external  means  of  light,  and  against  the  clear  dictates 
of  his  conscience." 

The  reader  will  observe  in  what  colors  these  different  charac- 
ters are  set,  and  will  be  sensible,  I  trust,  that  there  are  no  such 
different  characters  of  the  unregenerate,  which  I  have  endeav- 
ored to  show  heretofore.  The  awakened  sinner  never  does 
humble  himself  before  God,  but  is  quite  as  far  from  this  as 
the  secure  profligate ;  yea,  the  pride  and  stubbornness  of  the 
former  is  exercised  in  a  higher  degree,  and  more  directly 
against  God,  than  that  of  the  latter.  And  he  does  not  con- 
scientiously attend  known  duties ;  for,  under  true  convictions, 
he  knows  that  he  really  does  no  duty  at  all,  has  never  done 
any  thing  that  God  commands,  or  paid  the  least  obedience  to 
him  in  one  instance.  And  his  conscience  tells  him  of  a  thou- 
sand times  more  duty  to  God,  which  he  with  obstinacy,  and 
knowingly  refuses  to  do,  than  the  secure  sinner  ever  thought 
of.  And  the  former  appears  to  be  a  more  stout-hearted,  bold, 
daring,  hardened  sinner  than  the  latter,  as  he  "  obstinately  per- 
sists "  in  the  highest  crimes,  the  most  heaven-daring  sin  that 
men  can  be  guilty  of;  and  voluntarily  goes  on  in  the  way  to 
destruction,  with  his  eyes,  as  it  were,  wide  open,  and  under  all 
the  awakenings  and  terrors  of  his  conscience,  in  a  view  of 
the  awful  consequence  of  his  rebellion,  and  in  the  sight  of 
an  angry  God,  and  dreadful  hell. 

But  let  us  attend  to  the  argument.  He  goes  on  to  say,  "  If 
we  can  find  clearly  of  what  account  these  characters  are  with 
the  omniscient  God,  we  shall  find  what  they  really  are,  and  a 
more  sure  ground  to  form  our  judgment  concerning  them  than 
all  our  weak  reasonings  can  otherwise  furnish  us  with.  I  shall 
therefore  touch  on  a  few  instances  of  each  kind,  as  exhibited 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures." 

I  suppose  I  have  already  sufficiently  shown  from  the  Scrip- 
ture how  these  characters  stand  in  God's  sight.  However,  we 
will  attend  to  Mr.  M.'s  instances  ;  for  I  doubt  not  we  shall  get 
some  light  hereby. 


368     MR.  M.'S  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

He  first  undertakes  to  produce  instances  "  of  awakened, 
humbled,  reformed  sinners."  He  instances  in  Ahab,  Jehu,  the 
Ninevites,  and  the  children  of  Israel  at  Mount  Sinai.  Of 
Ahab  he  observes,  that  when  he  rent  his  clothes,  etc.,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  terrible  message  delivered  to  him  by  the  prophet, 
the  Lord  took  this  favorable  notice  of  it,  and  deferred  the  evil 
threatened :  "  Seest  thou  how  Ahab  humbleth  himself  before 
me  ?  Because  he  humbleth  himself  before  me,  I  will  not  bring 
the  evil  in  his  days."  (1  Kings  xxi.  25,  29.)  He  appeals  to  all, 
whether  it  can  be  supposed  that  Ahab  was  not  less  sinful  and 
vile  when  he  thus  humbled  himself,  since  God  takes  such 
favorable  notice  of  it,  and  out  of  respect  to  this,  defers  the  evil 
threatened.  He  also  observes  concerning  Jehu,  that  "  It  is 
evident  from  God's  express  approbation,  and  the  bestowment 
of  so  great,  though  outward  favor,  because  he  had  done  well, 
that  in  God's  account,  his  obedience,  though  but  the  matter 
of  duty,  upon  principles  of  nature,  was  less  wicked  than  a 
total  disregard  to  God's  command  would  have  been."  And 
his  argument  is  to  the  same  purpose  from  the  case  of  the 
Ninevites  whom  God  spared,  and  granted  them  a  great  salva- 
tion out  of  respect  to  their  repentance,  which  he  concludes 
was  not  a  gracious  repentance.  Upon  this  the  following  things 
may  be  observed  :  — 

1.  If  God  granted  favors  to  Ahab  and  Jehu,  and  a  great  deliv- 
erance and  salvation  to  the  Ninevites  purely  out  of  respect  to 
their  repentance  and  good  deeds,  while  they  were  impenitent, 
unbelievers,  and  enemies  to  God  and  his  Son,  the  Mediator,  then 
he  may  and  does  show  favor  to  sinners  out  of  respect  to  what 
they  are  in  themselves,  their  exercises  and  doings,  and  without 
any  relation  and  respect  to  Christ,  the  Mediator.  Therefore, 
if  there  was  no  such  Mediator,  he  might  show  favors  to  sinners, 
take  a  favorable  notice  of  their  doings,  and  express  and  mani- 
fest his  approbation  of  them,  and  purely  out  of  respect  to  this 
suspend  his  punishments,  and  grant  them  pardon  and  salva- 
tion. For  if  he  grants  a  less  good,  a  less  deliverance  and  sal- 
vation, out  of  respect  to  their  character  and  doings,  because 
they  have  done  well,  or  have  become  less  sinful  than  they 
were,  he  may  as  well  grant  a  greater  good,  even  pardon  of  all 
sin  and  eternal  salvation,  out  of  respect  to  this;  especially  if 
they  should  become  really  virtuous  and  obedient  from  the 
highest  and  best  principles.  If  Ahab,  for  instance,  obtained 
the  divine  approbation,  and  God's  favorable  notice,  so  as  to 
have  the  awful  judgments  threatened  suspended,  and  removed 
from  him,  only  by  becoming  in  some  degree  less  sinful,  in  being 
filled  with  fears  of  temporal  evil,  while  he  remained  yet  an 
enemy  to  God,  how  much  higher  must  he  have  risen  in  God's 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  369 

favor  had  he  truly  repented  and  humbled  himself  before  God, 
and  returned  to  obedience  from  the  noblest  principles,  loving 
God  with  all  his  heart  and  soul!  Surely,  if  what  he  did  was 
sufficient  to  abate  God's  anger  towards  him,  and  obtain  his 
approbation  and  favor  so  far  as  to  remove  the  heavy  judgment 
from  him  which  was  threatened,  had  he  made  advances  in  his 
goodness  so  as  to  become  perfectly  friendly  and  obedient  to 
God,  it  would  have  been  sufficient,  quite,  to  remove  God's 
anger,  and  atone  for  all  his  past  sins,  and  procure  God's  highest 
approbation  and  favor.  The  same  observation  is  just  when 
applied  to  Jehu  and  the  Ninevites. 

If  Ahab  abated  the  divine  displeasure  against  him,  and  ob- 
tained God's  approbation  and  favor  in  any  degree  by  the  altera- 
tion of  his  character  and  conduct,  and  purely  on  this  account, 
then  this  did  so  far  atone  for  his  sins,  and  render  his  person 
and  character  —  the  whole  taken  together — less  displeasing, 
and  more  acceptable  to  God.  "What  need  then  did  Ahab 
stand  in  of  the  atonement  and  merit  of  a  Mediator,  in  order 
to  obtain  the  acceptance  of  his  person,  and  pardon  of  his  sins, 
and  the  favor  of  God  ?  He  had  obtained  this,  in  some  degree, 
purely  by  his  own  reformations  and  doings ;  and  nothing  could 
be  in  the  way  of  his  obtaining  it  in  as  high  a  degi-ee  as  he 
needed,  if  he  went  on  in  his  reformation  and  obedience  to 
higher  degrees.  Therefore,  no  sinner  wants  any  other  atone- 
ment and  righteousness  in  order  to  obtain  pardon  and  stand 
complete  in  God's  favor,  but  what  is  contained  in  his  own 
reformations  and  obedience. 

Thus,  Mr.  M.,  in  his  zeal  in  the  cause  of  his  awakened,  re- 
formed, humbled  sinner,  has  quite  sapped  the  foundation  of 
the  doctrine  of  atonement  by  a  Mediator,  and  so  has  over- 
thrown the  whole  gospel,  and  represented  Christ  as  dying  in 
vain !  He  has  done  this,  I  believe,  without  design,  not  really 
knowing  what  he  was  about,  as  many  others  have  done  before 
him ;  but  he,  and  every  one  else,  may  be  challenged  to  show 
the  need,  the  propriety,  and  wisdom  of  the  atonement  which 
Christ  has  made,  if  sinners  out  of  Christ,  wholly  unconnected 
with  him  and  his  enemies,  may  abate  the  divine  displeasure, 
and  obtain  God's  approbation  and  favor,  purely  by  their  own 
reformations  and  doings,  and  wholly  out  of  respect  to  them. 

This  is  what  the  awakened  sinner  is  at  heart  desiring  and 
seeking  after;  nothing  would  please  him  better  than  to  obtain 
God's  approbation  and  favor  by  his  own  reformation  and 
doings.  He  always  will  be  of  this  disposition  as  long  as  he 
views  himself  in  the  light  Mr.  M.  sets  Ahab,  and  till  he  de- 
spairs of  becoming  any  better  or  less  sinful  in  this  way.  And 
never  was  one  reconciled  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  till 


MR.  M.'s  ARGUMENTS  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE 

he  was  not  only  convinced  in  his  judgment  and  conscience 
that  what  Mr.  M.  has  here  advanced  is  not  true,  but  hates  and 
detests  such  a  notion  in  his  heart. 

I  therefore  scruple  not  to  say,  that  Mr.  M.  has,  in  the  pas- 
sages I  am  considering,  exalted  the  sinner  and  espoused  his 
cause,  at  the  expense  of  the  honor  and  glory  of  the  Mediator 
and  Savior  of  sinners.  Yea,  that  if  what  he  has  here  advanced 
is  true,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain,  and  sinners  are  in  an  infinitely 
less  guilty,  miserable  state  than  the  preaching  of  the  cross  of 
Christ  and  the  atonement  by  him  supposes  them  to  be.  Mr. 
M.  having  observed  concerning  the  Ninevites,  that  though  their 
repentance  did  not  "  proceed  from  a  principle  of  saving  grace, 
yet  a  great  salvation  is  bestowed  out  of  respect  to  it,  and  their 
repentance  was  made  the  only  condition  of  their  great  salva- 
tion," adds  the  following  words :  "  And  can  it  agree  to  the 
purity  of  God's  nature  to  make  a  greater  degree  of  wicked- 
ness, on  the  whole,  the  condition  of  bestowing  a  great  salva- 
tion, though  of  an  outward  nature  ?  Sure  it  cannot,  since  this 
would  be  to  manifest  some  regard  to  sin,  and  encourage  men 
to  practise  it  with  boldness."  I  think  it  may  be  also  with  as 
much  propriety  asked,  Can  it  agree  to  the  purity  of  God's 
nature  to  make  a  less  degree  of  wickedness  the  condition? 
If  wickedness  is  made  the  condition,  it  seems  to  be  no  great 
matter,  whether  it  be  greater  or  less.  Surely,  to  make  any 
degree  of  wickedness  the  condition,  "  would  be  to  manifest 
some  regard  to  sin,  and  so  far  encourage  men  to  practise  it." 
But,  what  is  infinitely  worse,  to  make  the  reformations  and 
doings  of  the  sinner  the  only  condition  of  any  salvation,  and 
to  grant  it  out  of  respect  to  these,  and  without  any  respect  to 
Christ,  his  merit,  and  righteousness,  is  to  set  aside  and  destroy 
all  law  and  moral  government,  and  to  manifest  infinitely  less 
hatred  of  sin,  and  to  favor  it  and  the  sinner  infinitely  more 
than  becomes  the  majesty  of  heaven ;  and  nothing  could  tend 
more  to  "  encourage  men  to  practise  it  with  boldness."  I 
therefore  proceed  to  observe,  — 

2.  A  very  natural  and  easy  meaning  can  be  put  upon  these 
passages,  consistenly  with  the  doctrine  of  atonement,  and  the 
glory  of  the  Mediator,  and  as  consistently  with  the  principle 
in  opposition  to  which  Mr.  M.  has  attempted  to  set  them. 
God,  in  his  conduct  towards  these  persons,  and  in  what  he 
says  of  them,  has  respect  only  to  what  was  visible,  to  their 
external  appearance  and  conduct ;  so  nothing  can  be  inferred 
from  this  with  respect  to  their  hearts,  whether  they  were  more 
or  less  sinful. 

Ahab  humbled  himself  before  God  in  his  appearance  and 
visible  conduct,  and  put  on  the  external  appearance  and  pro- 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  371 

fession  of  a  true  penitent ;  and  God,  who  acted,  not  as  the 
searcher  of  hearts  and  final  judge,  in  his  treatment  of  the 
church  and  people  of  Israel,  but  as  their  visible  head  and  civil 
governor,  and  treated  them  according  to  their  external  appear- 
ance and  profession ;  I  say,  God,  in  this  character,  speaks  of 
Ahab,  and  treats  him  according  to  his  external  appearance 
and  conduct,  i.  e,,  as  if  he  had  been  a  true  penitent,  whether 
he  was  really  so  or  not,  or  whether  he  was  sincere  or  only 
played  the  hypocrite.  God  treated  Ahab,  in  this  case,  as  he 
did  Josiah  afterwards,  on  the  appearance  and  profession  he 
made  of  repentance  and  reformation,  and  renouncing  the  sin 
of  his  fathers.  God  uses  much  the  same  language  to  him  on 
this  occasion,  by  Huldah  the  prophetess,  as  he  does  to  Ahab : 
"  Because  thine  heart  was  tender,  and  thou  didst  humble  thy- 
self before  God,  when  thou  heardest  his  words  against  this 
place,  and  against  the  inhabitants  thereof,  and  humbledst  thy- 
self before  me,  and  didst  rend  thy  clothes,  and  weep  before 
me  ;  I  have  heard  thee  also,  saith  the  Lord.  Behold,  I  will 
gather  thee  to  thy  fathers,  and  thou  shalt  be  gathered  to  thy 
grave  in  peace,  neither  shall  thine  eyes  see  all  the  evil  that  I 
will  bring  upon  this  place."  (2  Ch.  xxxiv.  27,  28.)  God 
treated  Ahab  as  he  has  obliged  professing  Christians  to  treat 
one  another.  If  one  falls  into  gross  external  sin,  and  after- 
wards, upon  their  dealing  faithfully  with  him,  returns,  and  says 
he  repents,  i.  e.,  puts  on  this  appearance  and  profession,  they 
are  to  forgive  him,  and  treat  him  as  a  true  penitent,  whatever 
his  heart  may  be,  and  though  he  may  wickedly  dissemble  in 
the  whole,  and  his  pretensions  to  repentance  be  really  more 
criminal  than  the  conduct  of  which  he  professes  to  repent. 

Thus  God  dealt  with  the  church  and  people  of  Israel. 
When  they,  in  profession  and  appearance,  gave  themselves  up 
to  God,  and  solemnly  promised,  "all  that  the  Lord  hath  said, 
we  will  do  and  be  obedient ; "  he  is  represented  as  relying  on 
their  promise,  and  treated  them  as  if  they  were  sincere  and 
hearty  in  this  profession  and  appearance.  "  He  said,  surely, 
they  are  my  people,  children  that  will  not  lie  ;  so  he  was  their 
Savior,"  (Isai.  Ixiii.  8 ;)  even  when,  as  the  omniscient  God,  he 
knew  that  "  they  did  flatter  him  with  their  mouth,  and  lied 
unto  him  with  their  tongues."  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  36.) 

And  thus  he  treated  the  Ninevites  in  his  providence,  accord- 
ing to  their  outward  appearance  and  profession,  agreeably  to 
the  general  rule  of  his  conduct  towards  nations  and  bodies  of 
people,  which  he  had  revealed.  "  At  what  instant  I  shall 
speak  concerning  a  nation,  and  concerning  a  kingdom,  to  pluck 
up,  and  to  pull  down  and  destroy  it;  if  that  nation,  against 
whom  I  have  pronounced,  turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent 
of  the  evil  that  I  thought  to  do  unto  them."    (Jer.  xviii.  7,  8.) 


372  MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

And  when  God  says  to  Jehu,  "  Because  thou  hast  done  well 
in  executing  that  which  is  right  in  mine  eyes,"  (2  Kings  x. 
30,)  he  has  reference  only  to  his  external  conduct,  speaking  to 
him  and  treating  him  as  if  he  was  as  sincere  and  friendly  to 
God  in  what  he  did  as  he  professed  to  be.  These  words  are, 
therefore,  consistent  with  his  being  the  greatest  sinner  in  the 
nation  at  that  very  time,  and  most  odious  and  abominable  in 
God's  sight  in  all  he  did,  it  being,  jill  taken  together,  nothing 
but  a  piece  of  high-handed  wickedness.  This  was,  doubtless, 
the  real  truth  of  the  case ;  for  at  bottom  he  was  no  more  of  a 
friend  to  Jehovah  than  to  Baal ;  and  while  he  was  pulling 
down  Baal,  and  destroying  his  worshippers,  and  executing 
vengeance  on  the  house  of  Ahab,  he  was  setting  himself  up, 
and  regarding  only  himself,  in  opposition  to  Jehovah  ;  and  all 
his  pretences  of  "zeal  for  the  Lord"  were  nothing  but  gross 
hypocrisy.  Who,  then,  can  think  that  Jehu  was  less  sinful 
and  vile  in  God's  sight  now  than  before,  as  Mr.  M.  represents 
him  to  be  ?  And  when  God  says  of  the  children  of  Israel  at 
Mount  Sinai,  "  they  have  well  said  all  that  they  have  spoken," 
(Deut.  v.  28,)  he  has  reference  to  their  words  and  profession 
only,  and  nothing  is  said  about  any  thing  else.  They  had, 
indeed,  spoken  well ;  they  had  promised  obedience  and  said  to 
Moses,  "  Speak  thou  unto  us  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
speak  unto  thee,  and  we  will  hear  and  do  it."  But  they  had 
no  heart  answerable  to  their  words.  In  these  good  words 
"they  did  flatter  him  with  their  mouth,  and  lied  unto  him  with 
their  tongues."  This  is  intimated  in  what  God  says  to  Moses 
on  this  occasion :  "  O  that  there  were  such  an  heart  in  them, 
that  they  would  keep  all  my  commandments  always."  It  is, 
therefore,  so  far  from  being  true  that  the  people  of  Israel  were 
less  vile  and  sinful  in  God's  sight  when  they  said  these  words, 
and  that  on  this  account  they  had  his  "  express  approbation," 
which  Mr.  M.  asserts,  that  it  is  certain  they  were  more  vile  and 
odious  in  God's  sight  than  if  they  had  said  nothing;  if  gross 
and  solemn  lying  and  hypocrisy  is  more  sinful  than  to  make 
no  profession  and  tell  no  lie.  These  two  last-mentioned  in- 
stances are,  therefore,  very  ill-chosen  ones  to  answer  Mr.  M.'s 
purpose,  whatever  are  the  rest. 

But  if  we  set  aside  what  has  been  said  in  the  foregoing  ob- 
servations, and  allow  that  the  persons  here  mentioned  were 
not  so  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight  as  they  had  been,  and 
that  this  is  expressly  asserted  of  them  all,  yet  this  does  not 
afford  the  least  shadow  of  an  argument  to  prove  that  an 
awakened,  convinced  sinner,  such  a  one  as  I  describe,  is  not 
more  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight  than  when  in  a  state  of 
ignorance  and  security.    For,  I  have  to  observe, — 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  373 

3.  It  does  not  appear  that  any  of  these  were  the  awakened, 
convinced  sinners  of  which  I  speak,  but  the  contrary  is  most 
evident.  Let  Mr.  M.  produce  as  many  instances  as  he  will  of 
persons  becoming  less  sinful  and  growing  so  much  better,  as 
on  this  account  to  abate  and  remove  God's  anger  towards 
them  and  attain  his  approbation  and  favor;  yet,  this  will  be 
nothing  in  favor  of  the  cause  he  has  espoused,  unless  these  are 
instances  of  these  awakened,  convinced  sinners,  about  whom 
is  the  dispute. 

Jehu  has  not  the  least  appearance  of  any  awakening  and 
conviction,  or  humiliation,  or  so  much  as  external  reformation. 
I,  therefore,  a  little  wonder  how  Mr.  M.  happened  to  think  of 
him  for  an  instance  of  an  "awakened,  humbled,  reformed 
sinner." 

The  case  of  the  Ninevites  has  been  before  considered,  and  it 
appears  by  the  account  which  Mr.  M.  gives  of  them,  that  they 
were  very  far  from  the  conviction  of  which  I  speak,  being  "  in 
the  depth  of  heathenish  darkness,  and  not  knowing  so  much 
as  the  name  of  a  Mediator." 

The  Israelites  were  terrified  and  affected  by  the  extraordi- 
nary, dreadful  appearances  at  Mount  Sinai ;  but  that  they  had 
much  light  and  conviction  let  into  their  consciences,  there  is 
no  evidence ;  but  the  contrary  is  most  evident.  They  had  no 
real  conviction  of  conscience,  of  the  sinfulness  and  perverseness 
of  their  own  hearts,  but  thought  they  were  disposed  and  ready 
to  do  all  that  God  commanded.  Instead  of  having  any  true 
light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  they  were  vastly  ignorant 
and  stupid  in  this  respect,  while  they  were  only  alarmed  and 
frighted  by  the  external  appearances  of  Mount  Sinai;  just 
as  many  persons  now  are  affrighted  by  some  imaginary  sug- 
gestions and  apprehensions,  and  so  imagine  themselves  to  be 
under  the  awakenings  and  conviction  of  sin,  which  are  pre- 
paratory to  conversion,  and  are  thought  to  be  so  by  many 
others ;  while  they  have  really  no  true  sight  and  conviction  of 
their  sin  and  danger,  and  know  not  what  is  their  real  state  and 
character.  Indeed,  the  Israelites  were  neither  truly  "  awakened, 
convinced,  humbled,  nor  reformed  " ;  for  they  directly  upon  this 
fell  into  the  grossest  acts  of  idolatry ;  they  made  and  wor- 
shipped a  golden  calf,  and  in  their  idolatrous  revel  "  they  sat 
down  to  eat  and  to  drink,  and  rose  up  to  play." 

Ahab  put  on  the  appearance  of  a  true  penitent.  "  He  put 
sackcloth  upon  his  flesh,  and  fasted  and  lay  in  sackcloth,  and 
went  softly";  and  thus  he  did,  in  his  external  appearance, 
humble  himself  before  God ;  but  there  is  not  the  least  evidence 
that  he  was  under  what  is  called  legal  conviction,  or  was  in 
any  degree  troubled,  or  thoughtful  about  a  future  state ;  or 
VOL.  III.  32 


374  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

that  he  had  any  right  speculative  notions  of  his  guilty,  lost, 
miserable  state,  as  a  sinner,  and  of  the  way  in  which  he  might 
obtain  pardon  and  salvation.  He  believed  the  prophet,  that 
God  was  angry  with  him  for  what  he  had  done  in  the  affair 
of  Naboth's  vineyard,  and  he  was  afraid  of  the  temporal, 
worldly  evils  which  were  threatened,  and  put  on  this  appear- 
ance of  penitence  in  hopes  that  hereby  the  judgments  might  be 
averted.  He  is  not,  therefore,  an  instance  of  an  awakened, 
convinced  sinner;  so  is  not  in  any  degree  applicable  to  the 
case  before  us,  on  supposition  it  was  certain  that  he,  by  what 
he  did,  became  less  sinful.  But  whether  he  was  a  convinced 
sinner  or  not,  as  it  appears  by  his  after  conduct  that  he  was 
not  a  true  penitent,  we  may  be  very  sure  that  his  heart  was 
not  answerable  to  the  external  appearance  he  put  on,  but  was 
directly  opposite  thereto ;  and,  therefore,  that  he  was  guilty  of 
gross  hypocrisy,  and  was  more  vile  and  hateful  in  God's  sight 
than  he  was  before  he  had  this  special  admonition,  and  put 
on  this  hypocritical  appearance.  How  far,  then,  is  this  instance 
from  being  to  Mr.  M.'s  purpose  I 

But  Mr.  M.  has  more  instances  under  this  head,  to  which  I 
will  now  attend.  He  says  the  point  he  contends  for  is  evident 
from  the  representation  our  Savior  makes  of  this  matter  in  the 
following  words :  "  When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a 
man,  he  walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findeth 
none.  Then  he  saith,  I  will  return  to  my  house,  from  whence 
I  came  out;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it  empty,  swept, 
and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  with  him  seven 
other  spirits  more  wicked  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in,  and 
dwell  there ;  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the 
first."  (Mat.  xii.  43-45.)  He  observes  upon  these  words,  that 
"  by  the  house  empty,  swept,  and  garnished,  is  represented  the 
state  of  an  awakened,  reformed  sinner;  by  his  return  with 
seven  other  spirits  more  wicked  than  himself,  entering  in,  and 
dwelling  there,  is  represented  the  more  desperate,  wicked  state, 
to  which  he  is  reduced  on  the  abatement  of  his  convictions, 
returning  with  further  degrees  of  contracted  hardness  of  heart 
to  the  unrestrained  practice  of  more  desperate  degrees  of  wick- 
edness. Now,  it  is  expressly  affirmed  that  the  last  state  of 
that  man  is  ivorse  than  the  first."  He  then  goes  on  to  observe 
that  this  is  applied  to  the  Jewish  nation,  who  had  been 
awakened  and  reformed  by  the  preaching  of  John. 

It  has  been  before  observed,  that  in  arguing  from  this  instance, 
Mr.  M.  has  expressly  contradicted  what  he  had  advanced  in  a 
former  argument.  Since,  therefore,  he  has  introduced  this  at 
such  an  expense,  it  would  be  very  wrong  not  to  allow  it  its 
full  weight.  The  reader  will  judge  for  himself,  when  he  has 
attended  to  the  following  particulars :  — 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  375 

1.  I  allow  that  the  going  out  of  the  unclean  spirit  intends 
external  reformation  of  gross,  open  sins,  which  took  place  in  a 
considerable  degree  among  the  Jews,  upon  the  appearance  and 
preaching  of  John  Baptist,  and  continued  for  some  time.     But, 

2.  I  think  Mr,  M.  has  mistaken  the  meaning  of  the  "  house 
empty,  swept,  and  garnished."  This  does  not  intend  external 
reformation,  or  any  reformation  at  all ;  but  denotes  a  habita- 
tion suited  and  prepared  for  the  reception  of  such  a  guest  or 
inhabitant  as  is  an  evil  spirit;  every  thing  being  ready  for  his 
admittance,  and  suited  to  invite  him  to  dwell  there,  and  give 
him  all  desirable  advantage.  In  one  word,  it  denotes  a  heart 
not  made  better  or  less  sinful  in  any  degree,  but  fit  and  pre- 
pared for  the  entrance  and  abode  of  a  devil,  only  in  a  differ- 
ent shape,  and  that  he  might  dwell  there  with  greater  power 
and  advantage.  This,  indeed,  represents/the  state  of  an  awak- 
ened, convinced  sinner.  The  unclean  devil  which  reigned  in 
him  in  a  state  of  ignorance,  security,  and  external  vice,  now 
enters  him  in  another  shape,  for  which  his  heart  is  now  pre- 
pared in  a  manner  it  was  not  before,  and  becomes  sevenfold 
more  wicked  and  vile  in  the  exercises  of  a  self-righte-ous,  proud 
spirit,  and  in  more  direct  and  stronger  opposition  to  Christ  and 
the  gospel.  Mr.  M.  has,  therefore,  led  me  to  a  passage  very 
much  to  my  purpose,  and  directly  against  himself. 

This  also  represents  the  state  of  the  Jews  when  they  were 
in  some  measure  awakened  and  externally  reformed.  They  only 
forsook  one  way  of  wickedness  for  another,  which  was  much 
greater,  and  every  way  worse.  They  trusted  in  themselves 
that  they  were  righteous,  and  hated  and  rejected  Jesus  Christ. 
Instead  of  the  unclean  devil,  in  obedience  to  whom  they  had 
wallowed  in  external  filthiness,  a  self-righteous,  proud,  unbe- 
lieving devil  entered  them,  and  they  became  sevenfold  more 
wicked  and  the  children  of  hell  than  the  publicans  and  open 
sinners,  in  their  hatred  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  direct  and  violent 
opposition  to  him. 

3.  ^Y  first  and  last  state  are  meant,  not  the  reformed  state, 
and  external  wickedness  afterwards  returned  to,  but  the  state 
they  were  in  before  the  unclean  spirit  went  out,  and  the  state 
in  which,  under  the  influence  of  seven  worse  devils,  they  hated 
the  divine  character ;  and  rejected  and  opposed  Jesus  Christ, 
by  which  they  became  worse,  more  guilty  and  vile  than  the 
unclean  Sodomites,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
and  were  going  on  to  a  more  dreadful  damnation,  notwith- 
standing all  their  external  reformations  and  professions  in  which 
they  cleansed  only  the  outside,  while  the  most  abominable 
wickedness  reigned  within,  and  were  "like  whited  sepulchres, 
which  indeed  appeared  beautiful  outward,  but  are  within  full 


376  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

of  dead  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleanness."  (Mat.  xxiii. 
27.) 

Thus,  the  true  import  of  this  parable  being  attended  to,  it 
appears  to  be  so  far  from  containing  an  argument  in  favor  of 
what  Mr.  M.  has  espoused,  that  it  is  directly  against  him,  and 
represents  the  Jews,  notwithstanding  all  their  awakenings  and 
reformations,  more  than  sevenfold  worse  than  they  were  before, 
while  they  hated  the  divine  character  clearly  set  before  them 
in  the  incarnate  Son  of  God,  and  obstinately  rejected  and 
opposed  him. 

But  if  this  most  natural  and  plain  sense  of  the  words  is 
given  up,  and  the  interpretation  Mr.  M.  has  given  is  admitted, 
they  will  afford  no  argument  in  his  favor ;  for,  — 

4.  According  to  him  the  Jews  became  worse,  more  guilty 
and  vile,  because,  under  all  their  awakenings,  reformations, 
light,  and  advantages,  they  did  not  embrace  the  gospel ;  "  but 
hardened  their  hearts,  and  rejected  the  clearest  light  and  evi- 
dence of  the  truth,  and  thereby  ripened  themselves  for  a  more 
aggravated  condemnation."  It  was  then  the  abuse  of  the 
light  and  advantages  they  had  in  their  awakened,  reformed 
state  that  ripened  them  for  a  more  aggravated  condemnation, 
which  is  the  very  thing  which  I  assert,  and  which  Mr.  M.  op- 
poses. And  if  it  is  allowed  that  they  "  finally  hardened  their 
hearts,  and  rejected  the  clearest  light  and  evidence  of  the  truth, 
and  thereby  ripened  themselves  for  a  more  aggravated  con- 
demnation," not  in  their  awakened,  reformed  state,  under  the 
preaching  of  John  Baptist,  Christ  and  his  apostles,  but,  as  Mr. 
M.  supposes,  after  all  this,  by  returning  to  their  former  or  greater 
external  wickedness,  this  instance  will  be  nothing  to  the  case 
before  us  ;  for,  though  it  be  granted  that  if  a  person  who  has 
been  under  great  awakenings  and  convictions  does  not  only 
abuse  all  his  light  and  conviction  by  continuing  to  reject  Christ 
and  the  gospel,  but  in  opposition  to  all  this  goes  into  an  allowed 
course  of  open  wickedness,  does  hereby  become  more  guilty 
and  vile,  and  contracts  greater  hardness  of  heart  than  while 
he  was  externally  reformed  under  the  influence  of  his  convic- 
tions of  conscience ;  yet,  it  does  not  follow  that  he  was  so 
when  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  security  before  he  had  this 
light  and  conviction.  In  this  case  the  light  and  conviction  he 
has  had  is  the  reason  and  ground  of  his  greater  sinfulness,  which 
serves  to  show  how  such  light  and  conviction  aggravates  all 
his  sins ;  and,  therefore,  that  he  could  not  have  been  so  guilty 
and  vile  had  he  never  been  the  subject  of  them  ;  and  so  is  an 
argument  in  favor  of  what  I  have  advanced  ;  but  if  it  was  not, 
it  is  nothing  against  it,  for  it  has  no  relation  to  the  case  of  a 
sinner  before  he  falls  under  awakenings  and  conviction,  but 


CONSIDERED  AND  REFUTED.  377 

only  to  those  who  after  awakenings  and  convictions  fall  into 
gross,  open  wickedness ;  to  which,  what  I  assert  has  no  respect 
at  all.  In  a  word,  in  order  to  prove  that  a  sinner  is  more  guilty 
and  vile  before  he  falls  under  awakenings  and  convictions  than 
he  is  when  thus  awakened,  Mr.  M.  brings  an  instance  to  prove 
that  he  who  runs  into  open  wickedness  after  he  has  these  con- 
victions, is  on  this  account  more  guilty  and  vile,  which  surely 
is  a  very  inconclusive  way  of  arguing. 

The  next  instance  Mr.  M.  produces  is  that  of  "  the  young 
man,  on  whose  declaration  of  his  having  observed  the  com- 
mandments from  his  youth,  it  is  said,  Christ  beholding  him, 
loved  him."     (Mark  x.  21.) 

Mr.  M.  observes  upon  this,  that  "whatever  dispute  may  be 
raised  on  the  words,"  he  supposes  it  will  be  allowed  by  all, 
"that  he  was  a  person  of  an  externally  moral  and  amiable 
conversation,  and  that  on  that  account  Christ  showed  him 
respect,  at  least  as  being  less  vile  than  if  he  had  under  his 
religious  advantages  continued  in  greater  degrees  of  stupidity, 
and  lived  in  the  open  violation  of  all  Qod's  commandments." 

Here  I  take  leave  to  observe  the  following  things  :  — 

1.  Mr.  M.  seems  here  quite  to  have  forgot  what  he  was 
about,  or  had  undertaken  to  do ;  which  was  to  produce  in- 
stances of  "  awakened,  humbled,  reformed  sinners ;"  for  surely 
he  could  not  have  the  least  thought  that  this  young  man  was 
such  an  instance.  He  was  not  reformed,  for  he  had  never 
been  guilty  of  any  course  of  external  sins.  He  was  not  a 
humbled  sinner,  for  he  did  not  charge  himself  with  the  least 
sin ;  and  was  stupid  and  proud  enough  to  think  of  obtaining 
eternal  life  by  doing  some  good  thing.  It  hence  appears  also 
that  he  had  not  the  least  degree  of  true  light  and  conviction 
of  conscience.  Mr.  M.  says,  "  Christ  showed  him  respect,  as 
being  less  vile  than  if  he  had  continued  in  greater  degrees  of 
stupidity."  I  wonder  that  he  mentioned  this ;  for  he  mani- 
fested the  most  shocking  degree  of  stupidity  of  conscience,  by 
saying  that  he  had  kept  all  the  commands,  which  Christ  men- 
tioned to  him,  from  his  youth.  One  would  hope  there  was 
not  another  such  ignorant,  stupid  wretch  among  all  the  Jews. 

2.  I  do  not  allow,  what  Mr.  M.  supposes  will  be  allowed  by 
all,  that  "  Christ  showed  him  respect,"  and  loved  him,  on  the 
account  of  his  good  character,  "  at  least  as  being  less  vile,"  etc. 

If  Christ  loved  him  merely  because  he  was  less  vile  than  he 
might  have. been,  he  had  the  same  reason  to  love  every  one 
that  he  saw ;  for  we  have  no  reason  to  think  that  any  one  of 
them  was  as  vile  and  sinful  as  he  could  possibly  be,  on  any 
supposition.  Besides,  this  would  be  a  very  odd  sort  of  love 
indeed,  which  is  wholly  grounded  on  his  being  less  sinful  and 
32* 


378  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

odious  than  he  might  have  been,  or  than  others  were.  It  is, 
indeed,  a  love  which  consists  in  not  hating  him  so  much  as  if 
he  had  been  more  odious.  In  this  sense  we  may  be  said  to 
love  all  who  are  not  so  bad  as  the  devil  or  the  most  odious 
creatures  in  the  universe. 

Nor  is  there  any  reason  to  think  that  Christ  loved  him  on 
account  of  any  thing  amiable  and  excellent  in  his  character. 
His  saying  "  all  these  have  I  observed  from  my  youth,"  was 
much  more  of  an  expression  of  the  most  odious  ignorance, 
stupidity,  and  wickedness  of  mind,  than  of  any  thing  else.* 
He  must  have  been  destitute  of  all  true  benevolence,  vastly 
proud,  and  a  perfect^enemy  to  God,  else  he  could  not  have 
been  so  ignorant  of  himself,  and  the  divine  law ;  and  Christ 
saw  all  this  in  the  clearest  light.  He,  "  beholding  him,"  look- 
ing on  him  as  a  poor,  ignorant,  stupid,  proud  enemy  to  God, 
and  in  a  most  wretched  condition,  this  excited  in  him  the  love 
of  pity  and  benevolence  towards  him ;  and  under  the  influ- 
ence of  this  he  went  on  to  use  means  suited  to  instruct  and 
relieve  him.  This,  I  suppose,  is  all  that  is  meant  by  his 
loving  him.  We  have  no  need  to  look  for  something  amiable 
and  excellent  in  this  young  man,  in  order  to  account  for 
Christ's  loving  him  with  a  love  of  pity  and  benevolence. 
Misery  and  wretchedness,  without  any  thing  amiable,  is  the 
proper  object  of  this  love.  Thus  God  is  said  to  love  the 
world  of  mankind,  when  they  were  his  enemies,  (John  iii.  16  ;) 
and  we  are  commanded  to  love  our  worst  enemies,  not  with 
a  love  of  complacency,  but  of  benevolence  and  kindness,  how- 
ever odious  their  character  may  justly  be  to  us.  But  if  it 
were  granted,  that  Christ  loved  him  out  of  respect  to  his 
decent,  amiable,  external  behavior,  (as  some  have  supposed,) 
this  is  very  consistent  with  his  being  the  greatest  sinner  in  the 
nation,  his  whole  character  being  considered,  as  comprehend- 
ing the  state  and  exercises  of  his  heart.  But  more  than 
enough  has  perhaps  been  said  to  show  with  what  little  reason 
Mr.  M.  has  produced  this  instance  in  support  of  his  cause. 

He  goes  on  to  say,  "  Again,  the  same  truth  is  clearly  held 

*  Mr.  M.  often  speaks  of  the  Pharisee  who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray- 
as  "  a  proud,  stupid,  self -justifying  sinner;"  and  says,  "he  was,  in  some  re- 
spects, if  not  on  the  whole,  the  vilest  of  all  sinners."  I  see  not  what  great 
difference  there  is  in  the  characters  of  these  two.  The  young  man  was  not  an 
extortioner,  unjust,  or  adulterer ;  and  was  doubtless  as  exact  in  his  observance 
of  the  first  table  of  the  law  as  of  the  second.  Ajid  he  certainly  trusted  in  this 
as  a  righteousness  to  recommend  him  to  God.  He  did  not  think  that  he 
wanted  any  thing  more,  unless  it  was  to  make  further  progress  in  his  good 
deeds,  and  do  some  good  thing,  further  to  recommend  him  to  God,  which  he 
had  not  yet  done.  Surely  Mr.  M.  had  no  reason  to  set  one  of  these  Pharisees 
in  so  bad  a  light  as  the  greatest  sinner  on  earth,  and  represent  the  other  as  a 
small  sinner,  and  so  amiable  as  to  attract  Christ's  respect  and  complacency. 


CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED.  379 

forth  by  the  apostle  Peter,  where  he  tells  us,  '  If,  after  they 
have  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world,  through  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again 
entangled  therein,  and  overcome ;  the  latter  end  is  worse  with 
them  than  the  beginning.' "  Upon  this  he  asks  the  following 
question  :  "  Is  it  not  plainly  implied  in  these  words,  that  while 
he  is  not  again  entangled,  and  overcome  with  the  pollutions 
of  the  world,  i.  e,,  continues  to  escape  them,  he  is  less  vile  ?  " 

Answer.  If  this  is  granted,  it  is  nothing  to  the  purpose  ;  for, 
according  to  this,  there  is  reference  only  to  their  abuse  of  that 
light  and  knowledge,  which  they  had,  after  they  had  been 
awakened  and  reformed.  The  point  in  controversy  has  no 
relation  to  such  a  case  as  this.  The  question  between  us  is, 
not  whether  a  person  that  has  reformed  his  external  conduct 
under  the  influence  of  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  may 
not  grow  worse  by  returning  to  his  former  ways  of  sinning, 
but  whether  a  convinced  sinner,  how  much  soever  he  is 
reformed  in  his  external  conduct,  is  not  on  the  whole  worse, 
more  guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  before  he  had  this  light  and 
conviction  ?  But  this  has  been  repeatedly  observed  before. 
It  seems  a  little  strange  and  odd,  that  Mr.  M.,  when  he  is 
hunting  up  arguments  to  support  that  side  which  he  has  taken 
of  the  question  in  debate,  should  so  often  quite  forget  the 
point  in  dispute,  and  argue  against  something  else. 

But  I  have  here  to  observe,  Mr.  M.  has  not  given  the  true 
sense  of  the  words.  When  St.  Peter  says,  "  the  latter  end  is 
worse  with  them  than  the  beginning,"  (or  as  the  same  words 
are  rendered,  (Matt.  xii.  45,)  the  last  state  is  worse  with  them 
than  the  first,)  he  means,  that  they  who  have  once,  under  the 
influence  of  their  knowledge  and  conviction  of  the  truths  of 
Christianity,  externally  submitted  to  the  laws  of  that  holy 
religion,  and  after  that  turn  apostates,  and  fall  into  their 
former  ways  of  external  sin,  are  in  a  worse  state  than  they 
were  before  they  had  the  knowledge  of  Christianity.  Their 
beginning,  or  first  state,  is  the  state  they  were  in  before  they 
had  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world,  through  the  knowledge 
of  Christ.  This  is  as  evident  as  can  be  by  the  words  imme- 
diately following :  "  For  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to 
have  known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than  after  they  have 
known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment."  To  prove 
that  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the  beginning,  he 
says  it  had  been  better  for  them  to  have  remained  as  they  were 
in  the  beginning,  i.  e.,  in  ignorance  of  the  gospel,  than  to  re- 
nounce it  after  they  had  known  it.  Mr.  M.  has  therefore  quite 
mistaken  the  force  and  meaning  of  this  text.  As  it  stands,  it 
is  rather  a  confirmation  of  the  point  which  he  opposes ;  for 


380  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE 

their  being  in  a  worse  state  is  wholly  grounded,  not  in  their 
greater  external  wickedness,  for  they  are  supposed  only  to 
return  to  their  former  ways  in  which  they  lived  in  the  begin- 
ning; but  on  their  returning  to  their  old  ways  of  sinning 
when  they  had  so  much  knowledge  and  conviction  of  the 
truth.  So  that  their  sinning  against  the  internal  light  and 
conviction  which  they  had,  is  represented  as  the  chief  aggra- 
vation of  their  sins ;  which  is  the  very  thing  which  I  assert, 
and  which  Mr.  M.  opposes. 

Mr.  M.  concludes  his  argument  from  these  instances  with 
the  following  question :  "  Are  not  these  as  clear  indications 
as  can  well  be  given  by  words,  that  the  account  the  blessed 
God  makes  of  these  different  characters  of  men,  under  the 
means  of  grace,  is  in  favor  of  the  negative  part  of  the  ques- 
tion ? "  I  leave  the  reader  now  to  answer  this  question 
himself. 

Mr.  M.  proceeds  "  on  the  other  hand  to  inquire,  of  what 
account  with  the  blessed  God  the  character  of  the  secure, 
bold,  presumptuous,  hardened  sinner  is,  who  obstinately  per- 
sists in  vicious  and  immoral  practices."  This  he  proposes  to 
do  by  considering  the  threatenings  uttered  by  God  against 
such  in  particular.  And  "  the  execution  of  his  judgments  and 
wrath,  in  the  way  of  his  providence,  correspondent  with  the 
threatenings  of  his  word,"  on  those  of  this  character,  when 
this  is  expressly  assigned  as  the  ground  of  these  judgments. 

The  threatenings  he  mentions  are  contained  in  the  Scrip- 
tures referred  to  in  the  margin.  (Pr.  xxix.  1.  Numb.  xv.  30. 
Amos  vi.  1.  1  Thess.  v.  3.  Ps.  Ixviii.  21.  Deut.  xxix.  19.) 
The  instances  of  God's  judgments,  which  he  produces,  are 
the  destruction  of  the  old  world  —  God's  sending  fire  and 
brimstone  on  Sodom,  the  judgments  executed  on  Pharaoh,  and 
on  the  people  of  Israel,  first  and  last. 

Upon  this  I  shall  only  make  the  following  brief  remarks  :  — 

1.  Mr.  M.  supposes  and  allows  that  these  are  only  threats 
and  executions  of  "outward  judgments,"  i.  e,,  of  temporal 
evils  and  calamities.  And  is  it  not  easy  to  see  why  open, 
visible  sins  should  be  punished  visibly  and  openly  in  this  state, 
rather  than  those  which  are  invisible  and  secret ;  and  therefore 
why  those  sins  should  be  threatened  with  these  judgments? 
It  cannot  be  hence  inferred,  that  these  are  always  most  guilty 
and  the  greatest  sinners  in  God's  sight.  God  has  nowhere  in 
his  word  intimated  that  in  his  providence  he  treats  men  ac- 
cording to  their  true  character,  inflicting  the  greatest  outward 
judgments  on  the  greatest  sinners,  and  showing  the  greatest 
favors  to  the  least  guilty  and  vile  ;  so  far  from  this,  that  directly 
the  contrary  is  abundantly  revealed.     Therefore,  nothing  can 


CONSIDERED  AND  REFUTED.  381 

be  determined  about  the  question  in  dispute,  who  is,  on  the 
whole,  the  greatest  sinner,  by  all  the  threatenings  and  execu- 
tions of  God's  judgments  in  this  world.*  Our  Savior  ex- 
pressly opposes  and  censures  such  a  conclusion  as  Mr.  M. 
makes  from  these  instances,  in  the  following  words  :  "  Suppose 
ye  that  these  Galileans  were  sinners  above  all  the  Galileans, 
because  they  suffered  such  things?  I  tell  you,  Nay."  God's 
bringing  outward,  temporal  calamities  on  some  for  their  visible, 
open  sins,  as  a  manifestation  of  his  displeasure  and  anger, 
is  no  evidence  that  their  external  wickedness  is  greater,  and 
more  provoking  to  God,  than  the  outward  wickedness  of 
many  others,  whom  he  spares  and  smiles  on  in  his  provi- 
dence ;  much  less  is  it  any  evidence  that  they  are  in  all  respects, 
and  on  the  whole,  greater  sinners  than  others  who  escape  these 
judgments. 

It  is  enough  that  they  on  whom  these  judgments  are  brought, 
deserve  them,  and  infinitely  more,  and  that  it  is  wise  and  pro- 
per, all  things  considered,  for  God  in  this  way  to  manifest  his 
displeasure  at  them,  though  at  the  same  time  others  who  es- 
cape these  judgments  are  more  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight, 
and  will  have  a  much  more  intolerable  condemnation  in  the 
day  of  judgment.  Of  this  we  have  an  instance  which  cannot 
be  disputed  in  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  those  of  Caper- 
naum. The  former  were  burnt  up  in  fire  and  brimstone  from 
heaven ;  the  latter,  the  most  of  them,  at  least,  we  have  all 
reason  to  think,  died  a  natural  death,  with  no  extraordinary 
marks  of  the  divine  vengeance  ;  and  yet  the  latter  were  more 
guilty  and  vile  than  the  former,  our  Savior  being  judge,  and 
will  appear  so  at  the  day  of  judgment.  It  might  be  also  ob- 
served that  most  who  had  an  actual  hand  in  crucifying  the 
Lord  of  glory  died  quietly  in  their  beds,  and  a  peculiar  ven- 
geance fell  on  those  who  came  upon  the  stage  after  this  ;  for 
the  evils  that  came  on  the  nation  of  the  Jews  were  suspended 
till  forty  years  after  this  fact ;  in  which  time  most  of  that  gen- 
eration died  off,  and  others  rose  up  in  their  room.  And  I  sup- 
pose all  will  allow  that  the  former  were  more  guilty  than  the 
latter. 

2.  Some  of  the  threats  Mr.  M.  has  here  quoted  have  no  par- 
ticular reference  to  external  sins  of  the  unawakened,  secure 
sinner,  or  to  any  temporal,  outward  judgments ;  but  are  as 

*  It  cannot  bo  inferred  that  the  man  of  God  who  was  sent  to  cry  against  the 
altar  at  Bethel  was  a  greater  sinner  than  Jeroboam  or  the  old  prophet,  because 
he  was  so  severely  threatened,  and  slain  by  a  lion,  while  they  were  spared. 
(1  Kings  xiii.)  But  this  inference  is  as  well  grounded  as  Mr.  M's.  Nor  is  it 
any  evidence  that  the  man  who  refused  to  smite  the  prophet,  was  in  this  a 
greater  criminal  than  any  of  his  neighbors,  because  he  was  for  this  act  of  diso- 
bedience to  the  prophet  threatened,  and  slain  by  a  lion.     (1  Kings  xx.  35,  36.) 


382  MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    CONSIDERED    AND    REFUTED. 

applicable  to  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  as  to  any  other, 
and  much  more  so.  "  He  that,  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth 
his  neck,  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  without  rem- 
edy," is  peculiarly  applicable  to  an  awakened,  convinced 
sinner.  Such  a  one  is  reproved  by  the  light  and  convictions 
of  his  conscience  much  more  and  oftener  iJian  any  other,  and 
he  hardeneth  his  neck  more  than  others  in  proportion  as  liis 
reproofs  are  stronger  and  more  constant.  And  his  continuing 
to  harden  his  neck  will  issue  in  sudden  and  remediless  destruc- 
tion. And  when  it  is  said,  "  God  shall  wound  the  head  of  his 
enemies,  and  the  hairy  scalp  of  such  a  one  as  goeth  on  still  in 
his  trespasses,"  a  secure  profligate  is  no  more  pointed  out  than 
an  awakened,  convinced  sinner ;  for  the  latter  is  really  as  much 
an  enemy  to  God  as  the  former,  and  "  goeth  on  still  in  his 
trespasses."  Mr.  M.  might  as  well  have  quoted  any  other  text 
in  the  Bible  as  these ;  and  his  mentioning  these  only  shows 
that  he  either  little  thought  what  he  was  about,  or  quite  mis- 
understood the  character  of  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner 
while  unregenerate.  The  latter  is  doubtless  the  truth,  since 
he  appears  to  carry  this  mistake  through  the  whole  of  his  book, 
and  builds  all  his  opposition  to  me  upon  it,  as  has  been  before 
observed. 

But,  be  this  as  it  may,  whether  the  texts  Mr.  M.  has  quoted 
are  all  to  his  purpose  or  not,  let  it  be  remembered  that  how- 
ever many  threats  of  outward  judgments  for  open  wickedness 
there  are  in  the  Bible,  and  though  there  are  many  instances 
of  God's  bringing  judgments  on  men  for  such  sins,  yet  this 
affords  not  the  least  argument  that  these  were,  all  things  con- 
sidered, and  on  the  whole,  greater  sinners  than  any  others  who 
have  escaped  these  judgments;  nor  is  any  such  thing  implied 
or  intimated  in  all  this,  as  has  been  showed  in  the  first  remark. 
This  argument,  therefore,  of  Mr.  M.'s,  comes  to  nothing,  and 
may  well  be  numbered  with  all  the  rest  which  have  been  con- 
sidered. 

And  now  the  reader  is  to  judge  of  the  weight  of  all  Mr. 
M.  has  said  in  opposition  to  the  point  in  debate,  and  whether 
he  has  overthrown,  or  so  much  as  shaken,  what  I  have 
advanced  in  my  section  on  means,  and  have  endeavored  to 
vindicate  in  the  preceding  pages. 


M-R.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  383 


SECTION  VII. 

In  ivhich  what  Mr.  M.  has  said  vpon  several  other  Passag-es  in 
my  Inquiry  is  examined. 

After  Mr.  M.  has  finished  what  he  had  to  say  upon  the 
proposition  he  set  up  to  dispute  against,  he  has  filled  up  above 
two  thirds  of  his  book  upon  another  point  of  doctrine,  which 
he  owns  I  have  neither  expressly  affirmed  nor  denied.  He  does 
not,  however,  quite  forget  the  former  dispute,  but  often  brings 
it  into  view  under  this  head,  and  seems  to  think  himself  dis- 
puting against  me.  What  I  am  more  especially  concerned 
with  here,  is  what  he  says  under  his  fifth  general  head,  in  which 
he  proposes  "  to  touch  briefly  on  some  particular  passages, 
which  to  him  appear  liable  to  exception,  as  not  being  clear 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures." 

The  first  he  mentions  of  this  sort,  is  my  construction  of 
those  words  of  Christ,  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate." 
I  had  said  that  some,  by  the  strait  gate  here,  understand 
"  the  entrance  into  heaven,  or  eternal  life."  And  striving  to 
enter  in  at  this  gate  must  then  intend  "a  keeping  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  or  the  holy  exercises  of  true  saints,  by 
which  they  walk  in  the  way  to  heaven  ;  fight  the  good  fight 
of  faith,  and  so  lay  hold  on  eternal  life."  And  proceeded  to 
offer  some  things  in  favor  of  this  interpretation,  without  ex- 
pressly declaring  my  own  opinion.  Mr.  M.  has  taken  an  alarm 
at  this,  as  if  all  orthodoxy,  and  even  religion  itself,  was  given 
up  by  such  an  interpretation  of  these  words.  But  let  us  con- 
sider what  he  has  to  say  against  it. 

He  first  says,  this  is  the  Arminians'  sense  of  this  text,  "  which 
some  think  is  a  short  summary  of  their  whole  scheme.  For 
this  tends  to  deliver  them  from  the  invisible  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  grown  persons,  and  sensible  experiences  and 
exercises  in  conversion."  And  he  goes  on  to  ask,  "  Is  not  ad- 
vancing this  gloss  on  the  text,  the  most  effectual  method  that 
could  be  taken  unobservedly  to  overthrow  Calvinism  in  this 
point,  and  promote  Arminianism  ?  " 

Answer.  I  am  sorry  if  Calvinism,  or  any  one  peculiar  doc- 
trine of  it,  depends  so  much  upon  the  meaning  of  this  single 
text,  that  it  must  stand  or  fall  according  as  this  is  understood. 
I  think  such  a  supposition  is  more  favorable  to  Arminianism 
than  any  interpretation  that  can  be  put  upon  this  text.  Cal- 
vinists  are  poorly  off",  indeed,  if  they  have  no  text  but  this  to 
prove  "  the  invincible  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  sensi- 
ble experiences  and   exercises   in   conversion ; "  which  does, 


384  MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

indeed,  say  nothing  about  them.  Many  Calvinists  have  greatly 
hurt  themselves  and  their  cause  by  pressing  into  their  service 
texts  of  Scripture  which  have  no  relation  to  the  point  which 
they  would  support  by  them ;  and  they  need  not  be  afraid  of 
joining  with  Arminians,  when  they  are  so  lucky  as  to  give  the 
right  sense  of  a  text.  And  they  who  think  the  sense  of  this 
text  which  I  have  mentioned  "is  a  short  summary  of  the 
whole  Arminian  scheme,"  or  tends  to  support  it  in  one  article, 
are,  I  imagine,  quite  confused  and  in  the  dark  with  respect  to 
any  scheme  of  doctrines  whatever. 

Mr.  M.  goes  on  to  say,  "  However,  as  this  interpretation  of 
the  text  made  by  Arminians  was  to  me  obscure  and  unintel- 
ligible, as  not  holding  forth  the  true  sense  of  the  text,  so  it 
equally  is  now,  when  made  by  a  Calvinist.  But  whether  this 
is  owing  to  the  misinterpretation  of  the  text,  or  to  my  age  and 
dulness,  I  shall  not  determine,  but  leave  to  the  impartial  pub- 
lic, when  the  following  things  are  considered." 

Let  us,  then,  consider  what  he  has  said. 

He  observes  that  I  "  explain  the  strait  gate  as  meaning  the 
entrance  into  heaven  or  eternal  life ; "  and  says  "  If  I  mean 
entering  into  heaven  strictly,  without  a  metaphor,  this  is  not 
till  death  ;  and  then  it  should  seem  that  striving  to  enter  in  by 
this  gate  would  be  endeavoring  to  die,  which  makes  a  very 
uncouth  sense."  Uncouth,  indeed !  But  we  must  thank  him 
for  this  sense ;  for  I  believe  no  mortal  else  would  ever  have 
thought  of  it.  I  should  have  thought  that  on  my  interpreta- 
tion, striving  to  enter  this  gate,  was  striving  to  obtain  eternal 
life,  in  going  in  the  way  that  leads  to  it,  the  way  of  holiness; 
or  to  be  of  that  character  which  alone  will  be  admitted  into 
heaven  ;  or  that  it  was  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  so  as  to 
lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  This  is  the  sense  I  had  given  of 
striving.  He,  therefore,  proceeds  to  say,  "  But  taking  striving 
as  he  has  explained  it,  yet  it  is  still  unintelligible  how  they 
can  walk  in  the  narrow  way  that  leads  to  heaven,  since  they 
are  supposed,  by  his  exposition,  to  have  entered  there  by  passing 
through  the  gate."  I  leave  the  reader  to  make  the  best  he  can 
of  this. 

He  first  says  that,  according  to  my  interpretation,  striving  to 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  means  striving  to  die.  In  the  next 
sentence,  he  says  my  exposition  supposes  they  who  strive  to 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  have  entered  into  heaven  already ; 
and  he  cannot  see  how,  after  this,  they  can  be  said  to  walk  the 
narrow  way  that  leads  to  heaven.  He  then  asks,  «  If  by  the 
entrance  into  heaven,  I  mean  the  entering  into  a  state  of  grace 
or  conversion,  how  I  have  opposed  the  sense  of  the  text  which 
I  endeavor  to  overthrow  ?  "     But  he  presently  forgets  all  this, 


MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  385 

and  supposes  that  I  make  the  gate  and  the  way  to  mean  one  and 
the  same  thing,  and  that  according  to  my  construction,  living  a 
holy  life  and  actually  entering  into  heaven  are  the  same ;  and 
upon  these  suppositions  he  argues  against  me,  in  his  own  im- 
agination, very  strongly,  till  he  thinks  he  has  "  restored  the 
true  and  genuine  sense  of  the  text."  But  in  the  midst  of  all 
this  he  takes  notice  that  I  "  have  not  attempted  to  explain 
what  is  meant  by  the  narrow  way,  nor  showed  the  propriety 
of  our  Lord's  placing  this  gate  before  the  way  in  his  represen- 
tation ;  both  which  I  apprehend  (says  he)  necessary  to  be  done, 
in  order  to  set  the  sense  of  this  important  text  in  a  true  and 
consistent  light." 

Ansaver.  The  words,  narroiv  ivay,  are  not  found  in  the  text, 
nor  is  the  gate  placed  before  the  way ;  and  what  need  there 
was  of  explaining  or  saying  any  thing  about  that  which  is  not 
found  in  the  text,  I  cannot  conceive.  I  did,  indeed,  say,  that 
striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  according  to  the  sense  I 
mentioned,  did  intend  walking  in  the  way  of  holiness ;  and  this 
I  supposed  was  the  narrow  way.  Mr.  M.  repeatedly  tells  of 
my  speaking  of  the  way,  and  what  my  exposition  makes  it  to 
mean  ;  but  he  has  just  at  this  instant  forgot  all  this  which  was 
in  his  mind  immediately  before  and  just  after,  and  says,  "  he 
has  not  attempted  to  explain  what  is  meant  by  the  narrow 
way." 

And  now,  the  reader  is  to  determine  whether  all  this  is 
owing  to  Mr.  M.'s  age  and  dulness,  or  to  something  else.  For 
my  part,  I  cannot  help  determining  that  he  was  quite  confused 
and  lost  here,  whatever  was  the  cause  of  it ;  and  that  he  has 
done  nothing  towards  restoring  any  sense  of  the  text  at  all. 

I  observed,  that  the  word  in  the  original  translated  strive  in 
the  text,  when  used  in  other  places  in  the  New  Testament 
denoted  not  any  exercises  and  doings  before  conversion,  but 
the  exertions  and  labors  of  true  Christians  in  their  way  to 
heaven ;  which  might,  perhaps,  be  a  good  reason  for  under- 
standing it  in  the  same  sense  in  this  place.  To  support  this 
observation,  I  produced  a  number  of  instances.  Three  of  these 
Mr.  M.  examines,  and  thinks  they  turn  out  rather  against  than 
for  me.  The  two  first  are  the  words  of  St.  Paul,  spoken  of 
himself  and  of  Timothy :  "  I  have  fought  the  good  fight.  Fight 
the  good  fight  of  faith."  Mr.  M.  observes  that,  "  In  both  these 
instances,  that  which  limits  the  word  fig-Iif,  or  strive,  to  the  ex- 
ercises of  true  Christians,  is  rather  the  good  fight  with  which 
it  is  connected.  Whereas,  if  Mr.  Hopkins's  sense  of  the  word 
strive  were  certain,  there  had  been  no  need  at  all  for  the  apostle 
to  have  added  the  g-oocl  strife,  or  fight,  since  it  could  mean 
nothing  else  but  a  good  and  holy  striving."  It  would  have 
VOL.  III.  33 


386  MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

been  a  wild  assertion,  indeed,  if  I  had  said  this  word  always 
necessarily  carried  this  sense,  and  could  not  signify  any  thing 
else.  Words,  I  know,  are  in  themselves  quite  arbitrary  signs, 
and  no  more  signify  one  thing  than  another,  till  some  ineaning 
is  affixed  to  them.  All  I  attempted  was  to  show  in  what 
sense  the  inspired  writers  used  it  when  applied  to  religious 
exercises.  It  was  to  Mr.  M.'s  purpose  to  show  that  they  did 
not  use  it  in  the  sense  which  I  had  said  they  did ;  but  this  he 
has  not  attempted. 

I  know,  and  particularly  observed,  that  the  word  was  origi- 
nally used  among  the  Greeks  to  denote  the  strifes  in  the 
Olympic  and  other  public  games.  The  apostle  considers 
these  strifes  as  an  emblem  of  the  Christian  race  and  strife,  in 
which  men  run  and  fight  for  eternal  life  ;  and  therefore  takes 
the  word  they  used  for  the  former,  and  applies  it  to  the  latter. 
He  calls  the  latter  the  g-ood  fight,  to  distinguish  it  from  that 
fight  or  agony  which  the  word  originally  signified,  and  to 
which  he  has  reference,  and  not  to  distinguish  it  from  the  ex- 
ercises and  doings  of  the  unregenerate.  Mr.  M.  says,  "  This 
seems  to  imply  there  might  be  a  fighting  and  striving  that 
was  not  thus  strictly  good  and  successful."  I  grant  that  it 
implies  there  was  a  striving  in  the  Olympic  games,  in  dis- 
tinction from  which  the  Christian's  labor  and  strife  is  a 
good  fight ;  but  not  that  there  was  any  other  proper  religious 
striving  distinct  from  this. 

The  other  instance  I  mentioned,  which  Mr.  M.  excepts 
against,  is  in  the  following  words :  "  And  every  one  that 
striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things.  Now,  they 
do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown,  but  we  an  incorruptible." 
Upon  this  he  says,  "  Here  the  apostle  speaks  of  striving  for 
the  mastery,  and  for  a  corruptible  crown.  Were  these  gracious 
exercises  ?  "     Wonderful  question  ! 

Answer.  These  exercises  are  an  emblem  of  the  gracious 
exercises  of  true  Christians,  in  which  they  strive  for  an  incor- 
ruptible crown,  which  is  here  asserted  of  them.  The  reader 
shall  judge  with  how  good  a  grace,  and  what  propriety,  Mr.  M. 
adds,  "  This  text  wliich  he  has  produced,  seems  to  confute 
the  interpretation  he  has  advanced,  instead  of  establishing  it." 
He  who  can  think  this  a  confutation  of  the  interpretation  I 
have  advanced,  can  easily  confute  every  interpretation  that 
ever  was,  or  can  be,  advanced  on  any  text  in  the  Bible. 

I  quoted  Dr.  Doddridge,  and  Pool's  Synopsis,  to  prove  that 
some  suppose  that  by  the  sirait  gate  is  meant  the  entrance 
into  heaven  or  eternal  life.  Mr.  M.  has  been  at  some  pains  to 
show  that  no  such  interpretation  of  this  text  is  found  in  these 
authors.     In  order  to  this,  he  jumbles  together  part  of  what 


MR.    M.  S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  887 

Dr.  Doddridge  says  upon  this  and  another  text,  taking  part  of 
a  sentence  from  one,  and  joining  it  to  a  piece  of  a  sentence  on 
the  other,  carefully  leaving  out  the  words  which  are  apparent- 
ly contrary  to  the  sense  he  tries  to  make  him  speak.  The 
critical  reader,  who  has  Dr.^  Doddridge  and  jMr.  M.  before  him, 
will,  by  examining  and  comparing,  have  a  more  clear  and 
striking  idea  of  what  Mr.  M.  has  done  in  this  matter  than  can 
be  given  any  other  way.  And  I  am  confident  he  will  be  con- 
vinced that  my  reference  to  the  doctor  was  on  good  grounds; 
especially  if  he  observes  that  in  his  note  on  this  text,  in  or- 
der to  show  the  sense  of  the  original  word  here  translated 
strive^  he  refers  to  those  texts  which  have  been  mentioned, 
(1  Cor.  ix.  25  ;  Col.  i.  29 ;  1  Tim.  vi.  12 ;  2  Tim.  iv.  7,)  in  which 
the  exercises  of  Christian  faith  and  holiness  are  spoken  of. 

Mr.  M.  says,  "  Such  is  my  weakness  that  I  cannot  devise 
why  this  author  referred  to  Dr.  Doddridge  as  an  authority  for 
his  new  sense  of  this  text."  On  this  I  would  observe  the  fol- 
lowing things  :  — 

I  did  not  refer  to  the  doctor  as  an  authority  for  this  sense 
of  the  text.  I  hope  I  never  shall  be  guilty  of  referring  to  any 
uninspired  man  as  an  authority.  When  I  mentioned  a  sense 
which  others  put  upon  this  text,  I  referred  to  the  doctor  as  one 
of  them,  not  as  any  evidence  that  this  was  the  right  sense ; 
but  that  it  was  in  fact  so  understood  by  some,  as  I  asserted. 

Why  does  Mr.  M.  here  call  this  a  new  sense  of  this  text, 
when  he  had  so  often  said  it  was  a  sense  which  Arminians  put 
upon  it,  unless  it  be  that  he  may  add  to  the  number  of  his 
many  self-contradictions  I  *  Perhaps,  however,  he  means  to 
set  new  in  opposition  to  orthodox.  If  so,  this  will  account  for 
his  calUng  every  thing  he  does  not  approve  new  divinity. 

How  far  Mr.  M.'s  weakness  appears  in  this,  or  in  any  thing 
else  to  be  found  in  his  book,  is  a  matter  of  no  great  impor- 
tance, and  is  left  entirely  to  the  judgment  of  the  reader.  All 
that  I  am  concerned  to  make  out  is,  the  weakness  of  what  he 
says  in  support  of  the  cause  he  has  espoused. 

He  also  endeavors  to  show  that  I  have  made  a  mistake  in 
referring  to  Pool's  Synopsis  for  this  sense  of  the  text. 

As  this  is  a  matter  of  no  great  importance,  I  will  not  trouble 

*  Besides,  it  appears  that  this  was  Mr.  M.'s  sense  of  the  text  above  twentj"- 
years  ago.  So  that  he  has,  by  calling  it  a  new  sense  now,  contradicted  himself 
in  another  sense,  and  yet  higher  degree.  In  his  letter  to  Dr.  Johnson,  called 
A  Vindication  of  Gosijel  Truth,  he  says,  "  The  Scripture  nowhere  puts  mankind 
upon  seeking  their  everlasting  happiness  in  any  other  way  than  that  of  well- 
doing, truly  such,  in  the  account  of  God,  i.  e.,  doing  his  commandments." 
Certainly,  then,  when  Christ  "  puts  mankind  upon  seeking  their  eternal  happi- 
ness," by  telling  them  to  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  he  means,  doing 
the  commandments  of  God,  as  I  have  explained  it. 


888  MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

the  reader  with  the  defence  of  myself,  which  I  think  I  am  able 
to  make,  and  a  particular  confutation  of  what  Mr.  M.  has 
said ;  but  I  leave  it  entirely  with  the  learned,  who  will  be  at 
the  pains  of  consulting  the  Synopsis.  However,  I  will  just 
mention  throe  mistakes  which  Mr.  M.  has  made  in  what  he 
has  said  on  this  head. 

First,  He  takes  whatever  he  finds  in  the  Synopsis  to  be 
Mr.  Pool's,  as  his  opinion,  and  what  he  asserts ;  whereas  Mr. 
Pool  was  only  the  collector  and  transcriber  of  what  former 
expositors  had  wrote.  Therefore  he  produces  the  ditferent 
and  opposite  sentiments  of  expositors,  and  constantly  refers 
to  them  in  the  margin.  Mr.  M.'s  quotation  in  the  margin  is 
what  Mr.  Pool  collected  from  two  expositors,  the  latter  of 
which  has  been  reckoned  in  some  sense  the  father  of  all  Ar- 
minians.  Mr.  M.  pretends  to  give  a  translation,  or  paraphrase 
of  it,  (though  I  think  it  is  neither,)  and  represents  it  as  what 
Mr.  Pool  asserts.  Mr.  Pool  never  thought  himself  answerable 
for  all  the  opinions  of  expositors  he  quotes  in  his  Synopsis. 

Secondly.  Mr.  M.  here  again  supposes  I  quote  Pool's 
Synopsis  as  an  authority  to  support  that  sense  of  the  text 
which  I  had  mentioned.  Whereas  I  referred  to  this  only  to 
support  my  assertion,  that  this  sense  has  been  put  on  the 
text;  and  not  as  the  least  evidence  that  it  was  the  right  one, 
as  I  have  before  observed.  However,  while  Mr.  M.  runs  into 
this  mistake  and  that  just  mentioned,  he  is  right  in  rejecting 
all  human  authority,  in  the  following  words :  "  But  suppose 
Mr.  Pool  was  of  opinion,  etc.,  as  we  are  to  call  no  man  father 
on  earth,  I  would  inquire,"  etc. 

Thirdly.  Mr.  M.  here  supposes  that  whatever  the  unre- 
generate  are  directed  or  commanded  to  do,  they  are  ta  do,  or 
may  do  it,  while  unregenerate ;  and  so  that  they  are  directions 
or  commands  to  unregenerate  doings.  This  is  manifest  in 
what  he  pretends  to  take  from  Pool's  Synopsis,  just  men- 
tioned, in  the  following  words :  "  Christ  invites  or  requires  all, 
the  unregeiKM-ate  not  excepted,  to  take  in  hand  or  enter  upon 
the  way  of  holiness.  And  that  they  strive  in  this  matter  with 
all  tlifir  ])owers."  Though  all  the  unregenerate  are  required 
immediately  to  enter  upon  the  way  of  holiness,  and  to  strive 
in  this  matter,  this  does  not  certainly  enjoin  unregenerate 
strivings,  unless  whatever  the  unregenerate  are  commanded  to 
do,  they  are  to  do  as  such,  or  while  unregenerate.  But  what 
Mr.  M.  here  supposes,  is  by  no  means  true.  The  unregenerate 
are  coiiiinandcd  to  love  God,  and  to  strive  in  this  matter,  and 
exert  all  their  |)o\vers.  But  it  does  not  follow  from  this  that 
unregenerate  men  do  thus  love  God,  or  ever  will  while 
unregenerate.      But  this   matter  will   be   more   particularly 


MR.    M.  S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  389 

considered   in   another  section.     I  return  to  the  text   under 
consideration. 

It  was  my  prevailing  opinion,  when  I  wrote  my  Inquiry, 
that  the  strait  g-ate,  in  this  text,  does  not  mean  the  entrance  on 
a  religious  life,  or  conversion  from  sin  to  God ;  but  the  en- 
trance into  eternal  life,  to  which  a  life  of  holiness,  or  the  good; 
fight  of  faith,  is  the  way ;  and  therefore  is  the  striving  here 
commanded,  which  includes  the  beginning  in  the  first  act  of 
faith  and  rejjentance,  as  well  as  progress  in  this  way  unto  the 
end  of  life.  And  I  have  not  been  led  to  alter  my  opinion  by 
any  thing  that  Mr.  M.  has  said,  or  that  I  have  learned  frorn 
any  other  quarter.  Something  I  then  said  in  support  of  the 
interpretation  in  question.  And  I  must  now  ask  the  patience 
of  the  reader  while  I  mention  several  other  things  which  ap- 
pear to  me  to  be  in  favor  of  this  sense  of  the  text. 

1.  The  words  immediately  following  these  seem  to  be  in 
favor  of  this  construction  :  "  When  once  the  master  of  the 
house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to 
stand  without,  and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying.  Lord,  Lord, 
open  unto  us,  etc.  There  shall  be  weeping,  etc.,  when  ye  shall 
see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in 
the  kingdom  of  God,"  etc.  These  words  are  evidently  intro- 
duced with  reference  to  what  is  said  in  the  text,  and  to  explain 
and  enforce  it.  And  we  are  hereby  led  to  understand  the  same 
thing  by  the  strait  gate  in  the  text,  and  the  door  in  the  next 
sentence.  The  way  to  eternal  life,  or  the  kingdom  of  God, 
the  gate  or  door  by  which  persons  enter  thither,  and  by  which 
the,  patriarchs  and  prophets  have  gone  into  this  kingdom,  now 
stands  open  to  all ;  and  all  are  invited  to  enter  in  ;  and  all 
that  is  necessary  in  order  to  this,  is  to  strive  to  enter  in,  or  to 
go  in  the  way  which  leads  to  eternal  life.  And  all  are  urged 
now  so  to  run  for  eternal  life,  not  as  uncertainly ;  so  to  strive 
and  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  as  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life, 
from  this  awakening  consideration,  that  many  shall  seek  to 
enter  in,  shall  cry  for  admittance  when  it  is  too  late,  and  the 
door  is  forever  shut.  From  this  view  of  the  matter,  I  think  it 
is  very  evident  that  the  seeking  to  enter  in,  which  is  dis- 
tinguished from  striving,  and  is  set  in  opposition  to  it,  intends 
the  crying  for  admittance  in  at  the  door,  after  it  is  shut,  repre- 
sented in  the  words  immediately  following.  And  if  so,  it  will 
follow,  that  the  strait  g-ate  and  the  door  mean  the  same  thing; 
for  Christ  says,  many  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  i.  e.,  at  the  strait 
gate,  and  shall  not  be  able  ;  and  then  goes  on  to  illustrate 
this,  by  telling  how  they  shall  knock  and  cry  for  admittance 
at  this  gate  or  door,  after  it  is  shut.  And  is  it  not  equally 
evident,  that  by  striving,  Christ  means  that  which  shall  be 
33* 


390  MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

effectual,  and  shall  certainly  bring  a  person  to  "  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  heaven,"  since  it  is  put  in  opposition  to  that 
which  shall  be  ineffectual,  and  is  consistent  with  being  for- 
ever excluded  ?  Thus  I  think,  if  we  attend  to  Christ's  own 
explanation  of  these  words,  we  cannot  be  at  a  loss  about 
u  their  meaning, 

2.  The  passage  just  now  alluded  to,  (Rev.  xxii.  14,)  seems 
to  be,  in  some  measure  parallel  to  this  under  consideration, 
"  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may 
have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the 
gates  into  the  holy  city."  Here  is  a  gate,  or  gates  mentioned, 
as  the  entrance  into  heaveu,  and  the  way  to  enter  is  to  do  his 
commandments.  This,  therefore,  is  striving  to  enter  in  at 
these  gates.  They,  therefore,  who  do  strive  to  enter  in  at  this 
gate,  do  observe  the  commandment  of  Christ,  and  shall  cer- 
tainly be  successful.  If  striving'  is  Christ's  command,  they 
who  strive  do  his  commandment,  and  so  shall  enter  into  eter- 
nal life  through  the  gate.     This  leads  me  to  observe  further, — 

3.  It  seems  to  me  very  dishonorable  to  Christ,  and  contrary 
to  his  wisdom,  faithfulness  and  goodness,  to  suppose  that  he 
has  given  any  direction  and  command  to  sinners,  in  order  to 
their  salvation,  which  they  may  punctually  observe  and  do, 
and  yet  miss  of  salvation.  If  they  may  do  so,  what  safety  is 
there  in  relying  upon  his  advice  and  direction ;  for  according 
to  this,  he  does  not  always  advise  and  direct  to  the  way  that 
leads  to  heaven,  but  to  that  which  a  man  may  follow,  and 
yet  be  going  in  the  way  to  hell.  Christ  says,  "  Blessed  is  the 
man  that  heareth  me."  (Pr.  viii.  24.)  He  that  strives  to  en- 
ter in  at  the  strait  gate,  heareth  Christ,  for  this  is  his  counsel 
and  advice  to  men  ;  and  therefore  is  safe  and  blessed.  It  is 
implied  in  these  words:  that  he  who  striveth  shall  be  able  to 
enter  in,  or  shall  certainly  enter  in,  in  distinction  from  those 
who  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.  And  who 
can  now  think,  that  men  may  faithfully  and  punctually  take 
the  advice,  and  follow  the  command,  of  him  who  came  to 
teach  men  the  way  to  life,  and  yet  not  be  able  to  enter  in,  but 
perish  at  last  ? 

In  this  view,  they  who  take  the  striving  here  commanded 
to  be  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  and  at  the  same  time 
hold  that  there  are  promises  made  to  such  strivings,  are  more 
consistent;  and  in  this  respect  do  not,  I  think,  reflect  so  much 
dishonor  on  Christ,  as  they  who  hold  the  former  and  deny  the 
latter.  And  hence  it  is,  perhaps,  that  it  is  so  common  for  the 
latter  to  contradict  themselves,  and  implicitly  hold  that  there 
are  promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  or  which 
amounts  to  the  same  thing,  while  they  are  expressly  deny- 
ing it. 


MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  391 

Mr.  M.  is  an  instance  of  this,  not  the  least  remarkable  ;  for, 
as  has  been  observed,  he,  in  the  book  under  consideration, 
applies  Scriptures  to  the  unregenerate,  which  carry  a  promise 
in  them  to  those  who  comply  with  the  direction  and  command. 
And  when  he  had  formerly  wrote  a  book  to  prove  there  are  no 
promises  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  he  concludes  the 
whole  with  the  following  declaration  :  "  On  the  whole,  I  would 
just  make  this  one  remark,  and  be  it  remembered,  though  I 
deny  any  promise,  by  virtue  of  which  the  special  grace  of  God 
can  possibly  become  due  to  the  prayers  and  endeavors  of  the 
unregenerate,  while  such  ;  yet,  however,  I  am  persuaded  that  it 
is  the  duty  of  sinners  to  be  seeking  and  striving  after  it ;  and 
that  not  a  single  instance  will  be  found  of  any  sinner,  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  able  to  stand  forth  and  plead  in  truth.  Lord 
I  did  my  best  endeavor  to  the  very  last,  that  I  might  obtain 
the  salvation  which  is  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  looked  diligently 
lest  I  should  fail  of  the  grace  of  God ;  but  after  all,  was  de- 
nied." How  did  Mr.  M.  come  to  be  thus  persuaded,  unless  it 
was  from  the  nature  and  perfections  of  God  ?  But  if  these, 
or  any  thing  else,  are  the  proper  ground  of  such  a  persuasion, 
then  they  are  as  good  a  security  to  the  sinner  as  ten  thousand 
promises  would  be.  And  on  the  same  ground  we  may  be  per- 
suaded that  he  who  strives  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate, 
according  to  the  advice  of  our  kind  Savior,  shall  not  miss  of 
salvation,  as  this  may  be  argued  from  the  character  and  per- 
fection of  Christ,  whether  he  has  made  any  express  promise 
or  not.  And  now,  by  the  W"ay,  we  may  see  the  force  of  the 
following  words  of  Mr.  M.,  when,  speaking  of  this  performance, 
he  says,  "  which,  according  to  my  weak  ability,  was  attempted 
in  such  a  manner  as  might  guard  against  this  its  opposite  ex- 
treme, by  leaving  proper  scriptural  encouragement  to  a  diligent 
attendance  on  means."  I  s^e  not  how  there  can  be  any  thing 
worth  disputing  about  between  those  who  hold  that  there  are 
promises  made  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  and  those 
who  hold  to  this  encouragement.  And  it  is  worthy  of  partic- 
ular remark  here,  that  in  these  words  he  gives  the  unregener- 
ate sinner  a  character  which  never  yet  belonged  to  such,  and 
sets  him  in  a  light  in  which  he  is  rather  to  be  pitied  than 
blamed,  doing  his  best  endeavor  to  the  very  last,  and  looking 
diligently  lest  he  should  fail  of  the  grace  of  God.  He  that 
does  his  best,  does  unspeakably  more  than  ever  an  unregener- 
ate man  did,  or  any  other  mere  man  in  this  world;  for  he  is 
perfectly  innocent  and  holy.  And  he  who  diligently  seeks, 
shall  find.  He  has  a  divine  promise  to  rely  upon,  which  is 
much  better  than  Mr.  M.'s  persuasiori.  He  who  has  so  good 
an  opinion  of  the  unregenerate  can  never  consistently  think 


392  MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

they  shall  fail  of  salvation,  upon  their  thus  doing  their  best, 
and  has  no  reason  to  quarrel  with  him  who  asserts  that  there 
are  promises  to  such. 

4.  It  appears  to  me  that  a  person  does  never  truly  strive  for 
that  which  he  opposes  with  all  his  heart,  and  to  obtain  which 
nothing  is  wanting  but  the  least  degree  of  inclination  of  heart 
towards  it,  and  sincere  desire  of  it.  But  this  is  true  of  unre- 
generatc  sinners,  in  the  case  before  us.  They  have  not  the 
least  inclination  to  enter  the  strait  gate,  or  to  embrace  the 
gospel.  Their  want  of  this,  and  fixed  opposition  of  heart  to 
it,  is  the  only  thing  in  the  way  of  their  entering,  or  that  keeps 
them  out.  And  to  suppose  they  do  strive  to  enter  in  at  this 
gate,  while  they  remain  so,  is,  I  think,  very  absurd.  They 
may  strive,  indeed,  and  have  great  motions  and  strong  exer- 
tions of  mind  relating  to  their  future  state  and  eternal  salva- 
tion, but  this  will  be  so  far  from  striving  to  enter  in  at  this  gate, 
that  all  their  striving,  every  exertion  and  voluntary  exercise  of 
their  heart,  will  be  a  refusal  to  enter,  and  opposition  to  it.  Now, 
who  can  think  Christ  exhorted  to  such  exercises  as  these,  under 
the  notion  of  their  being  strivings  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  ? 
This  is  to  use  language  quite  otherwise,  and  in  a  manner 
directly  opposite  to  what  mankind  do  in  the  common  atlairs 
of  life. 

This  may  be  illustrated  thus :  The  son  of  a  certain  and 
worthy  father  has  stolen  a  thousand  pounds  from  his  father, , 
and  run  off;  and  the  father  pursues  and  overtakes  him,  and 
kindly  invites  him  to  return  home,  and  promises  to  forgive 
him,  and  to  make  him  heir  of  all  that  he  has,  if  he  will  turn 
about  and  resolutely  set  his  face  homeward,  being  willing  to 
strive,  to  exert  all  his  strength  in  overcoming  the  difficulties 
of  the  way  to  his  father's  house.  But  if  he  finds  him  obsti- 
nately set  in  his  way,  and  without  the  least  inclination  to 
return,  or  so  much  as  to  turn  his  face  about,  he  will  not  exhort 
him  to  strive  to  turn  about  under  the  notion  of  his  doing  this, 
while  his  heart  is  wholly  opposite  to  it;  because  this  is  a  con- 
tradiction. And  if  he  should  say  to  him,  "  Strive  to  turn  about 
and  get  into  the  road  which  leads  home,"  it  would  be  under- 
stood as  an  exhortation  to  exercise  some  inclination  that  way, 
at  least ;  and  not  that  he  should  strive  for  this,  not  only  with- 
out any  inclination  to  it,  but  in  direct  opposition  to  his  whole 
will.  And  if  it  was  taken  in  the  latter  sense,  it  would  be 
thought  the  most  absurd  proposal  that  ever  was  made.  Surely 
he  must  strive  without  any  heart  or  will  who  strives  to  do  that 
which  is  in  direct  opposition  to  his  whole  heart  and  will,  and 
the  doing  of  which  is  Nothing  but  willing  and  choosing  it. 
And  this  is  a  strange  sort  of  striving  indeed !     I  am  bold  to 


MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  393 

say  no  man  ever  yet  had  an  idea  of  it ;  because  it  is  in  itself 
a  most  perfect  contradiction. 

For  tliese  reasons,  and  others  that  might  be  mentioned,  I 
think  this  text  is  to  be  understood  as  it  has  been  explained, 
and  that  by  striving  here,  Christ  does  not  mean  any  thing 
which  impenitent  unbelievers  ever  do,  while  such.  Nor  do  I 
see  any  bad  consequences  of  understanding  the  text  in  this 
sense.  Mr.  M.  observes  this  is  the  Arminian  sense  of  the  text, 
and  contrary  to  that  which  Calvinists  put  upon  it ;  and  says, 
"  It  seems  somewhat  strange,  that  when  this  author  undertook 
the  cause  of  orthodoxy,  he  should  give  up  and  reject  their 
sense  of  the  text  which  was  so  greatly  in  dispute." 

Answer.  It  would  seem  as  strange,  at  least,  if  every  one 
who  undertakes  in  the  cause  of  orthodoxy  should  be  obliged 
to  understand  every  text  of  Scripture  exactly  in  the  same  sense 
in  which  it  has  been  taken  by  those  who  have  been  on  the 
same  side  of  the  question.  This  would  be  to  renounce  ortho- 
doxy in  many  instances,  I  doubt  not ;  and  what  point  of  or- 
thodoxy is  given  up  or  the  least  weakened  by  the  sense  I  have 
given  of  the  text  I  cannot  imagine.  Whereas,  by  espousing 
the  sense  which  I  am  opposing,  an  important  point  of  ortho- 
doxy is,  I  think,  implicitly  given  up,  (which,  indeed,  is  given  up 
by  Mr.  M.  through  his  whole  book,)  viz.,  that  unregenerate 
sinners  do  not  with  their  whole  hearts  oppose  Jesus  Christ  and 
the  way  of  salvation  by  him.  In  this  view,  an  attempt  to  re- 
store this  text  to  the  true  sense  is  to  espouse  the  cause  of 
orthodoxy ;  and  it  does  not  fright  me  at  all  to  be  told  that 
Arminians  understand  this  text  as  I  do.  For  who  would  not 
much  rather  join  with  the  grossest  Arminians  so  far  as  they 
are  right,  than  with  the  most  orthodox  Calvinists  wherein  they 
are  wrong? 

Mr.  M.  asks,  "  If  this  text  does  not  respect  the  unconverted, 
and  enjoin  duties  upon  them,  where  can  there  be  any  passage 
found  in  the  Bible  that  has  any  reference  to  them  ?  " 

Answer.  If  this  is  the  only  text  in  the  Bible  that  enjoins 
unregenerate  duties  and  doings,  I  think  the  doctrine  of  duties 
enjoined  on  the  unregenerate,  to  be  done  by  them  while  such, 
which  Mr.  M.  has  so  zealously  espoused,  stands  on  a  very 
weak  and  precarious  foundation.  But  it  seems  Mr.  M.  is  not 
in  earnest  here ;  but  only  makes  this  outcry,  and  asks  this 
question,  to  answer  a  particular  end ;  for,  before  he  has  done, 
he  thinks  he  finds  Scripture  enough  besides  this  which  en- 
joins duties  upon  the  unconverted,  to  be  done  by  them  while 
such,  and  says  that  "these  performances  of  the  sinner  are  en- 
couraged by  God  throughout  the  Scriptures."  But  this  will 
be  more  particularly  considered  hereafter. 


394  MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

Mr.  M.,  as  many  others  have,  takes  this  text  in  Luke  to  be 
parallel  with  that  in  Matthew — "Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait 
gate ;  because  strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  which 
leadeth  unto  life." 

There  is  perhaps  no  good  reason  for  this.  The  former  says 
nothing  about  the  narrow  way ;  but  speaks  of  a  gate  only, 
which,  as  has  been  observed,  is  in  the  following  words  called 
the  door,  which  shall  be  shut  when  this  life  is  at  an  end.  But 
if  it  is  granted  that  these  two  texts  are  parallel,  meaning  the 
same  thing,  Mr.  M.  will  gain  nothing  by  it  in  favor  of  un- 
regenerate  strivings  and  doings ;  for,  upon  this  supposition, 
striving  to  enter  in,  and  actually  entering  in,  are  the  same 
thing.  But  to  eqter  in  at  the  strait  gate  is  certainly  not  any 
thing  that  unregenerate  men  do. 

Mr.  M.  has  indeed  attempted  to  prove  that  striving  to  enter 
the  strait  gate  intends  something  previous  to  actual  entrance; 
and  his  argument  is  so  remarkable  that  I  will  transcribe  every 
word  of  it.  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  i.  e.,  strive  to 
enter  upon  the  Christian  life,  as  explained  above.  And  is  not 
this  attempt  to  enter,  previous  to  actual  entrance,  since  the 
former  sometimes  exists  without  the  latter  ?  For  many,  I  say 
unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able."  Here, 
in  order  to  form  his  argument,  he  makes  striving  to  enter,  and 
seeking  to  enter,  to  mean  one  and  the  same  thing;  for  he 
proves  the  former  is  not  connected  with  entering  in,  from 
Christ's  declaring  the  latter  is  not.  This  makes  the  text  to 
run  thus :  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  this  striving  shall  in  many  instances  be  to  no 
purpose,  and  you  may  strive  as  much  as  you  will  and  yet 
never  enter  I  "  This,  I  believe,  is  quite  a  new  sense  of  the  text, 
and  is  peculiar  to  Mr.  M.,  and  I  hope  and  trust  will  remain  so. 

But  let  us  hear  "the  true  and  genuine  sense  of  the  text" 
from  Mr.  M.,  in  the  following  words :  "  Were  I  allowed  to 
speak  freely  my  humble  sense  of  the  text,  to  me  it  appears, 
that  by  entering  the  strait  gate,  is  meant  active  conversion  to 
God,  or  a  compliance  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  the  way 
of  faith.  This  is  the  gate  we  must  enter,  upon  pain  of  eternal 
damnation.  What!  And  not  required  to  strive  in  this  matter! 
Thrice  amazing!" 

This  is  a  violent  discharge  of  fervent  zeal  by  way  of  excla- 
mation, as  all  will  perceive ;  but  the  humble  sense  as  well  as 
the  argument  seem  to  be  quite  lost  by  the  means ;  at  least,  are 
not  so  easily  perceived.  Since  Mr.  M.  has  had  so  long  a  time 
to  cool  and  calm  down,  and  I  am  at  such  a  distance  from  him, 
I  will  venture  to  say,  if  entering  the  strait  gate  means  active 
conversion,  in  the  way  of  faith,  then  striving  to  enter  is  doing 


MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  395 

that  by  which  men  enter,  or  actually  converting  to  God  and 
believing,  or  that  which  is  done  with  a  good  will  to  this,  which 
is  the  same ;  and  all  that  striving  which  is  in  opposition  to 
converting  and  believing,  etc.,  (as  are  all  the  strivings  of  the 
unregenerate,)  is  not  striving  to  enter  the  strait  gate,  but 
striving  to  do  something  else,  or  rather  striving  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  it. 

Another  sentence  which  Mr.  M.  finds  great  fault  with  is  in  the 
following  words :  "  It  has  been  observed,  that  the  end  of  using 
or  attending  on  the  means  of  grace  is  instruction."  He  thinks 
it  is  very  wrong  indeed,  and  of  a  bad  tendency,  to  say  the  end 
of  the  use  of  means  is  instruction ;  and  undertakes  to  show 
"  that  the  end  of  attending  on  the  means  of  grace,  is  grace, 
the  fruits  of  holiness." 

In  order  to  see  how  groundless  Mr.  M.'s  objection  is,  and 
how  very  wrong  and  injurious  is  his  representation  of  this 
matter,  nothing  more  is  needful  than  to  refer  the  reader  to  the 
whole  passage  from  which  he  takes  these  words ;  yea, all  he  says 
upon  this  is  sufficiently  refuted  in  the  paragraph  from  which  he 
takes  them,  which  isjcontained  in  less  than  ten  lines. 

Having  taken  notice  in  the  words  which  Mr.  M.  quotes,  that 
it  had  been  observed  that  the  end  of  using  or  attending  on  the 
means  of  grace  is  instruction,  I  proceed  to  say,  "  The  ques- 
tion now  is,  what  end  this  instruction  answers ;  of  what  ad- 
vantage is  it  to  have  the  truth  set  before  the  mind,  and  to  have 
the  attention  of  the  mind  fixed  upon  it?"  From  this  it  suffi- 
ciently appears,  had  I  not  said  another  word,  that  I  did  not 
consider  instrugtion  or  knowledge  as  the  ultimate  end  of 
means;  because  the  very  inquiry  I  am  upon  is,  "  What  end 
this  instruction  answers  ?  "  But  Mr.  M.  goes  on,  and  harangues 
away  for  a  page  or  two,  against  my  making  instruction  the 
ultimate  end  of  means,  in  distinction  from  grace  or  holiness, 
and  salvation.  If  Mr.  M.  did  not  read  the  whole  of  this  passage, 
especially  the  whole  paragraph  and  even  sentence  from  which 
he  quotes,  he  is,  doubtless,  very  much  to  blame ;  but  if  he  did, 
it  will  be  difficult  to  conceive  how  he  could  ignorantly  make 
such  a  gross  mistake  and  very  injurious  misrepresentation. 
The  first  and  immediate  end  which  is  answered  by  the  use  of 
means  is  instruction,  "or  (as  I  further  express  it)  to  lead  the 
mind  to  the  knowledge  of  that  truth  of  which  it  was  before 
ignorant,  or  to  renew  the  attention  to  truth  already  known, 
and  fix  the  mind  upon  it."  And  then  I  go  on  to  tell  what  end 
this  answers,  and  particularly  show  that  it  prepares  the  mind 
in  which  there  is  a  right  taste,  or  whenever  it  shall  be  brought 
to  this,  to  exercise  holiness ;  and  then  go  on  to  show  how  im- 
portant and  necessary  it  is  that  the  unregenerate  should  be  all 


396  MR.  M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

attention  in  the  constant  use  of  means,  as  the  only  way  in 
which  they  may  hope  for  salvation.  Mr.  M.  not  only  asserts 
from  this,  that  I  make  the  only  end  of  the  use  of  means  to  be 
instruction,  but  goes  on  to  mention  some  dangerous  conse- 
quences that  will  follow  from  it ;  but  as  they  are  consequences 
of  his  own  inventing,  and  are  taken  from  what  I  never  asserted, 
and  in  direct  contradiction  to  what  I  say,  I  shall  not  further 
trouble  myself  or  the  reader  with  them. 

But  Mr.  M.  goes  on,  I  think,  from  bad  to  worse,  and  suffers 
his  imagination,  or  something  else,  to  run  quite  away  with 
him ;  for  he  proceeds  to  remark  on  another  exceptionable  pas- 
sage of  mine,  which  is  in  the  following  words  :  "  If  it  should 
be  asked.  What  good  all  this  instruction  and  knowledge  will 
do  the  unregenerate,  who  are  under  the  dominion  of  a  hard 
and  impenitent  heart,  and  will  continue  so  until  a  new  heart 
is  given  in  regeneration?  If  this  knowledge  will  be  of  no 
service  to  them,  and  really  do  them  no  good,  and  they  are  yet 
as  far  from  salvation  as  ever,  then  there  is  no  encouragement 
for  them  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace  in  order  to  obtain 
it,  and  keep  up  a  view  and  sense  of  the  truths  of  Christianity 
in  their  minds." 

I,  having  shown  the  necessity  of  instruction  and  knowledge, 
and  the  mind's  attending  to  the  truth,  in  order  to  the  exercises 
of  faith  and  repentance,  in  these  words  proceed  to  propose  a 
query  and  objection,  which  I  supposed  would  naturally  arise 
in  the  mind  of  the  reader ;  that  by  answering  these  I  might 
more  fully  clear  up  this  matter,  and  show  what  end  instruc- 
tion answers,  and  the  good  this  will  do  the  unregenerate,  and 
in  what  sense  they  who  thus  attend  are  not  so  far  from  salva- 
tion as  others.  And  this  I  proceed  to  do  as  an  answer  to  this 
query  and  objection.  Now  Mr.  M.  takes  this  query  and  objec- 
tion, which  I  introduce  in  order  to  answer,  to  be  certain  asser- 
tions of  my  own,  viz.,  that  this  instruction  and  knowledge  will, 
in  fact  do  no  good,  is  of  no  service  to  the  unregenerate,  and 
leaves  them  as  far  from  salvation  as  ever.  And  upon  such  a 
gross  mistake  and  misrepresentation,  he  harangues  away  for 
near  seven  pages.  And  what  is  not  the  least  remarkable  here 
is,  that  he  makes  use  of  what  I  had  said  in  answer  to  this 
objection,  and  to  show  that  the  suppositions  made  in  it  are 
not  true,  to  confute  me,  and  to  prove  the  same  thing,  as  he 
imagined,  against  me.  I  say,  as  he  imagined;  but  it  requires 
a  great  stretch  of  charity,  I  confess,  to  suppose  him  in  earnest 
here,  and  not  rather  trying  how  much  he  could  misrepresent 
me  and  impose  on  his  reader.  But  here  we  must  call  in  for 
our  assistance  his  old  age,  dulness,  and  weakness,  of  which  he 
so  often  reminds  the  reader. 


MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  397 

In  answer  to  this  query  and  objection,  I  endeavor  to  show 
what  is  not  the  end  which  is  answered  by  the  sinner's  attend- 
ance on  means  while  imjDenitent,  and  what  good  the  instruc- 
tion and  knowledge  he  gets  does  not  do,  while  he  opposes, 
and  lives  in  the  abuse  of  it.  Under  this  head  the  passages 
are  found  which  have  given  the  chief  offence  to  Mr.  M,,  and 
which  have  been  particularly  attended  to  in  the  foregoing  sec- 
tions. I  then  proceed  to  say  what  end  and  purpose  this  does 
answer,  and  what  encouragement  there  is,  in  this  view,  to 
attend  on  means  with  engagedness  and  perseverance,  to  which 
Mr.  M.  has  made  no  objection.* 

As  all  he  says,  for  so  many  pages,  is  founded  on  the  gross 
misrepresentations  I  have  mentioned,  nothing  more  need  be 
said  by  way  of  answer.  However,  I  will  take  leave  briefly  to 
remark  upon  several  things  contained  in  these  pages  before  I 
leave  them. 

Mr.  M.  here  represents  me  as  not  including  external  refor- 
mation of  open,  gross  sins  in  what  is  preparatory  to  conver- 
sion, or  saying  a  word  that  implies  it.  Speaking  of  me  and 
my  tenth  section,  he  says,  "  Through  this  whole  section  he  has 
not  so  much  as  once  mentioned  the  sinner's  breaking  off"  from 
his  sins,  as  that  whereby  he  is  more  in  the  way  of  God's 
mercy,  than  going  on  in  them.  All  that  belongs  to  the  unre- 
generate  as  means,  with  the  author,  it  seems,  terminates  in 
instruction  and  speculative  knowledge ;  as  though  it  was  not 
as  much  out  of  God's  wonted  way  to  bestow  saving  grace  on 
the  sinner  abandoned  to  all  kind  of  wickedness,  while  such,  as 
on  the  grossly  ignorant."  In  these  words  are  three  contradic- 
tions, viz.,  to  truth  and  fact,  to  his  own  repeated  declaration, 
and  to  the  words  themselves. 

They  are  contrary  to  fact.  I  say,f  "  To  use  or  attend  the 
means  of  grace,  is  to  make  use  of  all  the  means  of  instruction 
in  the  things  that  relate  to  God's  moral  kingdom  ;  to  go  into 
that  conduct  and  practice,  and  do  all  those  things  which  tend 
to  lead  us  into  the  knowledge  and  the  truths  of  divine  revela- 
tion, and  to  keep  up  the  attention  of  the  mind  to  them,  and 
carefully  to  avoid  whatever  has  a  contrary  tendency."  Here  I 
speak  of  "the  sinner's  breaking  off" from  his  sin  as  that  where- 
by he  is  more  in  the  way  of  mercy,  if  he  who  does  so  is  in  the 
w^ay  of  using  the  best  means  of  instruction,"  which  I  suppose 
none  will  question.  And  I  expressly  say  that  I  mean  that 
"knowledge  which  no  openly  vicious  or  careless  sinner  ever 

*  This  I  have  more  birgelj-  considered  in  what  I  have  since  ])ublished,  which 
the  reader  may  consult,  it'  he  pleases,     fcjee  Sermon  on  Regeneration,  pp.  568-572. 
t  Inquiry,  ante,  p.  261. 

VOL.  III.  34 


398  MR.    M.'t!    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

obtains."  How,  then,  could  Mr.  M.  say,  "  He  has  not  so  much 
as  once  mentioned  the  sinner's  breaking  off  from  his  sins  as 
that  whereby  he  is  more  in  the  way  of  mercy  "  ?  etc. 

In  this  assertion  he  has  contradicted  himself,  as  he  has  re- 
peatedly declared  the  contrary,  and  through  his  whole  book 
supposes  that  I  am  speaking  of  the  reformed  sinner,  and  no 
other.  Thus  he  says,  "  Here  let  it  be  noted,  that  it  is  fully 
conceded  by  the  author  that  the  unregenerate  under  consid- 
eration have  all  degrees  of  light  and  conviction  of  divine  truth 
that  can  agree  to  an  unregenerate  state ;  all  that  there  is  in  a 
common  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  preparatory  to  saving 
faith,  the  enlightening  of  natural  conscience,  putting  the  sin- 
ner upon  reformation  of  life,"  etc.  It  seems  that  what  he  here 
desires  may  be  noted,  had  entirely  slipped  his  mind  before  he 
had  got  four  pages  ;  for  he  then  utterly  denies  that  the  author 
had  conceded,  or  so  much  as  once  mentioned,  any  such  thing  I 

But,  to  say  no  more  of  these  contradictions,  it  is  to  be 
observed  that  the  words  I  am  considering  are  contradictory  to 
themselves.  His  words  are,  "  As  though  it  was  not  as  much 
out  of  God's  wonted  way  to  bestow  saving  grace  on  the  sin- 
ner abandoned  to  all  kind  of  wickedness,  while  such,  as  on 
the  grossly  ignorant."  These  words  suppose  that  a  sinner 
who  is  abandoned  to  all  kind  of  wickedness,  may  not  be 
grossly  ignorant  and  destitute  of  that  knowledge  of  which 
I  speak  in  my  tenth  section ;  which  is  an  absurdity  and  con- 
tradiction in  itself.  For  security  in  sin  implies  gross  ignorance 
with  respect  to  the  knowledge  of  which  I  speak ;  even  igno- 
rance of  the  most  essential  and  important  things  necessary  to 
be  known,  in  order  to  exercise  faith  and  repentance.  There  is 
an  absurdity  in  supposing  such  a  one  to  have  any  tolerable 
degree  of  the  instruction  and  knowledge  of  which  I  speak, 
this  being  peculiar  to  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  of  whom 
I  am  speaking,  and  is  as  inconsistent  with  a  course  of  open 
profligacy  and  wickedness  as  light  is  with  darkness. 

I  would  also  remark  upon  the  following  words:  "  Upon  this 
principle,  all  the  attainments  of  the  unregenerate,  such  as 
awakening,  conviction,  reformation,  legal  humiliation,  and 
whatsoever  is  preparatory  to  a  saving  faith,  are  no  grounds  at 
all  of  thankfulness  to  God.  If  they  are  really  such  worthless 
things,  what  are  of  no  service  to  the  unregenerate  can  do  them 
no  good,  and  on  the  account  of  which,  considered  in  them- 
selves, they  are  not  less  wicked  than  they  would  be  without 
them,  abandoning  themselves  to  all  manner  of  wickedness; 
in  this  case,  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  them  would  be  no  less 
than  to  mock  God,  giving  thanks  for  a  thing  of  nought." 

These  words  are  predicated  upon  my  saying,  as  Mr.  M.  has 


MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  399 

sagaciously  understood  me,  that  all  this  conviction,  etc.,  of  the 
unregenerate  are  of  no  service  to  them,  and  answer  no  end, 
because  I  introduced  a  querist  asking  what  good  these  things 
did,  that  the  matter  might  be  explained  in  my  answer,  which 
has  been  before  observed.  But  Mr.  M.  goes  further  than  all 
this  here,  and  represents  that  I  had  said,  that  on  the  account 
of  these  things,  considered  in  themselves,  the  unregenerate 
are  not  less  wicked  than  they  would  be  without  them,  aban- 
doning themselves  to  all  manner  of  wickedness.  I  am  sure 
1  have  not  said  or  intimated  any  such  thing.  All  I  say  of 
the  convinced  sinner's  not  being  less  wicked,  but  more  so, 
is  consistent  with  these  things  being  less  sinful,  considered  in 
themselves ;  for  I  expressly  place  their  greater  sinfulness  not 
in  these  things,  but  in  something  else.  Why,  then,  did  Mr. 
M.  put  in  these  words,  "  considered  in  themselves,"  unless  it 
was  on  purpose  to  add  to  his  other  misrepresentations,  or  be- 
cause he  could  not  answer  his  purpose  without  them  ? 

As  for  grounds  of  thankfulness  for  awakening  and  convic- 
tion, where  is  the  difficulty,  on  supposition  they  are  attended, 
not  with  less,  but  greater  sinfulness  ?  The  greater  sinfulness 
consists  in  the  abuse  of  those  things  which  are,  considered  in 
themselves,  great  advantages  and  favors.  There  is  no  ground 
of  thankfulness,  indeed,  for  this  greater  wickedness,  of  which 
these  things  are  the  occasion  ;  but  is  there  therefore  no  reason 
of  thankfulness  for  a  favor,  because,  by  abusing  it,  all  the  bene- 
fit of  it  is  lost,  and  it  by  this  means  becomes  the  occasion  of 
greater  guilt  and  more  dreadful  ruin  than  could  have  took 
place  in  any  other  way?  This  must  be  true,  else  what  Mr. 
M.  says  here  is  less  than  nothing  to  his  purpose,  even  directly 
contrary  to  an  important  truth. 

Another  passage  of  mine  which  Mr.  M.  has  seen  fit  to  re- 
mark upon,  is  the  similitude  of  a  father  and  two  sons.  The 
sons  run  oft",  determining  to  leave  their  father's  house  and  ser- 
vice. The  father  calls  after  them,  advises  and  commands 
them  to  return.  One  stops  and  attends  to  what  his  father  has 
to  say  to  him ;  the  other  pays  no  regard  to  what  his  father 
says,  but  runs  on  till  he  gets  out  of  hearing.  I  observed  upon 
this,  that  he  who  stopped  and  attended  to  what  his  father  had 
to  say,  cannot  properly  be  said  to  obey  his  father's  command, 
if,  after  all,  he  refuses  to  return  ;  "  and  may,  by  the  light  and 
conviction  laid  before  him  by  his  father,  in  consequence  of  his 
stopping  and  attending,  be  more  guilty  in  refusing  to  submit 
to  him,  than  the  other  that  has  been  out  of  hearing." 

This  last  sentence  Mr.  M.  chiefly  objects  against.  And  first, 
he  says,  "  This  similitude  does  by  no  means  fully  represent 
the  state  of  the  case." 


400  MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXMAINED. 

Answer.  This  similitude  was  not  made  with  any  particular 
reference  to  the  general  state  of  the  case  between  Mr.  M.  and 
me,  but  to  illustrate  my  answer  to  a  particular  objection  which 
I  was  then  considering.*  If  it  answers  the  particular  case  as 
it  is  put  in  the  objection  which  it  was  designed  to  illustrate,  it 
answers  the  end  proposed. 

However,  let  us  see  wherein  it  fails.  Mr.  M.  says,  "  Here  is 
nothing  of  the  awakened,  reformed  sinner,  save  only  his 
making  a  pause,  stopping  his  career  when  running  away,  and 
attending  to  what  his  father  had  to  say."  I  ask,  what  more 
takes  place  in  such  a  sinner  that  is  not  here  represented  ?  Mr. 
M.  has  not  told.  However,  he  proceeds  to  "  propose  a  query 
or  two,  lame  and  defective  as  it  is." 

He  asks  "  What  was  the  true  cause  why  A.  (the  son  who 
run  off)  stopped  his  ears,  and  run  off,  —  when  B.  (the  other 
son)  hearkened  so  far  as  to  stop  his  wicked  course?  What  can 
be  the  true  cause  of  this  difference,  but  a  more  wicked  state  of 
mind  in  A.?" 

Answer.  The  true  cause  of  this  might  be  some  suggestions 
made  to  B.'s  mind  of  the  dreadful  consequence  of  thus  leaving 
his  father,  etc.,  which  were  conveyed  to  him  by  or  together  with 
his  father's  words,  and  not  to  A.  This,  I  own,  must  be  sup- 
posed in  order  to  make  the  case  in  this  respect  represent  that 
of  an  awakened  sinner.  The  awakened,  reformed  sinner  is 
brought  to  this  state  by  influences  on  his  mind  and  conscience, 
by  which  he  is  made  to  see,  and,  in  a  sense,  feel  the  sad  and 
dangerous  state  he  is  in,  which  will  immediately  stop  him  in 
his  career  of  open  wickedness ;  I  say,  this  is  the  effect  of  influ- 
ences on  his  mind  and  conscience,  which  A.  has  not ;  therefore, 
it  is  not  in  the  least  owing  to  the  less  wicked  state  of  mind  of 
B.  that  there  is  this  difference.  I  wonder  Mr.  M.  should  ask 
this  question,  since  he  so  zealously  holds  to  the  influences  of 
the  tSpirit  of  God  in  awakening  the  consciences  of  sinners.  If 
I  had  asked  such  a  question,  Mr.  M.  would  have  had  more 
reason  to  suspect  and  insinuate  that  I  had  "an  inclination  to 
favor  the  neiv  clitnnilt/,  that  entirely  denies  any  preparatory 
work  in  order  to  saving  faith,  by  the  common  influences  of  the 
Spirit,"  than  he  had  from  any  thing  that  I  have  said.  Mr.  M. 
surely  does  not  suppose  that  in  order  to  sinners  being  awak- 
ened by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  must  first  become  less  sinful 
in  the  state  of  their  minds  than  they  were,  or  be  less  sinful 
than  others.  We  see,  then,  the  true  reason  why  one  sinner  is 
awakened  and  another  is  not,  can  easily  be  given,  without 
supposing  a  more  wicked  state  of  mind  in  the  latter;  and  it  is 
a  little  strange  Mr.  M.  could  not  think  of  it  in  this  case. 

*  See  Inquiry,  ante,  pp.  272,  273. 


MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  401 

Mr.  M.  goes  on  to  ask,  "  Will  any  one,  in  this  view  of  the 
case,  say  that  B.  is  more  wicked  than  A.  ?  What !  Because 
B.  is  less  bold,  daring,  and  fixed  in  his  rebellion,  and  in  casting 
the  utmost  contempt  on  his  father's  authority  ?  " 

Answer.  It  does  not  appear  that  "  B.  is  less  bold,  daring, 
and  fixed  in  his  rebellion,"  etc. ;  but  the  contrary  appears  to 
be  true.  B.'s  conscience  is  awakened  to  see  the  dreadful  ruin 
that  is  before  him  if  he  does  not  return  home  to  his  father,  and 
he  trembles  at  the  thought  of  it.  He  is  convinced  in  his  con- 
science it  is  his  duty  and  highest  interest  to  return  home  ;  that 
there  is  no  other  way  to  escape  the  evil  he  dreads,  and  that  in 
this  way  he  shall  certainly  escape,  and  be  made  completely 
happy.  Yet  under  all  this  light  and  conviction  of  conscience, 
his  heart  rises  against  his  father  in  a  more  direct  and  stronger 
manner  than  ever  it  did  before  in  the  most  horrid  exercises  of 
hatred,  enmity,  and  fixed  opposition  to  his  father's  person, 
character,  and  government,  while  he  has  not  the  least  inclina- 
tion in  his  heart  to  submit,  or  take  one  step  homeward,  but 
persists  in  an  obstinate  refusal.  A.,  it  is  true,  is  a  rebel,  and  is 
wholly  to  blame  for  running  oft*  as  he  did ;  but  he  is  not  in 
those  circumstances  in  which  he  can  be  so  "  bold  and  daring, 
and  appear  so  obstinately  fixed  in  his  rebellion  as  A."  He  has 
never  had  any  realizing  apprehensions  of  the  dreadful  ruin 
which  he  is  bringing  on  himself,  but  thinks  all  is  well,  and  that 
he  is  pursuing  his  own  happiness  in  leaving  his  father's  house. 
And  he  has  very  few  thoughts  and  exercises  about  his  father's 
government  and  family.  B.  knows  a  thousand  times  more 
about  them,  and  about  his  duty  and  interest,  and  has  ten 
thousand  times  more  thoughts  and  exercises  about  this  mat- 
ter, and  they  are  all  in  the  most  direct  opposition  to  his 
father. 

We  are,  therefore,  now  prepared  to  answer  Mr.  M.'s  ques- 
tion, "  Will  any  one  in  this  view  of  the  case  say,  that  B.  is 
more  wicked  than  A.?"  Yes,  every  one  will  say  so  who  will 
hearken  to  the  dictates  of  common  sense ;  and  he  who  says 
the  contrary  justifies  the  wicked  even  in  the  height  of  wicked- 
ness, and  reproaches  and  casts  a  high  degree  of  contempt  on 
the  father. 

Mr.  M.  goes  on  to  say,  "  Should  it  be  pleaded  that  B.  is  more 
wicked  than  A.,  because  B.  discovers  a  greater  degree  of  ten- 
derness and  sensibility  of  conscience  sinned  against  than  A.  in 
non-submission  ?  I  answer,  that  to  argue  thus,  would  be  pre- 
posterous and  absurd  to  the  last  degree ;  for,  upon  this  princi- 
ple, the  most  abandoned  sinner  under  the  gospel,  having  wasted 
his  conscience,  and  sinned  away  his  moral  sense,  so  that  he  is 
past  feeling,  as  the  Scripture  expresseth  it,  may  commit  the 
34* 


402  MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

most  atrocious  wickedness,  and  yet  be  innocent,  because  past 
feeling;  whereas,  the  truth  in  this  case  is  just  the  reverse;  he, 
of  the  two  under  the  same  light  and  advantages,  that  can  with 
the  greatest  boldness  and  freedom  commit  the  most  enormous 
wickedness,  without  remorse  or  feeling  of  conscience,  is  the 
more  desperately  wicked." 

Here  Mr.  M.  again  forgets  himself,  and  speaks  of  one  who 
has,  by  a  course  of  sinning  against  his  conscience,  got  rid  of 
his  awakening  and  conviction  ;  whereas,  A.  is  not  such  a  one, 
nor  am  I  speaking  of  such.  But  what  he  says  here  in  the  last 
sentence  I  think  cannot  be  true.  The  sinner  who  is  most  blind 
and  ignorant  with  respect  to  his  duty  and  true  interest,  and 
knows  not  that  he  is  acting  against  either,  so  does  not  sin  at  all 
against  his  conscience,  cannot  be  so  great  a  sinner  as  he  who 
has  the  greatest  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  relating  to 
his  duty  and  interest,  and  yet  goes  on  in  sin,  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  this.  Yet  this  Mr.  M,  asserts  here;  but  is  it  not  most 
shockingly  absurd?  It  is  also  directly  contrary  to  what  he 
says  elsewhere,  as  he  often  speaks  of  sins  against  the  light 
and  dictates  of  conscience  as  peculiarly  aggravated  ;  and  this 
he  supposes  in  this  very  paragraph;  for  he  speaks  of  wasting 
conscience  as  the  great  crime  of  the  abandoned  sinner.  These 
two  sentences,  therefore,  stand  in  direct  contradiction  one  to 
the  other.  The  first  asserts  him  to  be  the  greatest  sinner  who 
has  most  opposed  his  conscience  ;  for  his  having  wasted  his 
conscience,  and  sinned  away  his  moral  sense,  as  that  wherein 
his  great  sinfulness  lies.  The  last  asserts  him  to  be  the  great- 
est sinner,  who  never  had,  and  now  has  not,  any  light  and 
conviction  of  conscience;  and  so  has  never  had  opportunity 
to  waste  his  conscience,  or  sin  against  it ;  for  here  his  great 
sinfulness  consists  in  sinning  without  remorse  or  feeling 
of  conscience,  i.  e.,  without  any  light  and  conviction  of 
conscience.  I  leave  it  to  the  reader,  whether  "  to  argue 
thus  "  is  not  more  than  "  preposterous  and  absurd  to  the  last 
degree." 

Mr.  M.  adds,  "  But  perhaps  the  grand  plea  in  reserve,  to 
evince  that  B.  is  more  faulty  than  A.,  (if  different  from  what 
has  already  been  said,)  is,  that  B.  has  a  higher  degree  of  inter- 
nal light  and  conviction  that  it  is  his  duty  to  submit  to  his 
father  than  A.  had,  therefore  more  guilty." 

This  I  think  is  not  really  "different  from  what  has  already 
been  said;"  as  tenderness  and  sensibility  of  conscience  must 
be  the  same  thing  with  light  and  conviction  of  conscience  in 
the  unregenerate.  He  has,  therefore,  made  no  advance  ;  the 
plea  is  exactly  the  same  with  that  which  he  mentioned  and 
answered  before.     But  perhaps  he  has  a  better  answer  now. 


MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  403 

It  is  this :  if  A.  has  not  so  much  light  and  conviction  as  B.,  it  is 
altogether  A.'s  fault  that  he  has  not.  And  "  if  it  be  entirely  and 
merely  A.'s  fault,  shall  not  A.  be  dealt  with  as  if  he  had  that 
light  and  conviction  in  his  conscience,  which  only,  and  merely 
his  own  fault,  wilfully  stopping  his  ears,  impeded  his  having?  " 

This  answer  is  quite  different  from  the  former,  and  even  in 
direct  contradiction  to  that.  Whether  it  is  better,  is  now  to 
be  inquired.  I  say  it  is  a  contradiction  to  the  foregoing,  be- 
cause there  he  places  the  great  crime  of  the  sinner,  not  in 
sinning  against  the  light  of  his  conscience,  but  in  sinning 
without  any  light  and  conviction.  Bat  here  he  has  shifted 
the  crime,  and  places  it  in  sinning  against  that  light,  which, 
though  the  sinner  has  not  actually,  yet  he  has  virtually,  because 
it  is  wholly  his  own  fault  that  he  has  it  not;  so  is  looked  upon 
and  treated  by  God  as  actually  "  sinning  against  all  that  light, 
which  he  wilfully  refused." 

It  is  granted  that  A.  is  answerable  for  not  having,  and  reject- 
ing, that  light  and  conviction,  which  by  his  own  fault  he  has 
not.  But  it  will  not  be  granted  that  he  is  answerable  for 
actually  sinning  against  that  light  which  he  never  had ;  and 
that  he  will  be  looked  upon  and  dealt  with  by  God,  as  if  he 
actually  had  this  light,  and  actually  sinned  against  it;  for  this 
would  be  to  look  upon  him,  and  treat  him  contrary  to  the 
truth.  There  is  a  real  and  great  difference  between  him,  who 
actually  has  light  and  conviction  in  his  conscience  and  him 
who  has  it  not,  whatever  may  be  the  cause  of  this  difference. 
And  to  look  upon  them  and  treat  them  as  if  there  was  no 
difference,  is  ceij^ainly  to  contradict  the  truth  of  fact. 

If  Mr.  M.'s  position  is  true,  the  most  stupid,  blind,  and  ig- 
norant person  under  the  gospel  is  as  guilty,  as  great  a  sinner, 
in  not  embracing  the  gospel,  as  he  who  has  the  greatest  degree 
of  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  and  yet  persists  in  the 
highest  exercises  of  enmity  against  Christ,  and  opposition  to 
all  the  light  he  has.  And  he  who  is  guilty  of  stopping  his 
ears,  and  putting  himself  out  of  the  way  and  beyond  the  reach 
of  all  means  of  light  and  instruction,  by  one  act,  is  as  great  a 
sinner  as  he  who  spends  a  whole  life  in  the  most  horrid  acts 
of  rebelhon  and  enmity  against  God,  contrary  to  the  clearest 
light  of  his  conscience ;  so  that  one  single  act  which  occasions 
ignorance  in  refusing  to  admit  the  light  that  is  offered,  is  as 
great  a  crime,  and  carries  as  much  guilt  in  it,  as  all  the  actions 
of  high  rebellion  and  enmity  against  God,  in  opposition  to 
the  clearest  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  through  a 
whole  eternity.  This  must  be  so,  if  A.  is  accountable  for 
sinning  against  all  that  light  which  he  wilfully  refused,  and 
so  had  not;  and  is  as  guilty  as  B.,  who  actually  had  it,  and 


404  MR.    M.'s    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED. 

yet  sinned  against  it.  A  heathen,  for  instance,  who  was  once 
invited  and  had  a  fair  opportunity  to  come  into  a  Christian 
country,  and  enjoy  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  refused,  and 
so  lives  and  dies  in  heathenish  darkness,  is  as  guilty  as  he 
who  has  lived  all  his  days  under  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and 
had  great  and  clear  light  and  conviction  of  conscience,  and 
has  constantly  abused  and  rebelled  against  it  all,  in  ten  thou- 
sand acts  of  the  most  horrid  enmity  against  God,  which  the 
heathen  never  was  guilty  of;  it  being  impossible  he  should,  in 
his  circumstances.  And,  according  to  this,  the  most  ignorant 
creature  under  the  gospel  will  be  reckoned  and  dealt  with  by 
God  as  having  abused  all  the  light  which  he  might  have  had, 
had  he  been  perfectly  holy  from  his  childhood  to  the  end  of 
his  life ;  and  will  be  found  as  guilty  as  if  he  actually  had  all 
this  light,  and  had  all  his  days  abused  and  sinned  against  it 
all.  And  Paul,  who  did  many  things  against  Christ  and  his 
church  in  ignorance  and  unbelief,  was  as  guilty  as  if  he  had  all 
the  light  and  conviction  that  Peter,  or  any  of  the  apostles  had, 
and  must  have  been  dealt  with  accordingly,  had  he  not  ob- 
tained forgiveness. 

I  may  here  say  in  Mr.  M.'s  words,  "  I  appeal  to  the  impar- 
tial reader,  whether  these  be  not  absurdities  by  no  means  to 
be  admitted  in  divinity  ?  And  whether  it  is  possible  to  avoid 
them,  the  principle  advanced  being  admitted?" 

The  only  argument  Mr.  M.  produces  to  support  this  contra- 
dictory assertion  is,  the  words  of  Christ  with  respect  to  the 
Jews :  "  But  now  have  they  both  seen  and  hated,  both  me 
and  my  father."  (John  xv.  24.)  He  says  Chjiist  treats  them 
here  as  if  they  actually  saw  his  divinity,  though  it  does  not 
appear  that  they  actually  saw  it ;  but  were  blinded  through  the 
exceeding  wickedness  and  prejudices  of  their  hearts,  and  were 
not,  at  least  many  of  them,  convinced  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah. "  And  so  were  reckoned  with  by  God  as  if  they  had 
seen  it;  because  nothing  but  their  own  mere  faultiness  pre- 
vented it." 

Answer.  The  divine  character  was  clearly  set  before  them,  in 
the  person  and  character  of  Christ;  and  this  they  disapproved 
and  hated  ;  and  that  whether  they  were  convinced  in  their 
judgment  and  consciences  that  this  was  indeed  the  divine 
character  or  not.  In  this  sense  they  did  see  and  hate  both  the 
Son  and  the  Father:  of  this  they  were  actually  guilty,  and 
were  treated,  and  will  be  reckoned  with  accordingly.  But  it 
does  not  follow  from  this  that  they  who  were  convinced  in 
their  consciences  that  he  was  the  Christ,  and  yet  rejected 
him ;  and  they  who  verily  thought  he  was  an  impostor,  were 
equally  guilty,  and  thjit  the  latter  will  be  reckoned  and  dealt 


MR.    M.'S    STATEMENTS    EXAMINED.  405 

with  as  if  they  actually  had  the  light  and  conviction  of  the 
former,  which  they  had  not.  Thanks  be  to  God !  no  such 
absurdity  is  contained  in  this  passage  of  Scripture,  or  any 
other. 

But  Mr.  M.  has  not  done  with  A.  and  B.  yet.  He  observes 
that  I  "  have  said  nothing  of  the  present  state  of  B.  under  con- 
viction, as  being  more  guilty  than  A.,  who  stopped  his  ears 
and  run  off."  He  does  not  "attribute  it  to  any  want  of  in- 
genuity in  the  author,"  that  he  avoided  this,  being  sensible 
that  to  assert  B.  to  be  more  guilty  than  A.  at  present,  "  would 
be  even  shocking  to  common  sense."  He  then  goes  on  to 
ask,  "  What  moment  of  future  time  may  be  fixed  upon  when 
B.j  as  represented  in  the  similitude  above,  will  be  more  guilty 
than  A.  ?  " 

Answer.  It  was  not  owing,  I  believe,  to  the  want  of  ingenui- 
ty of  the  author,  that  he  said  nothing  about  this,  as  the  matter 
to  be  illustrated  did  not  require  it.  However,  he  is  now  ready 
to  answer  the  knotty  question.  When  B.  was  in  the  circum- 
stances which  represent  an  awakened,  convinced  sinner,  he 
was  more  guilty  than  A.  He  was  so  when  he  had  shocking 
apprehensions  of  the  dreadful  consequence  to  him  of  slighting 
and  disobeying  his  father,  and  was  convinced  of  the  safety 
and  happiness  he  should  enjoy  by  hearkening  to  his  father 
and  returning  home ;  and  that  this  was  his  indispensable  duty, 
without  any  delay,  for  which  he  had  no  excuse;  and  yet  his 
whole  heart  rose  against  it  and  opposed  it;  and  when  the 
more  his  father  discovered  his  goodness  to  him,  in  making  him 
the  highest  offers,  and  urging  him,  by  all  imaginable  motives, 
to  return,  and  his  mind  was  all  attention  to  these  matters,  the 
more  he  hated  him,  and  the  stronger  was  the  opposition  of  his 
heart  to  his  taking  one  step  towards  his  father's  house;  when 
B.  was  in  these  circumstances,  as  the  awakened,  convinced  is, 
then  he  was  more  guilty  than  A. 

Mr.  M.  goes  on  to  ask  another  question.  But  an  answer  to 
this  will  be  made  in  the  next  section,  as  it  will  more  properly 
come  in  there.  I  now  proceed  to  examine  his  remarks  on 
another  passage. 

In  answering  the  objection  from  the  convinced  sinner's 
growing  worse,  more  sinful  in  the  attendance  on  means,  that 
this  was  matter  of  discouragement,  and  a  good  reason  why 
they  should  not  attend,  I  observed,  that  their  greater  sinful- 
ness did  not  consist  in  their  attendance  on  means,  but  in  their 
impenitency,  etc.,  and  therefore  this  could  be  no  reason  why 
they  should  neglect  the  proper  means  of  salvation ;  and  then 
proceeded  to  illustrate  this  in  the  following  manner  :  "  If  the 
ploughing  of  the  wicked  is  sin,  shall  they  therefore  not  plough  ? 


406  IS    THE    APATHY    OF    THE    AWAKENED    SINNER 

shall  they  not  desire  food  for  themselves  and  their  families, 
and  take  the  most  likely  method  to  obtain  it?  Their  sin  does 
not  consist  merely  in  their  ploughing,  so  that  it  would  be  a 
less  sin  not  to  plough  than  to  do  it,  but  in  the  wrong  views 
and  exercises  of  mind  with  which  they  plough,  and  in  the 
want  of  right  ones."f 

Mr.  M.  quotes  only  this  one  sentence,  "  If  the  ploughing  of 
the  wicked  is  sin,  shall  they  therefore  not  plough  ?  "  and  says, 
"  that  a  part  only  is  here  put  for  the  whole  state  of  the  case, 
and  therefore  can  be  no  illustration  of  the  point ; "  and  then 
goes  on  to  state  it  in  his  own  way,  and  represents  it  as  if  the 
man's  sin  consisted  in  his  ploughing  and  providing  for  his 
family,  so  that  his  greater  sinfulness  consists  in  this,  which 
gives  all  the  plausibleness  there  is  in  his  state  of  the  case ; 
whereas  I  had  expressly  observed  that  the  sinfulness  did  not 
consist  in  this,  but  something  else,  and  for  this  end  brought 
this  instance  to  illustrate  this  particular  truth,  and  not  to 
illustrate  the  whole  of  my  answer  to  the  objection  which  I 
was  considering. 

Mr.  M.  concludes  what  he  says  on  this  passage  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  :  "  And  now  let  the  reader  judge,  the  case  being 
fairly  stated,  whether  he  shall  plough  in  this  case ;  and  wheth- 
er the  case  only  in  part  put,  as  above,  can  at  all  serve  to  illus- 
trate the  author's  point."  The  reader  is  now  to  judge  whether 
the  case,  as  I  put  it,  does  not  fully  illustrate  the  point  I  was 
upon ;  and  whether  Mr.  M.  had  any  right  to  say  he  had  fairly 
stated  the  case,  or  had  not  rather  grossly  misstated  it,  and 
done  violence  to  the  passage  which  was  then  before  his  eyes  ? 


SECTION  VIII. 

In  which  it  is  considered  ivhether  the  Doctrine  that  the 
aivakened,  convinced  Sinner  is  more  i^uiUij  and  vile  in  the 
constant  and  painful  Attendance  on  the  Means  of  Grace, 
than  when  he  tvas  in  a  State  of  Security  and  open  Projli- 
g'act/,  is  an  enconrag-ement  to  Sinners  to  abandon  themselves 
to  Carelessness  and  Vice,  or  any  Matter  of  discouragement 
to  an  Attendance  on  Means  ? 

Mr.  M.  has  represented  the  matter  in  this  light,  throvigh  his 
whole  book.  He  supposes  that  awakened,  convinced  sinners' 
growing  less  sinful  in  the  use  of  means,  is  matter  of  encour- 
agement to  attend ;  and  that  the  contrary  doctrine  tends 
greatly  to  discourage   them.     And  this  he  has   particularly 

*  Inquiry,  ante,  p.  274. 


AN    ENCOURAGEMENT    TO    THE    ABANDONED    SINNER?       407 

expressed  in  the  following  passage :  "  These  things,  to  the  best 
of  my  small  discernment,  naturally  tend  either  to  quiet  secure 
sinners  in  the  careless  neglect  of  means,  going  on  in  their  sins, 
pr  to  damp  and  retard  those  that  are  seriously  inclined  to 
exert  themselves  in  a  painful  attendance  on  means  and 
amendment  of  life  ;  since  every  step  they  take  this  way,  while 
unregenerate,  they  are,  on  the  whole,  involved  in  greater  guilt 
than  they  would  have  been  had  they  continued  in  the  wilful, 
careless  neglect  of  means,  obstinately  persisting  in  the  grossest 
wickedness,  as  above,  under  the  same  gospel."  And  in  the 
next  page  he  says  that  to  deny  that  the  awakened,  convinced 
sinner  may  be  less  sinful  than  in  a  state  of  security  and  open 
wickedness,  "  is  to  lay  a  stumbling-block  in  sinners'  way,  and 
to  rob  them  of  a  precious  branch  of  encouragement  allowed 
them  from  the  Word  of  God,  to  strive  and  run  for  eternal  life, 
in  all  painful  endeavors  in  the  use  of  means."  And  again  he 
says,  "  While  we  attempt  to  scare  men  from  trusting  in  their 
duties,  care  must  be  had  that  we  do  not  scare  them  from  their 
duties,  either  by  insinuating  that  they  are  more  vile  in  that 
attendance  they  are  capable  of,  while  unregenerate,  than  in  the 
neglect  of  it;"  and  he  puts  the  following  question  to  me: 
"  Whether  this  way  of  reasoning  in  favor  of  A.,  as  though  he 
might  expect  some  notable  abatement  of  his  guilt  by  stopping 
his  ears  and  going  out  of  hearing,  does  not  carry  in  it  too  much 
encouragement  to  the  sinners  A.  represents,  who  abandon  them- 
selves to  wickedness,  and  neglect  the  means  of  grace,  since 
they  are  sufficiently  inclined  in  themselves,  without  the  help 
of  others,  to  devise  pleas  in  their  own  favor  ?  " 

Mr.  M.  has  not  mentioned  this  as  one  of  his  arguments 
against  the  doctrine  he  sets  himself  to  oppose,  where  he  un- 
dertakes to  produce  arguments  against  it;  but,  as  is  evident, 
he  designs  it  as  an  argument  not  of  the  least  weight,  and  it 
will  probably  have  more  influence  with  some  than  any  thing 
else  that  he  has  offered.  I  therefore  propose  particularly  to 
consider  it  in  this  section. 

In  order  to  determine  whether  there  is  any  truth  in  this,  we 
must  consider  what  are  the  motives  which  will  induce  the 
unregenerate  to  act  or  forbear  acting  in  any  case  ;  or  what  is 
the  principle  they  act  upon,  or  the  end  which  they  always  have 
in  view.  If  we  can  fine  what  these  are,  we  may  easily  deter- 
mine what  tends  to  discourage,  or  to  encourage  them  in  all 
cases;  for  this  will  be  just  according  to  the  motives  by  which 
they  are  influenced.  And  here  I  suppose  all  will  allow  that 
the  unregenerate  are  always  influenced  in  all  they  do  by  what 
may  be  called  selfish  motives.  They  are  always  seeking  and 
pursuing  that  which  is  in  their  view,  or  seems  to  them  to  be 


408  IS    THE    APATHY    OF    THE    AWAKENED    SINNER 

for  their  own  interest,  and  never  act  from  any  higher  motive. 
The  secure  sinner,  whether  he  is  an  open  profligate  or  not,  is 
pursuing  some  good  in  this  world  as  his  happiness,  because  it 
seems  to  him  his  own  highest  good  in  this  state.  The  sinner, 
whose  conscience  is  awakened  in  some  measure  to  realize  a 
judgment  to  come,  and  future  state,  and  the  dreadful  end  to 
which  the  sinner  is  exposed  to  come  every  moment,  at  once 
loses  his  keen  appetite  for  the  pleasures  of  time  and  sense, 
and  all  his  pleasing  worldly  prospects  and  schemes  drop  and 
die,  and  he  begins  to  feel  that  his  whole  interest  lies  in  another 
world ;  and  that  he  shall  be  happy  or  miserable,  forever,  accord- 
ing as  he  escapes  hell  and  obtains  heaven,  or  not.  This  ex- 
cites in  him  the  grand  and  important  inquiry,  "  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved  ?  "  And  he  is  willing  to  take  any  method  and 
use  any  means,  consistent  with  his  continuing  a  perfect  enemy 
to  God,  and  holiness,  or  his  duty,  which  shall  be  prescribed  to 
him,  as  the  most  likely  way  to  escape  the  evil  which  he  dreads, 
and  obtain  the  good  which  he  desires ;  or,  in  other  words,  that 
shall  appear  most  likely  to  promote  his  eternal  interest. 

He  is,  by  the  supposition,  no  more  a  friend  to  God  and  holi- 
ness now,  or  an  enemy  to  sin,  than  he  was  before ;  and  really 
cares  not  how  much  God  is  dishonored,  and  whether  he  is  a 
greater  or  less  sinner,  if  he  may  but  answer  his  own  ends. 
He  does  not  fear  and  dread  sin  for  its  own  sake,  or  in  itself 
considered ;  but  purely  because  of  the  consequence  to  him, 
which  he  now  dreads.  He  is  not  afraid  of  sin,  or  desires  to 
avoid  it,  from  any  true  respect  he  has  to  God,  and  merely  be- 
cause it  is  against  him,  and  dishonorable  and  offensive  to  him ; 
but  purely  from  his  fear  of  eternal  punishment.  This  being 
the  case,  it  is  easy  to  see  it  would  be  in  vain  to  tell  him  that 
he  will  be  less  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight,  in  consequence 
of  his  attending  on  means,  etc. ;  for  this  in  itself  would  not  be 
the  least  encouragement  and  motive  to  him  to  attend.  And 
just  as  much  in  vain  would  it  be  to  tell  him,  in  order  to  dis- 
suade him  from  attendance  on  means,  that  if  he  continued 
impenitent  he  would  be  morq  guilty  and  vile  than  the  careless 
sinner;  for  this  will  not  be  the  least  discouragement  to  him, 
so  long  as  he  views  this  the  most  likely  way  to  be  saved. 

If,  therefore,  the  sinner  can  be  persuaded  that  the  probability 
of  his  being  saved  or  lost  does  not  depend  upon  his  being  a 
greater  sinner  or  a  less ;  but  he  is  the  most  likely  to  be  saved 
who  attends  most  constantly  and  earnestly  on  the  means  of 
grace,  in  the  clearest  view  and  sense  of  the  important  truths 
revealed  in  the  Bible,  and  constant  attention  to  them  ;  and 
that  this  is  the  only  hopeful  way ;  I  say,  if  he  can  be  con- 
vinced of  this,  it  will  be  a  sufficient  motive  and  encouragement 


AN    ENCOURAGEMENT    TO    THE    ABANDONED    SINNER?        409 

to  him  to  attend,  and  will  influence  him  in  proportion  to  his 
belief  and  sense  of  a  future  state,  and  of  the  sad  and  miser- 
able case  in  which  he  now  is.  And  no  other  motive  can  be 
thought  of  that  will  have  the  least  influence  on  him,  to  encour- 
age him  to  attend  on  means,  or  as  matter  of  discouragement. 
In  a  word,  the  unregenerate  sinner  dreads  sin  only  as  connect- 
ed with  misery;  therefore  he  dreads  that  sin  most,  which,  in 
his  view,  most  exposes  him  to  destruction,  and  is  most  likely 
to  ruin  him  forever;  but  these  are  the  sins  committed  in  a  state 
of  security,  or  in  the  neglect  of  means,  and  not  those  com- 
mitted under  awakenings  and  convictions,  and  in  a  constant 
attendance  on  means,  however  more  heinous  and  vile  the  latter 
are  than  the  former.  Therefore,  the  sinner  only  needs  to  be 
well  instructed,  in  order  to  have  all  the  encouragement  he  is 
capable  of  to  attend  on  means.  Let  him  be  convinced  that 
this  is  the  most  likely  course  he  can  take  to  be  saved,  and  that 
there  is  no  other  likely  way,  however  great  may  be  the  guilt  he 
contracts  while  he  continues  impenitent,  and  it  will  be  a  strong 
and  prevalent  motive  with  him  to  take  it,  in  proportion  to  his 
dread  of  eternal  destruction,  and  desire  of  future  happiness. 

Mr.  M.  does,  therefore,  in  the  passages  above  cited,  go  upon 
a  supposition  which  is  directly  contrary  to  the  truth,  viz.,  that 
the  unregenerate  do  fear  and  dread  sin  on  its  own  account, 
without  any  consideration  of  its  consequence,  and  have  some 
true  respect  to  God  and  holiness ;  drop  this  supposition,  and 
they  appear  to  be  without  any  foundation  at  all.  If  the  sinner 
fears  and  hates  sin  for  its  own  sake,  and  from  respect  to  God, 
why  then  does  he  go  on  in  sin  ?  Let  him  forsake  it,  and  all 
is  well.  If,  therefore,  he  does  neglect  means,  and  live  in  known 
ways  of  open  sin,  under  a  pretence  that  he  is  afraid  of  that 
greater  sin  he  shall  be  guilty  of  if  he  attends  on  means  and 
becomes  a  convinced  sinner,  it  is  certain  it  is  but  a  pretence, 
in  which  there  is  no  truth  ;  for  if  he  is  afraid  of  greater  sinful- 
ness, why  not  of  less ;  why  does  he  go  on  in  known  sin  ?  If 
he  hates  sin,  and  hence  sincerely  desires  to  be  delivered  from 
it,  why  does  he  not  leave  off"  sinning  and  fly  to  Christ,  the  only 
deliverer  ? 

If  a  sinner  objects  against  attempting  to  pray,  and  says  he 
is  afraid  to  do  it,  because  the  prayer  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomi- 
nation to  the  Lord,  he  may  be  asked  what  he  is  afraid  of.  If  he 
is  indeed  afraid  of  sin,  and  so  avoids  prayer  that  he  may  avoid 
sin,  why  is  he  not  equally  concerned  to  avoid  all  sin,  or  sin  in 
any  other  way  ?  If  he  is  willing  to  do  this,  he  may  pray  without 
sinning,  and  so  the  objection  ceases.  But  if  he  is  not  willing 
to  leave  off'  sinning,  but  is  determined  to  go  on,  then  there  is 
no  sincerity  or  weight  in  the  objection ;  for  he  really  cares  not 
VOL.  III.  35 


410  IS    THE    APATHY    OF    THE    AWAKENED    SINNER 

how  much  sin  he  commits,  and  he  is  indifferent  whether  he 
sins  in  one  way  or  another.  Besides,  if  he  is  afraid  of  sinning 
in  prayer.  Jest  he  should  be  damned  for  it,  why  does  he  not  fear 
sinning  in  any  other  way  for  the  same  reason  ;  for  the  sins  men 
commit  in  praying  are  no  more  likely  to  prove  fatal  to  them 
than  any  other  way  of  sinning;  yea,  this  is  the  only  likely  w^ay 
to  escape  destruction  and  obtain  salvation. 

It  will  be  said,  perhaps,  though  the  attendance  on  means  is 
the  only  likely  way  to  obtain  salvation,  however  guilty  and 
vile  the  sinner  may  be  in  this  way,  yet  if  he  finally  miscarries 
and  fails  of  salvation,  he  will  be  more  miserable  than  if  he  had 
neglected  all  means  and  abandoned  himself  to  the  sins  of  a 
state  of  security ;  and  the  secure  sinner  will  be  hence  induced 
to  continue  in  his  old  way,  and  it  will  be  a  discouragement 
with  all  in  the  way  of  attendance  on  means.  I  answer,  if 
any  one  should  neglect  the  means  of  gi*ace  on  this  pretence,  he 
would  be  self-condemned.  For  there  is  no  person  who  is  not 
almost  constantly  running  ventures  in  hopes  of  obtaining  his 
end,  when  he  knows  that  if  he  fails  of  the  end  proposed  he 
shall  lose  all  his  pains  and  cost,  and  will  be,  on  the  whole,  a 
great  loser ;  so  that  he  had  better  not  have  been  at  the  pains 
and  expense  than  to  do  this,  and  yet  fail  of  the  end  in  view; 
and  the  more  interesting  and  important  the  affair  is  in  a  per- 
son's view,  the  greater  venture  will  he  run  as  a  means  to  ob- 
tain it,  and  the  greater  will  be  his  care  and  attention  in  the 
matter.  While  men  are  conducting  thus  in  their  temporal 
affairs,  and  are  pretending  the  unreasonableness  of  doing  so  in 
concerns  of  infinitely  greater  moment,  and  hence  refusing  to 
run  any  venture  in  the  latter  case,  we  may  be  sure  there  is  no 
sincerity,  and  that  this  is  not  the  bottom  of  the  matter.  Be- 
sides, this  objection  may  be  as  well  made  by  a  heathen,  to 
whom  it  is  proposed  to  go  and  live  in  a  country  where  the 
gospel  is  preached,  or  by  any  others,  against  taking  pains  to 
put  themselves  under  greater  religious  advantages  than  they 
now  enjoy.  For  if  they  should  enjoy  these  advantages,  and 
abuse  them,  as  the  most  do  who  have  them,  their  condemna- 
tien  will  be  greater,  and  they  be  more  miserable  forever  than 
if  they  had  never  enjoyed  them.  If  it  should  be  said,  that  if 
they  become  awakened,  convinced,  reformed  sinners,  they  will 
be  less  sinful,  and  not  so  guilty  or  miserable,  though  they  per- 
ish, as  if  they  had  not  enjoyed  those  superior  advantages,  —  I 
say,  if  this  should  be  said  and  granted,  yet  it  must  be  observed 
that  they  are  altogether  uncertain  that  they  ever  shall  be  such, 
or  that  they  shall  not  abuse  all  their  advantages  so  as  to  be- 
come much  more  guilty  and  vile  than  if  they  never  had  enjoyed 
them.     Therefore,  they  know  not  but  every  step  they  take  to 


AN  encourag;e:ment  to  the  abandoned  sinner?     411 

obtain  any  religious  advantage  will  be  worse  than  lost,  and 
become  the  occasion  of  their  greater  guilt  and  more  awful 
condemnation. 

In  short,  if  the  doctrine  of  awakened,  convinced  sinners 
growing  worse,  more  guilty  and  vile,  is  any  just  ground  of 
discouragement  to  the  use  of  means,  then  there  is  just  ground 
of  discouragement  to  take  any  pains  to  enjoy  any  religious 
means  and  advantages  whatsoever,  or  to  use  any  with  others, 
by  preaching  the  gospel  to  them,  etc. ;  for,  unless  God  pre- 
vents it  by  his  sovereign  grace,  all  this  will  be  but  the  occasion 
of  their  greater  sinfulness,  and  more  aggravated  destruction. 

Mr.  M.,  and  every  one  else,  may,  therefore,  be  sure  that  the 
doctrine  of  the  sinner's  growing  more  vile  in  the  use  of  means, 
if  his  eyes  are  fully  opened,  does  not  give  the  least  encourage- 
ment to  any  "to  abandon  themselves  to  wickedness,  and  neglect 
the  means  of  grace;"  and  never  was,  nor  can  be  reasonably 
improved  so  by  any.  Nor  does  it  tend  in  the  least  degree  to 
"damp  and  retard  those  that  are  seriously  inclined  to  exert 
themselves  in  a  painful  attendance  on  means  and  amendment 
of  life."  So  far  from  this,  that  it  is  the  only  doctrine  that  can 
give  proper  and  consistent  encouragement  to  those  who  are 
under  clear  and  genuine  convictions ;  and  the  contrary  tends 
directly  to  drive  such  into  discouragement  and  despair. 

This  I  particularly  observed,  and  endeavored  to  make  quite 
clear  and  evident  in  the  conclusion  of  my  section  on  means, 
in  the  follov^^ing  words:  "If  sinners  were  to  take  their  only 
encouragement  to  hope  for  salvation  in  the  use  of  means  from 
their  being  less  sinners  than  others,  or  not  so  bad  as  they  once 
were,  this  would  tend  to  take  all  encouragement  from  those 
who  are  under  genuine  convictions,  and  have  any  true  view 
of  their  own  sinfulness,  and  leave  them  in  absolute  despair. 
For  all  such,  as  they  have  a  more  clear  and  full  sight  of  their 
own  sins  than  they  can  have  of  others,  are  naturally  led  to 
view  themselves  as  the  greatest  sinners  ;  and  as  by  attendance 
on  means  they  get  more  and  more  acquainted  with  their  own 
hearts,  their  own  sinfulness  increases  in  their  view,  they  are  so 
far  from  looking  on  themselves  as  less  sinners  than  they  were, 
that  they  naturally  view  themselves  in  a  contrary  light. 

"  The  only  proper  way,  therefore,  to  encourage  the  sinner  who 
is  under  any  great  degree  of  genuine  conviction  of  sin  and  con- 
cern about  his  eternal  interest  to  attend  on  means  with  hope, 
is  not  to  lead  him  to  expect  hereby  to  become  less  sinful,  but 
to  teach  him  the  true  end  and  design  of  means.  He  will  then 
know  that  the  great  wickedness  of  his  heart,  exercised  in  all 
he  does,  and  his  appearing  to  himself  to  grow  worse  rather  than 
better,  which  is  commonly  the  chief  ground  of  discouragement 


412  IS    THE    APATHY    OP    THE    AWAKENED    SI.WXER 

to  such,  i%  really  no  reason  why  he  should  neglect  means,  but 
rather  an  encouragement  constantly  to  attend." 

Mr.  M.,  instead  of  taking  any  notice  of  my  argument  here, 
wholly  overlooks  what  I  had  in  view,  viz.,  to  show  that  the 
doctrine  I  had  advanced  could  be  no  discouragement  to  the 
siimer  under  proper  awakenings  and  convictions ;  because  he 
always  views  himself  in  the  very  light  in  which  this  doctrine 
sets  him,  i.  e.,  as  constantly  growing  worse,  more  wicked  and 
vile ;  and  that  the  contrary  doctrine,  viz.,  that  sinners  under 
conviction  grow  less  sinful  than  they  were  before,  and  must  do 
so  in  order  to  be  saved,  was  so  far  from  giving  encouragement 
to  such,  that  it  tended  to  drive  them  to  despair;  I  say,  Mr. 
M.,  instead  of  taking  notice  of  this,  and  attempting  to  oppose 
and  refute  it,  remarks  only  upon  the  last  sentence,  accusing 
me  with  altering  my  expressions  and  lowering  down  from  the 
point  I  had  asserted,  to  something  else,  which  he  allows  to  be 
trvie,  not  choosing,  he  concludes,  to  close  my  discourse  with 
that  which  would  be  so  startling  to  a  common  reader.  His 
words  are  :  "  And  in  the  close  of  his  discourse  he  comes  down 
wonderfully,  in  these  words  — '  His  appearing  to  himself  to 
grow  worse,  is  really  no  reason  why  he  should  neglect  means  ; 
but  rather  an  encouragement  constantly  to  attend.'  Fulhj 
orthodox  this.  But  why  this  abatement  ?  If  the  principle 
advanced  in  the  former  pages  is  true,  why  not  through  the 
whole  ?  If  it  was  of  importance  to  be  set  up,  why  not  to  be 
kept  up,  especially  in  the  close?  Which  if  it  had,  would 
have  stood  thus,  viz.,  the  awakened  sinner's  really  growing 
worse,  on  the  whole,  in  attendance  on  means,  as  conviction 
of  sin  arises,  whatever  be  his  reformation,  amendment  of 
life,  etc.,  than  he  would  have  been  continuing  secure,  and  go- 
ing on  in  the  practice  of  all  manner  of  most  enormous  wick- 
edness, is  really  no  reason  why  he  should  neglect  means." 

I  am  ready  to  ask  here.  What  does  Mr.  M.  mean  ?  I  do 
keep  the  principle  I  had  advanced  fully  in  view,  and  am  show- 
ing that  upon  this  principle  the  sinner's  appearing  to  himself 
to  grow  worse,  is  really  no  matter  of  discouragement,  but  the 
contrary ;  whereas  it  must  be  matter  of  the  greatest  discourage- 
ment on  any  other  plan.  And  might  I  not,  in  this  view,  once 
mention  the  sinner's  appearing  to  himself  to  grow  worse,  when 
the  argument  I  was  upon  required  it;  and  when,  instead  of 
this,  to  have  spoken  of  the  sinner's  really  growing  worse,  would 
have  been  quite  nonsense,  without  being  accused  with  going 
olFfrom  my  pt)int,  coming  down  wonderfully,  etc.,  as  if  I  was 
afraid,  in  the  close,  to  assert  what  I  had  before  advanced,  and 
endeavored  to  establish  ? 

There  are  two  leading  principles  that  run  through  Mr.  M.'s 


AN    ENCOURAGEMENT    TO    THE    ABANDONED    SINNER?        413 

book,  which  I  had  in  view,  and  endeavored  to  confute  in  the 
last  three  pages  of  my  section  on  means.  One  is,  that  the 
only  way  for  a  person  to  be  more  likely  to  be  saved,  or  not  far 
from  the  kmgdom  of  God,  is  to  become  less  sinful,  and  so 
nearer  the  state  of  a  good  man ;  God  being  more  ready  and 
disposed  to  show  mercy  to  a  less  sinner  than  to  a  greater. 
The  whole  he  says  on  the  sinner's  being  not  far  from  the  king- 
dom of  God  sets  the  matter  in  this  light.  And  from  this  he 
infers  in  the  following  words :  "  There  is  such  a  thing  among 
the  unregenerate,  under  the  gospel,  as  being  in  state  nigh  to  or 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God."  And  that  "  their  nearness 
in  state  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  which  is  the  same,  to  that 
of  a  good  man,  consists  in  those  attainments  whereby  they 
are,  on  the  whole,  in  the  state  of  their  minds  less  vicious  than 
either  themselves  or  others  would  be  in  the  absence  of  those 
things."  And  again,  he  speaks  of  the  attainments  of  the  unre- 
generate, such  as  awakening,  conviction,  reformation,  etc.,  as 
that  "  whereby  they  are  less  wicked,  and,  in  a  true  sense  of 
Scripture,  in  state  brought  nearer  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  to 
a  state  of  grace,"  etc.  And  in  another  place  he  represents  the 
sinner,  who  is  less  displeasing  to  God,  to  be  more  in  the  way 
of  mercy,  so  more  likely  to  be  saved.  Speaking  of  the  awak- 
ened, convinced  sinner,  and  the  careless  and  secure,  he  says 
the  Scripture  "  gives  a  sort  of  preference  to  the  former,  at  least, 
as  less  displeasing  to  God,  and  more  in  the  way  in  which 
God's  sovereign  mercy  is  wont  to  be  displayed." 

The  other  principle  I  have  reference  to  is  grounded  upon 
this,  viz.,  that  if  a  person  grows,  not  less  sinful,  but  more 
guilty  and  vile,  in  the  use  of  means,  this  is  matter  of  great 
discouragement,  and  that  sinners  cannot  be  encouraged  to 
attend  on  means  in  any  other  view,  but  that  they  may  hereby 
become  less  sinful  and  vile. 

Had  Mr.  M.  attended  to  these  pages,  and  taken  what  I 
think  is  the  plain  meaning  of  them,  instead  of  making  the  gross 
blunder  and  misrepresentation  he  has  done,  he  must  have  been 
sensible  that  what  I  here  said  was  in  opposition  to  these  two 
principles,  and  found  himself  concerned  to  answer  it.  But  he 
has  been  so  far  from  this  that  he  has,  in  effect,  conceded  to  it 
all,  and  very  emphatically  pronounced  it  orthodox. 

The  reader  will  here  particularly  observe  what  he  has  pro- 
nounced orthodox.  "  His  appearing  to  himself  to  grow  worse 
is  really  no  reason  why  he  should  neglect  means,  but  rather 
an  encouragement  constantly  to  attend."  Fully  orthodox, 
this !  And  he  allows  that  this  generally  or  always  is  the 
case  with  sinners  under  deep  and  genuine  conviction,  in  the 
beginning  of  his  book,  where  he  says,  "  Divines  of  the  best 
35* 


414  IS    THE    APATHY    OF    THE    AWAKENED    SINNER 

character  and  greatest  note  have  allowed  that  sinners,  under 
deep  and  genuine  convictions,  conversing  more  sensibly  with 
the  wickedness  of  their  own  hearts  and  lives,  have  been  ready- 
to  look  on  themselves  as  greater  sinners  than  heretofore;  yea, 
perhaps  as  growing  daily  worse,  and  more  hard  hearted." 
Upon  this,  the  following  things  are  observable  :  — 

1.  If  the  sinner's  appearing  to  himself  to  grow  worse,  more 
guilty  and  vile,  in  the  use  of  means,  is  no  reason  why  he  should 
neglect  means,  then  his  really  growing  worse  is  no  matter  of 
discouragement.  For  what  appears  to  be  true  to  the  sinner, 
must  have  just  as  much  influence  as  if  it  was  really  so,  until 
the  appearance  is  removed,  and  the  sinner  is  convinced  he  was 
mistaken.  Therefore,  if  this  appearance  is  no  discouragement, 
or  reason  why  he  should  neglect  means,  its  being  really  so  is 
no  discouragement.  This  is,  therefore,  at  least  implicitly 
asserted  in  these  words  ;  and,  consequently,  Mr.  M.  has  assert- 
ed it  in  the  strongest  manner  by  pronouncing  them  orthodox, 
in  the  terms  he  has.  What  then  becomes  of  all  that  he  has 
said  representing  this  as  a  discouraging  doctrine,  "  tending  to 
damp  and  retard  those  that  are  sincerely  inclined  to  exert 
themselves,"  "and  laying  a  stumbling-block  in  sinners'  way, and 
robbing  them  of  a  precious  branch  of  encouragement  ?  "  He 
has  here  given  all  this  up  as  contrary  to  reason  and  truth,  so 
has  once  more  run  into  gross  self-contradiction. 

It  hence  appears,  also,  how  unreasonable  Mr.  M.  is  in  repre- 
senting me  as  not  daring  to  bring  this  principle  out,  and  say 
here,  "  The  awakened  sinner's  really  growing  worse  in  attend- 
ance on  means,  etc. ;  more  vile  than  he  would  have  been, 
continuing  secure,  etc. ;  is  really  no  reason  why  he  should  neg- 
lect means."  For  it  is  really  brought  out  and  asserted  in  the 
words  I  have  used,  as  has  been  just  observed ;  and  Mr.  M.  has 
given  his  sanction  to  it  also  in  the  strongest  terms,  however 
<'  startling  to  the  common  reader"  he  may  think  it  will  be. 

2.  If  the  sinner,  under  genuine  and  thorough  convictions, 
appears  to  himself  to  be  much  worse  than  he  was  in  a  state 
of  scicurity,  then  the  doctrine  that  the  sinner  under  true  con- 
victions does  grow  less  sinful  and  vile,  and  that  this  is  the  only 
way  in  which  he  may  hope  to  be  saved,  will  do  him  no  good, 
but  will  be  the  most  discouraging  doctrine  that  can  be  preached 
to  him,  and  drive  him  to  despair  if  he  believes  it. 

It  cannot  do  him  any  good,  or  be  any  encouragement  to 
him  to  be  told  that  he  is  now  less  sinful  and  vile  than  he  was ; 
for,  by  the  supposition  he  will  not  believe  it,  but  is  confident 
that  the  contrary  is  true.  But  if  he  is  taught,  and  he  believes 
it,  that  this  must  be  true  of  him  in  order  to  his  being  in  a 
likely  way  to  be  saved,  this  will  be  so  far  from  encouraging 


AN    ENCOURAGEMENT    TO    THE    ABANDONED    SINNER?         415 

him  to  go  on  that  he  will  conclude  himself  to  be  in  a  very  bad 
way  indeed ;  that  his  attendance  on  means  has  done  him  hurt 
rather  than  good ;  and  so  will  give  out,  concluding  that  there 
is  no  hojDe  for  him  in  this  way.  Mr.  M.  has,  therefore,  I  think, 
by  his  own  acknowledgment,  in  effect  given  up  the  whole 
book  he  has  wrote,  as  quite  useless,  and  to  no  purpose.  For 
the  doctrine  he  contends  for  can  never  be  inculcated  on  the  un- 
regenerate  so  as  to  be  of  any  service  to  them,  but  must  be  care- 
fully kept  out  of  their  hearing,  lest  it  prove  very  mischievous. 

Let  us  see  how  the  doctrine  of  Mr.  M.'s  book  must  be  ap- 
plied to  the  unregenerate.  He  will  tell  the  secure  profligate 
that  he  must  reform,  and  earnestly  attend  on  all  means  of 
grace  ;  and  for  his  encouragement,  will  assure  him  that  in  this 
way  he  will  grow  better,  less  sinful  and  vile,  and  so  get  into 
a  more  likely  way  to  be  saved,  and  more  in  the  way  of  God's 
mercy ;  in  which  he  has  no  reason  to  expect  to  share  so  long 
as  he  is  so  guilty  and  vile  as  he  is  at  present.  And  the  more 
he  will  reform,  and  the  less  sinful  he  shall  become,  the  nearer 
he  will  come  to  saving  conversion,  and  the  more  likely  will  he 
be  to  obtain  it.  If  the  sinner  believes  what  he  says,  and  from 
this  encouragement  reforms  all  ways  of  known  external  sin, 
and  begins  to  attend  on  means,  he  may  go  on  with  good 
courage,  and  in  his  own  view  have  a  great  degree  of  tender- 
ness of  conscience,  and  carefully  avoid  all  known  sin,  and 
come  up  to  all  known  duty.  And  if  he  is  not  led  into  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  own  heart,  and  has  no  genuine  conviction  of  sin, 
and  is  not  convinced  of  the  great  sin  of  not  loving  God  and 
believing  on  Christ,  he  ^Adll  have  high  hopes  from  his  imagined 
comparative  goodness,  or  his  becoming  less  sinful  than  he  was, 
by  his  reformations  and  duties,  and  be  confident  that  God  is 
not  so  angry  with  him  now,  but  takes  a  favorable  notice  of 
his  doings,  and  looks  on  him  with  approbation.  He  will  now 
drink  in  Mr.  M.'s  doctrine  with  greediness,  and  it  will  be  sweet 
and  comfortable  to  his  soul.  But,  alas  I  whither  will  it  lead 
him  ?  To  the  same  place,  no  doubt,  to  which  the  proud  Phar- 
isee went. 

But,  if  by  the  divine  influences  he  falls  under  genuine, 
thorough  convictions,  he  will  begin  to  appear  to  himself  to  be 
growing  more  guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  in  a  state  of  secu- 
rity, instead  of  becoming  less  sinful,  as  he  was  encouraged  to 
expect.  This  sinks  his  heart  —  all  his  hopes  fail  him,  and  he 
runs  to  Mr.  M.  to  know  what  he  shall  do.  What  will  Mr.  M. 
say  to  him  ?  Will  he  tell  him  this  is  no  matter  of  discourage- 
ment ;  he  has  as  much  encouragement  to  go  on  as  ever,  although 
he  continues  to  grow  worse  and  worse  ?  If  he  tells  him  this, 
which  he  has  in  effect  declared  to  be  fully  orthodox,  he  will 
now  retract  and  directly  contradict  all  he  had  preached  to  him 


416  IS    THE    APATHY    OF    THE    AWAKENED    SINNER 

before,  and  which  is  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  his  whole 
book,  as  what  he  had  better  never  have  published  ;  for  it  is  not 
true,  and  has  done  no  good,  but  hurt. 

■  If  he  persists  in  his  former  doctrine,  and  tells  the  sinner  that 
though  he  appears  to  himself  to  be  more  sinful,  yet  this  is  not 
his  true  state,  if  it  was  he  would  be  in  a  bad  and  hopeless  way 
indeed  ;  but  he  is  really  growing  much  better,  less  sinful  and 
vile  than  he  was,  so  that  God's  anger  is  in  a  measure  abated. 
He  has  reformed  many  gross  sins,  and  done  many  duties,  of 
all  which  God  graciously  approves,  and  takes  a  favorable  notice. 
And  if  he  holds  on  he  will  undoubtedly  become  in  this  way  so 
much  less  sinful  than  others,  or  than  he  once  was,  that  God 
will  bestow  salvation  upon  him  rather  than  upon  those  who 
are  more  guilty  and  vile,  having  never  reformed  and  humbled 
theinselves  at  the  feet  of  sovereign  mercy  as  he  has  done,  nor 
nourished  such  tenderness  of  conscience,  etc.  I  say,  if  he 
should  preach  this,  or,  which  is  much  the  same,  read  over  his 
book  to  him,  the  sinner  will  either  believe  it,  or  he  will  not.  If 
he  believes  it,  and  is  brought  to  view  himself,  not  as  growing 
worse  but  less  sinful,  his  convictions  are  at  an  end ;  he  is  no 
longer  under  genuine,  thorough  convictions,  for  such  appear, 
to  themselves  at  least,  to  grow  more  sinful  and  vile.  There- 
fore, in  order  to  believe  Mr.  M.'s  doctrine  he  must  lose  his 
convictions ;  and  they  never  can  take  place  again  until  he 
gives  this  doctrine  up  ;  and  so  perseverance  in  the  belief  of 
this  doctrine  will  infallibly  carry  him  to  hell,  unless  a  sinner 
may  be  converted  without  a  proper  work  of  conviction. 

If  he  does  not  believe  it,  —  and  it  is  to  be  desired  in  mercy 
to  his  soul  he  may  not,  for  we,  and  Mr.  M.  too,  are  sure  that  he 
cannot  as  long  as  his  convictions  continue,  —  I  say,  if  he  does 
not  believe  it,  he  will  escape  the  mischief,  and  all  the  pains 
taken  to  inculcate  it  will  be  in  vain. 

If  he  believes  it  in  part,  viz.,  that  sinners  under  genuine  con- 
victions do  become  less  sinful,  as  the  only  hopeful  way  to  be 
saved,  and  yet  by  the  force  of  his  own  convictions  appears  to 
himself  to  be  growing  more  sinful;  this  will  have  a  very  bad, 
discouraging  tendency  indeed,  as  has  been  observed,  and  drive 
him  into  despair,  as  being  too  great  a  sinner  ever  to  hope  for 
God's  mercy.  In  order  to  relieve  this  sinner  Mr.  M.  must  give 
up  his  great  doctrine,  which  he  wrote  his  book  to  defend;  he 
must  do  it  for  a  while  at  least,  as  he  has  indeed  done  by  the 
passage  under  consideration,  and  tell  him  that  he  may  grow 
worse,  more  wicked  and  vile,  and  yet  be  in  a  hopeful  way,  and 
have  all  possible  encouragement  to  attend ;  for  the  end  of  the  use 
of  means  to  the  unregenerate  is  not  to  make  them  less  sinful, 
but  to  lead  them  to  that  knowledge  and  sense  of  their  true  state 
and  character  which  the  unregenerate  may  have.     Thus  the 


AN    ENCOURAGEMENT    TO    THE    ABANDONED    SINNER?        417 

sinner  must  believe  the  doctrine  which  I  have  advanced,  as 
long  as  his  convictions  continue  and  increase,  or  fall  into  de- 
spair; and  can  receive  no  other  encouragement  but  what  is  con- 
sistent with  this  doctrine  of  the  sinner's  growing  worse  under 
convictions,  and  what  is  directly  contrary  to  that  of  Mr.  M. 

Mr.  M.  concludes  this  general  head  in  the  following  words: 
"  Now,  if  in  the  author's  view  it  appeared  too  startling  to  a 
common  reader  to  close  his  discourse  with  this  plain  repre- 
sentation of  the  state  of  the  case  in  debate,  it  had  been  a 
great  favor,  in  my  humble  opinion,  if  he  had  been  under  the 
same  restraint  when  he  advanced  it.  To  be  sure,  it  had  pre- 
vented me  these  my  poor  labors  on  the  subject.  And  I  think 
I  may  say,  with  good  assurance,  it  had  prevented  grief  to 
many  worthy  fathers  in  the  ministry,  whose  praise  is  in  the 
gospel  through  the  churches,  and  who  are  not  so  far  super- 
annuated but  that,  with  good  old  Eli,  they  tremble  for  fear  of 
the  ark  when  they  see  it  in  danger  of  a  wrong  touch  from 
the  vigor  and  sprightliness  of  younger  years." 

It  has  been  observed,  and  clearly  showed,  I  presume,  that  I 
am  quite  clear  of  the  charge  which  Mr.  M.  has  brought  against 
me,  upon  which  the  words  now  transcribed  are  grounded; 
that  I  could  not  have  expressed  myself  in  the  words  which  he 
prescribes  for  me  without  forgetting  the  argument  I  was  upon, 
and  being  guilty  of  as  great  an  oversight  nearly  as  he  has  in 
making  this  charge.  And  that  what  he  says  I  ought  to  have 
said  is  implied  in  my  words,  and  so  implicitly  asserted.  And 
that  he  has  fully  assented  to  it,  and  pronounced  it  orthodox, 
in  the  same  breath  in  which  he  attempts  to  represent  it  so 
gross  and  shocking  an  error  as  to  startle  a  common  reader, 

I  confess  I  am  not  ashamed  of  this  doctrine;  nor  am  I 
afraid  to  assert  it,  in  its  full  length  and  breadth,  on  all  proper 
occasions.  Nor  do  I  repent  my  publishing  it;  but  think  I 
have  reason  to  bless  God  that  I  have  been  under  no  restraint 
that  has  prevented  it,  even  although  it  has  occasioned  "  these 
poor  labors  of  Mr.  M.  on  the  subject ; "  yea,  whatever  else  I 
may  suffer  by  it.  Whether  he  had  any  call  thus  to  exert  him- 
self, and  whether  these  labors  ought  to  be  called  poor,  or  by  a 
better  or  a  worse  name,  every  reader  will  judge  for  himself. 
They  have,  however,  I  think,  given  me  opportunity  further  to 
explain  and  vindicate  an  important  truth,  which  tends  to  exalt 
the  character  of  the  adorable  Jesus,  and  abase  the  sinner. 

Who  these  worthy,  aged,  trembling  fathers  are,  I  know  not, 
and  have  no  inclination  to  detract  from  their  praise.  But  I 
think  I  have  a  right  to  say,  they  fear  where  no  fear  is ;  and  if 
they  tremble,  and  handle  the  ark  as  Mr.  M.  has  done,  no 
thanks  are  due  to  them  that  it  has  not  been  completely  overset 
long  ago. 


418         THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED, 


PART    II. 

WHEREIN  IT  IS  INQUIRED,  WHETHER  GOD  HAS  GIVEN  ANY  COM- 
MANDS TO  UNREGENERATE  SINNERS,  WHICH  THEY  DO  TRULY 
COMPLY  WITH  AND  MAY  PERFECTLY  OBEY,  WHILE  UNRE- 
GENERATE ? 

SECTION   I. 

The    Question  particularly  stated,  and  Arguments  offered  to 

prove  the  Neg-ative. 

The  question  is  not  whether  any  commands  are  given  to 
the  unregenerate ;  or  whether  any  thing  is  required  of  them 
which  it  is  their  duty  to  comply  with  and  perform.  The  un- 
regenerate, it  is  granted,  are  under  law  as  much  as  the  regen- 
erate, and  the  former  are  required  to  be  perfectly  holy  as 
much  as  the  latter,  and  are  forbidden  every  thing  which  is 
contrary  to  this.  In  a  word,  no  duty  is  required  of  the  regen- 
erate Avhich  the  unregenerate  are  not  also  commanded  to  do. 
This  may  be  true  consistently  with  their  doing  no  part  of  their 
duty,  and  living  in  perfect  rebellion  against  every  command 
while  unregenerate.  And,  indeed,  they  who  take  the  positive 
side  of  this  question  allow  that  the  unregenerate  never  do  in 
any  degree  comply  with  those  commands  which  require  holi- 
ness ;  for  they  grant  there  is  no  true  holiness  in  any  thing 
which  they  do.     This  Mr.  M.  constantly  allows. 

The  question  therefore  is,  whether  there  are  any  commands 
given  to  the  unregenerate  which  do  not  require  any  thing 
truly  holy,  but  only  require  such  exercises  and  doings  which 
they  may  and  do  comply  with,  and  truly  perform,  according 
to  the  true  meaning  and  intent  of  the  commands,  while  they 
are  perfect  enemies  to  all  true  holiness? 

Mr.  M.  has  zealously  espoused  the  affirmative  side  of  this 
question,  and  great  part  of  his  book  is  taken  up  in  attempting 
to  prove  that  God  requires  duties  of  the  unregenerate,  which 
they  are  to  do,  and  may  and  do  perform  while  in  an  unregen- 
erate state.  He  owns  that  I  have  not  expressly  denied  that 
there  are  any  such  duties  required  of  the  unregenerate,  but 
he  has  taken  considerable  pains  to  show  why  there  is  reason 
to  suspect,  and  even  conclude,  that  I  held  to  no  such  duties. 
I  am  ready  to  own  the  charge,  and  shall  proceed  to  produce 
the  arguments  I  have  for  the  negative. 

I.  According  to  our  Savior's  account  of  the  divine  law  or 


AND  ARGUMENTS  OFFERED  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE.   419 

commandment,  it  requires  nothing  but  love  to  God  and  our 
neighbor.  (Matt.  xxii.  37-39.)  And  he  expressly  says  that 
"on  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets."  (Matt.  xxii.  40.)  That  is,  all  that  is  required  in 
the  law  and  in  the  prophets,  every  injunction  and  command 
to  be  found  in  divine  revelation,  really  requires  nothing  but 
love  to  God  and  our  neighbor;  love  exercised  and  expressed 
in  all  proper  ways.  No  other  natural  and  easy  sense  can  be 
put  upon  these  words  of  Christ.  But,  would  they  bear  another 
sense,  what  St.  Paul  says  on  the  same  subject  fixes  the  mean- 
ing of  them.  He  says,  "  He  that  loveth  another,  hath  fulfilled 
the  law."  And  again,  "  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 
(Rom.  xiii.  8,  10.)  Love  could  not  be  the  fulfilling  of  the  law, 
if  the  law  required  any  thing  more  than  love,  acted  out  to  a 
perfect  degree,  and  in  a  proper  manner.  Love  is,  therefore,  the 
whole  duty  of  man.  Nothing  more  nor  less  is  required.  God 
has  not  given  one  precept  to  man  in  the  law  or  the  prophets, 
in  the  Old  Testament  or  New,  but  what  requires  love  to  God, 
or  man,  or  both,  and  is  to  be  obeyed  in  the  exercise  of  love, 
and  no  other  way,  or  by  nothing  else.  There  is,  therefore,  no 
obedience  but  what  consists  in  love  ;  and  where  there  is  nothing 
of  this,  there  is  no  duty  done ;  nothing  that  is  required,  and  is 
due,  is  given.  This,  I  conclude,  is  a  plain,  incontestable  truth, 
as  demonstrably  evident  as  any  truth  contained  in  divine  reve- 
lation, and  must  approve  itself  to  the  reason  of  every  one  who 
will  exercise  his  reason,  and  not  confuse  and  bewilder  himself 
with  a  set  of  words  without  a  meaning.  The  unregenerate 
have  no  true  love  to  God  or  their  neighbor;  for  in  this,  and  in 
the  consequent  exercises  of  enmity,  their  unregeneracy  consists. 
Therefore,  they  do  no  duty,  obey  not  one  command  in  the 
law  or  the  prophets,  in  the  Old  Testament  or  New. 

It  will  be  said,  doubtless,  they  do  obey  and  do  duty  in  some 
sense,  or  at  least  some  part  of  duty.  They  do  external  duties  ; 
or  that  which  is  the  matter  of  duty.  These  things,  such  as 
prayer,  reading  the  Bible,  acts  of  justice,  and  mercy,  etc.,  are 
commanded  duties;  and  they  who  do  these  things,  so  far  obey 
the  command,  and  do  their  duty. 

Answer.  Nothing  is  either  duty  or  sin,  if  considered  with- 
out any  respect  to  the  heart,  and  as  not  implying  any  exercises 
of  that;  therefore,  there  is  not  really  any  external  duty  or  sin 
which  is  not  considered  in  connection  with  exercises  of  heart, 
and  as  the  fruit  and  expression  of  these.  If  a  statue  is  formed 
so  as  by  the  motion  of  certain  springs  to  speak  distinct  words 
and  pronounce  a  well  composed  prayer,  none  will  imagine 
there  is  any  duty  done,  or  any  part  of  duty,  any  more  than  in 
the  noise  of  a  cataract  or  in  the  whistling  of  the  wind.     Such 


420  THE    QUESTION    PARTICULARLY    STATED, 

a  statue  is  not  a  subject  of  command,  and  is  not  capable  of 
any  part  of  duty ;  and  man  is  not  the  subject  of  command,  or 
capable  of  any  duty  or  sin  in  any  other  view  but  in  that  of  a 
voluntary  agent ;  and  all  the  external  motions  and  effects  pro- 
duced by  him,  which  are  not  in  any  degree  voluntary,  are  no 
more  duty  nor  sin,  and  no  more  any  part  of  either,  than  if 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  duty  or  sin  in  nature.  If  a  man 
kills  another  by  a  motion  or  stroke,  in  which  he  had  no  design, 
and  is  perfectly  involuntary,  there  is  no  more  sin  in  this  than 
there  is  in  the  falling  of  a  tree  on  a  man  that  kills  him ;  and 
in  this  case,  to  say  tbat  the  man  or  the  tree  is  guilty  of  exter- 
nal sin,  or  has  done  the  matter  of  sin,  and  so  has  really  sinned 
and  done  what  was  forbidden,  would  justly  be  reckoned  a  high 
degree  of  absurdity  and  nonsense.  But  this  v/ould  be  as  proper 
language  as  to  speak  of  a  person's  doing  external  duty  or  the 
matter  of  his  duty,  as  though  some  duty  was  really  done  with- 
out taking  into  view  the  exercises  of  his  will  in  the  atlair,  and 
not  considering  him  as  a  voluntary  agent.  But  if  he  is  con- 
sidered as  a  voluntary  agent,  and  the  whole  of  the  duty  lies  in 
the  exercises  of  the  heart  or  will,  then  what  is  done  is  either 
duty  or  sin,  according  as  these  are.  If  one  man  kills  another 
by  a  voluntary  exertion  or  motion,  in  which  he  had  a  prudent 
design  and  desire  to  save  his  life,  the  action  is  so  far  from 
being  sin  or  murder,  that  it  is  an  act  of  kindness  and  mercy. 
The  man  committed  no  sin,  but  did  his  duty.  If  a  man  pro- 
nounces the  words  of  a  prayer,  without  one  thought  or  volun- 
tary exercise  about  it,  he  does  no  more  duty  than  the  statue 
just  mentioned,  or  the  tree  that  bows  before  the  moving  air. 
But  if  he  does  this  voluntarily,  with  thought  and  design,  and 
his  will  and  design  herein  is  perfectly  bad,  and  the  same  with 
his  who  curses  and  blasphemes  the  name  of  God,  such  volun- 
tariness, such  exercises  and  design  surely  do  not  render  the 
external  action  duty  which  would  not  be  so  in  itself  considered. 
.  If  the  external  action  was  neither  duty  nor  sin,  considered  as 
unconnected  with  any  design  or  will,  it  does  not  become  duty 
by  being  considered  in  connection  with  sinful  volitions  and  as 
the  fruit  of  them,  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  whole  taken  to- 
gether is  sin,  and  nothing  but  sin. 

If  it  is  well  attended  to,  it  will  appear,  I  conclude,  that  there 
is  a  great  impropriety  and  gross  absurdity  in  speaking  of  a 
man's  doing  any  part  of  his  duty  in  his  external  conduct,  when 
this  condu(;t  is  not  considered  as  the  fruit  and  expression  of 
his  heart,  or  any  way  connected  with  it,  but  more  especially 
when  it  is  considered  as  the  fruit  of  wrong  and  sinful  exercises 
of  heart ;  and  to  use  such  language  in  this  case,  and  talk  of 
doing  duty  in  part  and  some  degree  in  external  conduct,  by 


AND  ARGUMENTS  OFFERED  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE.   421 

separating  it  from  all  views  and  exercises  of  the  mind,  is  using 
words  without  any  consistent  ideas,  and  only  tends  to  blind 
and  confuse  the  minds  of  those  who  suffer  themselves  to  be 
imposed  upon  by  such  expressions.  The  externals  of  devotion 
and  religion  are  the  proper  and  appointed  ways  of  our  acting 
out  and  expressing  our  love  to  God ;  and  in  this  view  may  be 
called  the  external  part,  or  matter  of  duty ;  hence  they  have 
obtained  the  name  of  duties.  But  when  there  is  really  no 
love  to  God  exercised  and  expressed  in  these  externals,  there 
is  no  duty  in  them ;  they  cease  to  be  any  part  of  duty ;  and  if 
these  externals  are  attended  upon  in  the  exercise  of  perfect 
enmity  against  God,  and  as  the  fruit  and  expression  of  that, 
it  is  something  far  worse.  But  because  the  former  have  ob- 
tained the  name  of  duties,  being  the  proper  and  appointed 
ways  of  acting  out  and  expressing  respect  and  love  to  God, 
many  have  bewildered  themselves  by  the  word  duty.,  and  have 
been  led  to  think  and  speak  of  these  externals  as  duties,  con- 
sidered in  themselves,  and  the  attendance  on  them  as  doing 
duty ;  and  have  in  this  way  imposed  on  themselves  and  others. 
These  things  are  not  required,  for  their  own  sakes,  or  in  them- 
selves considered,  but  only  as  proper  ways  of  exercising  and 
expressing  love  to  God.  Love  to  God  is,  therefore,  the  thing 
required  ;  the  whole  of  the  duty  lies  in  this ;  and  where  this  is 
wanting,  the  externals  are  as  to  duty  an  empty  nothing,  not 
the  thing  required,  and  in  doing  them  no  duty  is  done. 

In  this  view  of  the  matter  we  may  see  the  true  meaning  of 
what  God  says  to  the  people  of  Israel:  "When  ye  come  to 
appear  before  me,  who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand  to  tread 
my  courts  ?  "  (Isa.  i.  12.)  These  things  were  required,  but  not 
for  their  own  sake,  but  only  as  an  expression  of  their  respect 
and  love  to  God.  Therefore,  when  this  ceased  to  be  exercised 
and  expressed,  and  they  appeared  not  to  have  the  love  of  God, 
but  the  contrary,  their  attendance  on  these  externals  was  not 
doing  any  thing  that  was  required  of  them.  These  things 
were  not  required  of  them,  as  they  performed  them  ;  therefore, 
in  their  attendance  on  them,  they  really  did  nothing  that  was 
required  of  them,  and  so  did  not  the  least  part  of  their  duty. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  what  God  says  by  Jeremiah,  "  I  spake 
not  to  your  fathers,  nor  commanded  them  in  the  day  that  I 
brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  concerning  burnt 
offerings  and  sacrifices  :  but  this  thing  commanded  I  them, 
saying.  Obey  my  voice."  (Jer.  vii.  22,  23.)  Burnt  offerings 
and  sacrifices,  and  all  other  externals,  were  not  required  merely 
as  such,  or  considered  by  themselves  as  mere  externals ;  as 
such  God  did  not  command  them,  but  as  the  expression  of 
love  and  obedience.  Therefore,  when  these  were  attended 
VOL.  III.  36 


422  THE    QUESTION    PARTICULARLY    STATED, 

upon,  without  the  exercise  of  love  and  obedience,  the  thing 
which  God  respected  in  his  command,  and  even  the  whole 
that  was  commanded,  was  neglected,  and  no  duty  done. 

None  will  suppose,  I  presume,  that  the  devils  did  any  duty 
when  they  cried  out,  saying,  "  Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God."  (Luke  iv.  41.)  Or  when  the  chief  devil  in  the  pos- 
sessed man  prayed  to  Christ  in  the  name  of  the  rest,  in  the 
most  earnest  manner,  "  I  beseech  thee  torment  me  not."  (Luke 
viii,  28.)  But  the  defect  was  not  in  externals,  but  in  the  want 
of  love  to  Christ,  and  the  exercise  of  enmity  against  him. 
And  will  any  one  imagine  that  men  who  have  no  more  love 
or  true  respect  to  God  than  the  devils,  and  are  as  real  and  en- 
tire enemies  to  him  as  they,  which  is  the  character  of  all  the 
unregenerate ;  that  such,  I  say,  do  any  more  duty  in  their  ex- 
ternal words  and  actions  than  the  devils  did  in  the  instances 
mentioned?  What  do  such  men  do,  which  the  devils  did  not? 
[f  the  want  of  love  to  Christ,  and  enmity  against  him  in  the 
latter,  rendered  all  they  did  in  openly  confessing  Christ  to  be 
the  Son  of  God,  and  praying  to  him,  not  duty,  but  sin, why 
IS  not  this  as  true  of  the  former? 

If  a  man  does  justice  in  his  dealings,  without  any  design  or 
iesire  to  do  justice,  he  does  no  more  duty  than  the  just  bal- 
ance which  gives  to  every  one  his  due.  And  if  one  gives  to 
the  poor  without  design  and  good  will,  he  does  no  more  of  the 
duty  of  showing  mercy  than  the  fruitful  tree  from  which  the 
poor  is  fed.  And  whatever  external  acts  of  kindness  and 
charity  he  does,  if  he  means  not  so,  and  has  not  the  least  de- 
gree of  love  and  good  will  to  his  fellow-men  in  his  heart,  he 
certainly  pays  no  true  regard  and  obedience  to  the  command 
to  show  mercy,  and  does  no  part  of  this  duty.  And  if,  con- 
trary to  this,  his  heart  is  full  of  malevolence  and  ill  will  to  his 
neighbors,  and  he  intends  some  evil  to  them  by  his  external 
appearance  of  love  and  kindness,  he  is  so  far  from  doing  any 
duty,  that  these  external  acts,  considered  as  his  acts,  (and  they 
are  no  acts  at  all  in  any  other  view,)  are  as  really  a  violation 
of  his  duty,  and  acts  of  malevolence  and  sin,  as  are  stealing 
from  his  neighbor,  and  attempting  to  cut  his  throat. 

To  him,  who  will  well  consider  these  things,  I  think  it  must 
appear,  that  to  talk  of  doing  the  external  and  material  part  of 
duty,  under  the  notion  that  this  is  really  doing  anij  duty  and 
obeying  God's  commands,  without  any  regard  had  to  the 
mind,  or  while  that  is  sujiposed  to  be  directly  contrary  to  all 
duty,  is  very  absurd,  and  tends  to  confuse  and  deceive  all  those 
who  will  be  confused  and  deceived  by  a  set  of  unmeaning 
words  and  phrases  ;  and  that  where  there  is  no  love  to  God  or 
men  exercised,  there  is  no  duty  done,  whatever  is  the  external 
appearance  and  conduct. 


AND    ARGUMENTS    OFFERED    TO    PROVE    THE    NEGATIVE.     423 

It  is  still  said  by  some,  that  though  it  is  granted,  as  it  must 
be,  that  external  words  and  actions  cannot  be  considered  as 
any  part  of  duty,  or  as  having  any  thing  of  the  nature  of  duty, 
unless  they  are  viewed  as  the  voluntary  exercises  of  a  moral 
agent,  by  which  he  acts  out  and  expresses  his  heart;  and 
therefore,  if  the  principles  and  exercises  of  his  heart  are  all 
wrong  and  sinful,  no  duty  is  done,  but  all  is  sin ;  yet  it  does 
not  follow  that  the  unregenerate  do  no  duty.  They  may  obey 
the  divine  command  from  the  natural  principles  which  they 
have ;  such  as  natural  conscience  and  self-love.  These,  though 
they  are  not  the  best  principles,  yet  are  good,  or  at  least  not 
sinful ;  and  God  requires  the  unregenerate  to  improve  these, 
and  act  from  such  principles  as  they  have ;  and  when  they  do 
so,  this  is  real  obedience,  and  they  do  their  duty,  even  what 
God  commands. 

Ans.  1.  There  is  no  love  to  God  or  our  neighbor  in  the. 
exercise  of  these  natural  principles,  or  while  men  act  frori 
them  only  ;  it  therefore  follows  from  what  has  been  alreadj 
proved,  that  there  is  no  obedience  in  this,  because  all  obedi- 
ence consists  in  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor.  At  least  ii 
must  be  allowed  to  be  proved,  till  it  can  be  shown  wherein 
the  argument  fails. 

Ans.  2.  But  if  this  argument  is  laid  aside,  and  what  is  here 
advanced  is  attended  to,  it  may  be  proved  to  be  groundless 
and  very  absurd.  These  natural  principles  are  not  principles 
of  obedience ;  nor  is  there  any  obedience  merely  in  acting 
from  them.  If  the  dictates  of  natural  conscience  are  not  ac- 
cording to  the  truth,  but  directly  contrary  to  what  is  truth  and 
duty,  none  will  think,  I  conclude,  that  a  man  does  his  duty  in 
acting  according  to  such  dictates ;  for  this  is  the  same  as  to 
say  that  a  man  does  his  duty  in  acting  directly  contrary  to  his 
duty.  Will  any  one  say  that  Saul  did  his  duty,  and  obeyed 
Christ,  in  persecuting  the  church,  because  he  acted  according 
to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience,  and  verily  thought  he  ought 
to  do  it  ?  If  so,  the  more  stupid  and  blind  men  are  to  duty, 
and  the  more  contrary  their  hearts  are  to  it,  as  the  ground  and 
reason  of  their  stupidity  and  blindness,  the  more  obedient  and 
dutiful  they  are.  If  the  dictates  of  conscience  are  according 
to  the  truth,  and  point  out  what  is  duty,  they  declare  that  this 
consists  in  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor ;  that  this  is  their 
immediate  duty  and  all  that  is  required.  If,  therefore,  they 
continue  not  to  love  God  and  their  neighbor,  they  are  so  far 
from  obeying  the  dictates  of  conscience  that  they  go  in  direct 
opposition  to  these,  and  so  are  very  far  from  doing  their  duty. 
But,  to  say  the  truth,  natural  conscience  is  neither  a  principle 
of  obedience  nor  of  disobedience,  as  has  been  before  observed. 


424         THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED, 

There  is  but  one  principle  of  obedience,  which  is  love,  or  dis- 
interested respect  or  regard  to  God  and  our  neighbor.  What- 
ever regard  is  paid  to  the  dictates  of  conscience  from  any  other 
principle,  there  is  no  obedience  in  it;  and  the  greatest  enemy 
to  God  and  his  neighbor  may  exercise  as  much  of  this  sort  of 
obedience  as  any  other  man. 

And  as  to  self-love,  if  by  it  is  meant  only  a  love  and  desire 
of  happiness,  this  is  the  principle  of  all  actions  in  general, 
whether  they  be  rebellion  against  God  or  obedience.  It  is 
essential  to  all  voluntary  agents,  and  is  the  principle  of  all  the 
sin  in  the  universe,  as  much  as  of  holiness  and  obedience.  If 
by  self-love  is  meant  selfishness,  or  a  person's  having  respect 
to  himself  only,  and  to  nothing  else,  either  God  or  his  neigh- 
bor, placing  his  happiness  in  his  own  private  interest,  as  dis- 
tinct from  all  other  beings,  desiring  and  pursuing  this  happi- 
ness and  nothing  else;  this  is  so  far  from  being  a  principle  of 
obedience,  that  it  is  the  principle  of  all  the  disobedience  and 
sin  that  ever  was,  or  will  be,  in  the  creation,  and  in  direct  and 
most  perfect  opposition  to  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor. 
How  absurd,  then,  is  it  to  talk  of  obeying  God  and  doing 
duty  from  a  principle  of  self-love  ! 

Objection.  But  a  well-regulated  self-love  is  reasonable  and 
right.  Persons  ought  to  seek  their  own  happiness,  if  it  be 
true  happiness,  and  if  they  seek  it  where  it  is  to  be  had,  and 
place  it  in  right  and  proper  objects,  and  with  a  proper  subor- 
dination to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  general  good.  How, 
then,  can  this  be  sin  and  rebellion  ?  If  it  is  right  and  reason- 
able, men  ought  to  exercise  it,  and  this  is  their  duty,  and  the 
contrary  is  sin. 

Ans.  1.  There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  well-regulated  self-love, 
if  by  self-love  be  meant  what  has  been  just  described.  Self- 
ishness ought  not  to  take  place  in  the  least  degree  ;  it  is  in 
every  degree  unreasonable,  and  rebellion  against  God.  A  well- 
regulated  self-love  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  selfishness, 
and  in  direct  opposition  to  it.  It  consists  in  placing  our  hap- 
piness in  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  our  neighbor,  and 
regarding  our  interest  only  as  included  in  the  interest  of  the 
whole,  or  the  greatest  good  of  being  in  general,  and  not  some- 
thing distinct  and  separate  from  it,  which  is  so  far  from  selfish- 
ness that  it  is  directly  opposite  to  it,  even  disinterested  benevo- 
lence to  being  in  general. 

Ans.  2.  No  person  under  the  influence  of  that  self-love 
which  has  respect  to  himself  wholly,  and  to  no  other  being,  is 
seeking  after  true  happiness,  or  places  it  where  he  ought. 
True  happiness  consists  in  the  enjoyment  of  God  in  the  exer- 
cise of  love  to  being  in  general ;  but  by  the  supposition  the 


AND  ARGUMENTS  OFFERED  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE.  425 

selfish  man  does  not  seek  this  happiness,  for  he  has  no  true  re- 
spect to  God,  or  any  other  being  but  himself.  And  there  is  no 
more  obedience  in  seeking  future  happiness  in  a  selfish  way, 
or  without  any  respect  and  regard  to  the  interest  of  any  other 
being,  than  there  is  in  seeking  happiness  in  this  present  world 
in  any  way,  and  in  any  objects  whatever. 

Ans.  3.  It  is  most  absurd,  and  a  gross  contradiction,  to  talk 
of  self-love,  or  selfishness  subordinated  to  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  general  good ;  for  self-love  has  no  regard  to  God  or  any 
other  being  but  self;  and  is  so  far  from  being  subordinated  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  general  good,  that  it  is  an  enemy  to 
the  general  good ;  and  in  its  own  nature  enmity  itself  against 
being  in  general.  The  man  under  the  influence  and  domin- 
ion of  self-love,  regards  and  seeks  himself  only ;  and  the  lan- 
guage of  his  heart  is,  "  I  care  not  what  becomes  of  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  general  good,  if  my  own  ends  may  be  an- 
swered." And  how  can  this  principle  be  subordinated  to  the 
general  good  ?  Will  it  submit  and  subordinate  itself  to  this  ? 
That  is  to  suppose  that  it  will  change  its  own  nature,  and  no 
longer  seek  self  wholly,  but  the  general  good  more  than  self, 
and  as  the  highest  and  best  end.  And  what  can  be  more  self- 
contradictory  and  absurd  than  this  ? 

II.  Though  the  short  and  plain  argument  that  has  been 
considered  is  quite  sufficient,  I  think,  to  end  the  dispute,  and 
prove  that  there  are  no  commanded  duties  which  the  unregen- 
erate  fulfil  or  comply  with  in  the  least  degree ;  yet  it  may  be 
proper  to  mention  some  other  arguments  which  prove  the 
same  thing,  as  they  may  serve  to  strengthen  the  former,  with 
some  at  least,  and  set  the  absurdity  of  the  contrary  doctrine, 
if  possible,  in  yet  a  clearer  and  more  striking  light. 

Therefore,  I  proceed  to  say, — 

All  God's  commands  to  his  creatures  are  an  expression  of 
his  will  or  heart,  which  is  the  same  with  their  being  a  tran- 
script of  his  moral  perfection,  as  the  common  phrase  is.  But 
God's  moral  perfection  is  his  holiness,  and  his  will  is  holy. 
Therefore,  whatever  command  is  an  expression  of  his  will, 
must  require  holiness.  That  which  requires  any  thing  else  is 
no  expression  of  his  moral  perfection,  therefore  cannot  be  the 
expression  of  the  will  of  God,  and  so  cannot  be  his  command. 

III.  Duty  to  God  always  supposes  and  implies  something 
given  to  God,  and  done  for  him  out  of  regard  and  respect  to 
him.  But  where  there  is  no  true  love  to  God,  there  is  no  true 
respect  paid  to  him ;  nothing  is  offered  to  him  or  done  for  him 
in  the  intention  and  design  of  the  doer.  Therefore,  there  is 
really  no  duty  done.  Nothing  that  is  due  to  God  is  given, 
and  so  no  command  that  he  can  give  is  obeyed. 

36* 


426         THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED, 

IV.  If  God  should  command  the  unregenerate  to  do  any 
thing  as  such,  and  which  they  may  do  consistently  with  their 
having  no  love  to  him,  and  being  under  the  power  of  perfect 
and  reigning  enmity  against  him ;  this  is,  in  some  degree,  if 
not  wholly,  giving  up  his  demands  on  them  which  require  them 
to  love  him,  to  repent,  and  embrace  the  gospel.  Such  a  notion 
seems  to  carry  with  it  and  suppose  that  these  higher  demands 
are  hard  and  severe,  and  not  suitable  to  be  made  on  the  unre- 
generate ;  God,  therefore,  does  not  insist  on  them,  but  comes 
down  and  conforms  to  their  humor  and  inclination,  and  tells 
them,  if  they  are  not  inclined  to  repent  and  embrace  the  gos- 
pel, he  will  point  out  something  for  them  to  do  which  is  agree- 
able to  their  hearts,  and  which  they  may  be  inclined  to  do 
while  perfect  enemies  to  him ;  and  is  not  this  coming  down 
and  conforming  to  the  will  and  perfectly  wicked  inclination  of 
the  sinner  in  a  manner  infinitely  unbecoming  the  most  high 
God? 

Mr.  M.  very  justly  observes,  "  that  God  does  not  make  the 
depraved  will  of  the  creature  the  rule  of  his  duty."  This,  I 
think,  is  giving  up  the  point  entirely.  If  God  does  not  accomo- 
date his  laws  and  commands  to  the  depraved  will  of  the  crea- 
ture, he  has  appointed  no  duties  to  be  done  which  imply  no 
respect  to  him,  because  their  wills  are  so  depraved  that  they 
have  no  respect  and  love,  but  are  perfect  enemies  to  him.  If 
man's  will  was  perfectly  right,  there  would  certainly  be  no 
occasion  or  reason  for  any  such  commands ;  therefore,  if  God 
gives  such,  it  is  purely  out  of  regard  to  their  depraved  will,  as 
the  sole  rule  and  reason  of  the  command.  Were  they  dis- 
posed to  love  God  with  all  their  heart,  he  would  not  give  any 
command  that  could  be  obeyed  without  love  to  him  ;  but  since 
they  have  no  love  to  him,  he  lowers  his  demand,  and  appoints 
a  rule  of  duty  suited  to  their  hearts  or  wills,  which  have  no 
love,  but  are  perfectly  opposite  to  him.  And  is  not  this  to 
make  the  depraved  will  of  the  creature  the  rule  of  his  duty  ? 
And  is  not  such  a  notion  very  dishonorable  to  God ;  and  in 
eflect  to  give  up  all  moral  government,  by  making  the  will  of 
the  creature,  and  not  the  will  and  law  of  the  Creator,  the  guide 
and  rule  ? 

If  a  prince  should  treat  his  rebellious  subjects  so,  who  re- 
fused to  lay  down  their  arms  and  submit  to  him,  and  pay  him 
any  respect,  would  he  not  act  a  dishonorable  part,  and  give 
up  his  own  character  and  government,  in  a  measure  at  least, 
in  favor  of  his  avowed  enemies  and  rebellious  subjects  ?  Should 
he,  for  instance,  when  he  came  among  them,  and  called  upon 
them  to  return  immediately  to  their  allegiance  and  submit  to 
him,  and  found  that  they  were  so  far  from  obeying,  that  this 


AND  ARGUMENTS  OFFERED  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE.  427 

demand  roused  them  all  to  arms,  and  tney  stood  with  drawn 
swords  pointed  directly  at  him,  obstinateiy  refusing  to  yield 
one  point  to  him,  or  submit  in  the  least  degree ;  should  he,  I 
say,  instead  of  insisting  on  his  former  demand,  tell  them  that 
he  found  they  were  obstinately  fixed  m  rebellion  against  him. 
he  would,  therefore,  propose  something  to  them  and  require  it 
of  them,  which  they  might  do  and  yet  continue  rebels,  and 
oppose  and  fight  against  him  and  his  government  as  much  as 
ever,  viz.,  to  draw  up  a  petition  to  him  that  he  would  pardon 
them  and  deliver  them  from  the  miseries  that  their  rebellion 
had  brought  upon  them,  which  they  might  make  and  read  over 
every  day,  consistently  with  continuing  in  a  state  of  rebellion, 
and  without  making  any  pretences  to  the  contrary ;  or  if  they 
did,  they  would  be  only  pretence  and  profession  directly  con- 
trary to  the  truth ;  and  that  if  they  would  do  this  he  would 
look  upon  them  as  in  some  measure  loyal,  dutiful  subjects,  or 
as  doing  some  part  of  their  duty,  —  would  not  this  be  giving 
up  his  first  demand,  at  least,  in  some  degree,  and  be  implicitly 
granting  that  they  were  not  wholly  to  blame  for  not  immedi- 
ately submitting  to  him  ? 

If  a  prince  should  conduct  so,  all  who  were  friends  to  his 
character  and  government  would  be  grieved,  and  view  him  as 
injuring  both,  and  in  a  degree  giving  them  up  in  favor  of 
rebels.  I  suppose  this  will  be  a  clear  case  to  all,  and  I  see 
not  why  the  case  before  us  is  not  as  clear;  yea,  much  more  so, 
in  proportion  to  the  greater  dignity  and  worthiness  of  the  most 
high  God,  and  the  proportionable  inexcusable  wickedness  of 
the  sinner ;  and  the  only  reason,  I  conceive,  why  any  have  run 
into  this  notion  of  God's  appointing  duties  to  the  unregenerate 
to  be  done  by  them  while  such,  and  have  not  been  rather 
shocked  at  it,  is,  that  they  look  on  them  as,  in  some  measure 
at  least,  excusable  for  not  loving  God  and  embracing  the  gos- 
pel, this  being  above  their  power,  and  what  they  cannot  do 
while  unregenerate  ;  although  (poor  creatures! )  they  are  quite 
willing  and  desirous  to  do  what  they  can. 

V.  If  God  commands  the  unregenerate  to  do  that  which 
they  may  do  in  a  state  of  rebellion,  and  while  they  are  with  all 
their  hearts  opposing  him  and  in  the  exercise  of  perfect  enmity 
against  him,  I  see  not  why  this  is  not  commanding  sin  and 
rebellion,  and  making  this  their  duty.  It  must  be  so,  if  all 
they  do  is  sin  and  rebellion,  which,  I  think,  is  certain  to  a 
demonstration ;  for,  in  the  exercises  of  a  moral  agent  there  is, 
there  can  be,  no  medium  between  holiness  and  sin.  It  will  be 
said  here,  that  God  doth  not  command  the  sin,  but  the  duty. 
I  answer,  take  away  the  sin,  and  separate  it  from  every  thing 
else,  and  there  remains  nothing  in  which  there  is  any  moral 


428  THE    QUESTION    PARTICULARLY    STATED, 

agency,  and  so  nothing  in  which  there  is  either  sin  or  daiy; 
and,  therefore,  nothing  which  can  be  the  subject  of  command. 
Consequently,  if  the  sin  is  not  commanded  nothing  is  com- 
manded. 

Mr.  M.  has  made  several  attempts  to  answer  this  argument, 
which  may  most  properly  be  considered  here.  He  says,  "The 
mistake  on  which  this  objection  is  founded,  is  a  supposition 
that  there  is  a  natural  connection  between  requiring  the  unre- 
generate  to  pray  and  requiring  them  to  sin;  whereas,  the  con- 
nection is  entirely  of  a  moral  nature,  and  arises  merely  from  a 
moral  cause,  —  the  creature's  want  of  moral  ability,  —  or  which 
is  the  same,  his  want  of  disposition  of  heart  and  inclination  of 
will  sincerely  to  comply  with  the  command,  which  is  merely 
the  creature's  fault ;  and  shall  this  fault  of  the  creature  be 
attributed  to  God's  command,  requiring  what  is  strictly  the 
creature's  duty  ?  " 

Upon  this  the  following  things  may  be  observed:  — 

1.  There  is,  indeed,  a  natural  connection  between  requiring 
the  unregenerate  to  pray  as  such,  as  wholly  wicked  and  oppo- 
site to  God  in  all  the  exercises  of  their  hearts  that  respect 
him,  and  requiring  them  to  sin  ;  for  these  are  precisely  one  and 
the  same  thing,  and  the  distinction  between  moral  and  natural 
here,  is  quite  unintelligible  and  to  no  purpose.  If  the  prayers 
of  the  wicked  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord,  i.  e.,  wholly 
sinful,  then  to  require  them  to  make  such  prayers,  is  for  God 
to  require  them  to  do  what  is  an  abomination  to  him,  and 
wholly  sinful;  and  this  is  the  same,  I  think,  as  to  command 
them  to  sin.  If  God  requires  the  wicked  to  pray,  as  such,  in 
the  exercise  of  their  wicked  inclination  of  heart,  and  without 
any  other  or  better  inclination,  what  he  requires  is  sin ;  and 
its  being  wholly  their  own  fault  that  they  are  thus  inclined, 
and  do  sin,  as  they  are  commanded,  is  so  far  from  rendering 
the  thing  commanded  no  sin,  that  it  is  the  only  reason  why  it 
is  sin ;  for  if  it  was  not  their  fault,  it  would  not  be  sin. 

2.  If  Mr.  M.  had  constantly  kept  this  in  mind,  that  it  is 
wholly  man's  fault  that  he  is  not  holy,  and  really  believed  it, 
in  all  its  length  and  breadth,  he  would  never  have  thought  of 
their  being  commanded  to  do  unholy  duties ;  ibr  if  it  is  their 
immediate  and  indispensable  duty  to  be  holy  and  embrace  the 
gospel,  no  reason  can  be  given  why  this  should  not  be  required 
of  them  immediately;  or  why  any  thing  less  or  lower  than 
this,  even  unholy  duties,  should  be  required  at  all.  Mr.  M., 
through  a  great  part  of  his  book,  goes  on  the  supposition  that 
the  unregenerate  are  not  wholly  to  blame  for  not  embracing 
the  gospel,  and  doing  holy  duties ;  had  he  not  supposed  this, 
we  never  should  have  heard  of  his  unregenerate  duties,  and  of 


AND  ARGUMENTS  OFFERED  TO  PROVE  THE  NEGATIVE.  429 

their  honest  attempts,  and  doing  their  utmost  in  the  exercise 
of  such  principles  as  they  have,  etc. 

3.  Mr.  M.  does  fully  yield  the  point  to  the  objector  in  what 
he  says  here.  According  to  his  own  concession,  God's  com- 
mand has  no  respect  to  the  fault  of  the  creature,  but  requires 
what  is  strictly  his  duty.  Surely  then  he  requires  holiness,  for 
this  is  "  strictly  his  duty ; "  and  every  thing  short  of  this  is  the 
creature's  fault.  If  God  commands  men  to  do  duties  without 
any  regard  to  their  moral  deficiency,  which  is  wholly  their  own 
fault,  or  making  any  allowance  for  it,  then,  in  his  commands, 
he  makes  no  allowance  for  their  unregeneracy ;  for  this  is  a 
moral  defect,  and  wholly  their  own  fault,  and  therefore  does 
not  require  unregenerate,  unholy  duties.  It  appears,  there- 
fore, that  Mr.  M.  had  no  other  way  to  answer  the  objection, 
but  by  giving  up  what  was  objected  against,  and  granting 
that  no  unregenerate  duties,  nothing  unholy  and  impure  is 
required,  but  real  holiness,  which  is  in  all  cases  "  strictly  the 
creature's  duty." 

But  let  us  attend  to  the  similitude  he  brings  to  illustrate 
this  matter.  "  To  make  this  mistake  plain  to  the  meanest 
capacity,  suppose  a  father  correcting  his  son  for  disobedient, 
rebellious  behavior,  should,  in  the  close,  require  him  to  bow  his 
head,  in  token  of  reverence  and  submission  to  his  parental 
authority;  the  son,  through  unsubdued  perverseness  of  tem- 
per, bows  in  hypocrisy.  Does  the  father,  by  commanding  the 
duty,  command  the  sin  ?  Far  be  it.  And  much  less  in  the 
present  case." 

I  think  he  has,  by  this  similitude,  "  made  it  plain  to  the 
meanest  capacity"  that  he  has  entirely  given  up  his  cause, 
and  expressly  asserts  the  contrary,  viz.,  that  God  does  not 
require  what  sinners  do  while  under  the  dominion  of  "  unsub- 
dued perverseness."  If  the  father  requires  the  son  to  bow  his 
head  "in  token  of  reverence  and  submission  to  his  parental 
authority,"  and  in  no  other  way,  the  son  does  not  obey  this 
command  in  the  least  degree  ;  therefore  does  no  duty,  nothing 
that  the  father  commands ;  but  his  bowing  his  head  in  hypoc- 
risy, in  the  exercise  of  unsubdued  perverseness,  is  so  far  from 
being  an  act  of  obedience,  that  it  is  an  exercise  and  act  of  high 
rebellion,  and  only  serves  to  offend  and  provoke  the  father.;  as 
it  is  a  daring  attempt  to  impose  upon  him  and  mock  him. 
Does  Ml".  M.  think,  and  will  he  say,  that  acts  of  gross  hypoc- 
risy, in  the  exercise  of  "  unsubdued  perverseness,"  are  the 
creature's  duty,  and  acts  of  obedience,  and  that  God  com- 
mands these?  And  that  these  are  less  sinful  and  more  ac- 
ceptable in  God's  sight  than  the  neglect  of  them  ?  This  is  a 
very  ill-chosen  similitude  for  Mr.  M.,  and  will,  I  doubt  not, 


430 


THE  QUESTION  PARTICULARLY  STATED,  ETC. 


make  it  "plain  to  the  meanest  capacity"  that  his  notion 
of  unregenerate  duties  is  very  absurd,  and  that  he  here  asserts 
that  such  are  not  required ;  but  that  God  in  all  cases  requires 
submission  to  him,  and  proper  tokens  and  expressions  of  this, 
and  nothing  else. 

And,  by  the  way,  I  desire  it  may  be  considered,  whether  the 
son  who,  under  the  father's  correction  and  reproofs,  continues 
in  the  exercise  of  "  unsubdued  perverseness,"  and  bows  his 
head  in  hypocrisy,  is  not  more  guilty  and  vile  than  he  was 
before  his  father  took  him  in  hand.  If  so,  which  I  conclude 
Mr.  M.  himself  will  allow,  then  he  has,  by  bringing  this  in- 
stance to  represent  the  case  of  the  unregenerate,  not  only 
given  up  the  point  he  brought  it  to  support,  but  also  must 
allow  that  they  do  not  become  less  sinful,  but  more  guilty  and 
vile  in  the  use  of  means,  while  they  persist  in  their  "  unsub- 
dued perverseness,"  under  all  the  light  and  conviction  they 
have;  and  so  has  here  really  given  up  the  whole  which  he 
undertook  to  support.  Had  Mr.  M.  constantly  viewed  the  un- 
regenerate in  the  light  in  which  he  sets  them  here,  my  section 
on  means  could  not  have  given  him  such  great  offence. 

But  let  us  see  if  he  has  succeeded  any  better  in  his  other 
attempt  to  answer  this  objection.  He  says  the  sin  the  unre- 
generate are  guilty  of  in  what  they  do,  "  is  no  part  of  the  duty 
as  required  by  God,  does  not  belong  to  its  essence,  but  arises 
from  man's  deficiency.  God  has  a  right  to  require  of  his 
people  good  duties.  When  he  puts  them  under  gospel  ad- 
vantages, etc.,  he  requires  gospel  holiness.  A  prevalent  indis- 
position of  heart,  and  disinclination  of  will  to  do  right,  makes 
no  abatement  in  God's  demands  of  us,  or  in  the  duty  we  owe 
to  God."  Here  again  he  expressly  gives  up  the  whole,  and 
asserts  that  what  God  requires  is,  good  duties,  gospel  holiness, 
and  not  unregenerate  duties.  Thus  he  shifts,  gives  up  his 
cause,  and  turns  against  himself.  He  labors  abundantly  to 
prove  that  God  requires  of  the  unregenerate  something  which 
is  not  holiness,  but  those  doings  which  they  may  perform  with 
"  unsubdued  perverseness "  of  heart.  And  when  he  is  told 
that  that  is  to  require  that  which  is  sin,  he  turns  about  and 
says,  God  requires  nothing  but  "  good  duties,  gospel  holiness  ; " 
and  so  gets  rid  of  the  objection  by  unsaying  all  he  had  so  often 
and  zealously  asserted  before,  against  which  the  objection  yet 
remains  in  its  full  force. 

But  he  goes  on  :  "  Thus  stands  the  case  ;  God  puts  his  cov- 
enant people  under  advantages  to  bring  forth  good  fruits,  and 
then  he  has  a  just  right,  expects,  and  demands  them.  God  re- 
quires good  duties  of  his  people ;  both  the  performance  and 
the  goodness  of  the  duty  is  absolutely  required;  and,  therefore, 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.   431 

God  will  have  the  duties  or  performances,  though  through  their 
badness  they  come  marred  out  of  their  hands.  Does  God,  in 
requiring  these  duties,  require  their  being  marred  ?  Far  be  it, 
since  he  absolutely  required  their  being  good."  Here  he  is  in 
the  same  strain  yet.  God  requires  nothing  but  "  good  fruits, 
good  duties,"  and,  therefore,  not  the  marred,  sinful  duties  of 
the  unregenerate ;  exercises  and  fruits  of  "  unsubdued  perverse- 
iiess ; "  they  never  do  the  duty  which  God  requires  of  them. 
When  he  says,  "  Both  the  performance  and  the  goodness  of 
the  duty  is  absolutely  required,  and,  therefore,  God  will  have 
the  duties  or  performances,  though  through  their  badness  they 
come  marred  out  of  their  hands,"  I  think  he  is  quite  unintelli- 
gible, or  at  least  supposes  something  which  is  very  absurd  and 
self-contradictory.  The  distinction  between  the  performance 
of  duty  and  the  goodness  of  it,  is,  I  suppose,  quite  new,  and 
so  nice  that  I  question  whether  it  can  be  understood.  There 
is  no  other  duty  that  I  can  conceive  of,  but  good  duty.  The 
goodness  of  the  duty  comes  into  the  performance,  and  is,  in- 
deed, one  and  the  same  thing;  the  performance  is  doing  the 
good  duty ;  and  where  there  is  no  goodness  exercised  there  is 
no  performance  of  duty.  Therefore,  when  he  says,  "  God  will 
have  the  duties  or  performances  though  marred  by  them,"  it  is 
to  me  the  same  as  if  he  had  said,  God  will  have  the  duties, 
whether  he  has  them  or  not ;  or  though  they  are  wholly  withheld. 
If  by  the  performance  as  distinguished  from  the  goodness,  he 
means  only  the  external  action,  without  any  relation  or  regard 
to  the  exercises  of  the  heart,  I  suppose  enough  has  been  said 
to  show  the  absurdity  of  such  a  way  of  talking. 


SECTION    II. 

Mr.  Mills's  Arguments  for  the  Affirmative  examined. 

Mr.  Mills's  arguments  are  quite  miscellaneous ;  they  are 
interspersed  through  near  a  hundred  pages,  without  any  partic- 
ular order,  in  which  he  does  not  attend  constantly  to  this  sub- 
ject, but  often  goes  off  to  other  matters,  and  then  returns  again 
to  this,  and  repeats  the  things  he  has  said  before,  over  and  over 
again.  I  shall  pick  them  out  as  well  as  I  can,  as  they  lie  scat- 
tered through  this  part  of  his  performance. 

1.  Mr.  M.  attempts  to  prove  this  by  a  number  of  texts  of 
Scripture,  which  he  thinks  expressly  enjoin  duty  on  the  unre- 
generate to  be  done  by  them  while  under  the  dominion  of  sin, 
being  enemies  to  God,  and  to  all  holiness.  He  observes,  "  Our 
Savior  expressly  enjoins  sinners  to  search  the  Scriptures,  as  a 


432   MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR   THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

means  in  order  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  him  as  Mediator. 
(John  V.  39.)  To  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness. (Mat.  vi.  33.)  To  labor  for  the  meat  that  endureth 
to  everlasting  life.  (John  vi.  27.)  And  to  strive  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate.    (Luke  xiii.  24.) 

Ans.  1.  Our  Savior  does  not  direct  the  Jews  to  search  the 
Scriptures  with  all  their  prejudices,  and  in  the  exercise  of  en- 
mity against  him,  and  with  a  desire  and  design  to  prove  from 
them  that  he  was  an  impostor.  This,  I  trust,  neither  Mr.  M. 
nor  any  one  else  will  assert  or  allow.  But  there  is  just  as 
much  evidence  that  he  directed  them  to  search  the  Scriptures 
thus,  as  there  is  that  he  directed  them  to  do  it  as  enemies  to 
his  character  and  doctrines.  They  ought  to  have  searched  the 
Scriptures  with  a  heart  ready  to  embrace  and  practise  the  truth 
whatever  they  found  it  to  be  ;  and,  therefore,  our  Savior  doubt- 
less enjoins  this  on  them,  which  he  knew  they  would  not  do 
so  long  as  they  continued  to  hate  both  him  and  the  Father  that 
sent  him.  Christ  told  them  that,  "  If  any  man  will  do  his  will 
(i.  e.,  is  disposed  and  inclined  to  do  the  will  of  God,)  he  shall 
know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak 
of  myself."  (John  vii.  17.)  And  when  he  tells  them  to  search 
the  Scriptures  in  order  to  determine  this,  he  directs  them  to  do 
it  with  such  an  inclination  ;  and  not  with  a  disposition  directly 
opposite  to  that  which  was  necessary  in  order  to  answer  the 
end  proposed. 

Mr.  M.  observes  that  Christ  directs  them  to  search  the  Scrip- 
tures "as  a  means  in  order  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  him 
as  Mediator."  This  is  granted  :  but  it  does  not  follow  that  he 
enjoins  them  to  do  this  with  a  wicked  heart,  but  with  a  right 
temper  and  disposition  of  mind ;  for  the  latter  was  necessary  in 
order  to  come  to  the  true  knowledge  of  Christ  as  Mediator. 
And,  as  has  been  observed,  it  was  their  indispensable  duty  as 
well  as  interest  to  search  the  Scriptures  with  such  a  disposi- 
tion of  mind. 

Ans.  2.  The  word  in  the  original,  translated  search,  in  the 
imperative  mood,  may  be  as  well  rendered  ye  do  search.  It  is 
thus  translated  by  most  of  the  noted  critics  on  the  original; 
and  this  translation  is  thought  to  be  confirmed  by  the  follow- 
ing verse  ;  the  sense  of  the  two  verses  being  tliis  :  "  Ye  take 
much  pains  to  search  the  Scrijitures,  because  ye  think  ye  have 
eternal  life  in  them.  This  is  very  true,  and  I  am  the  life  here 
revealed  ;  and  yet,  so  perv(>rse  and  blind  are  you,  that  while  ye 
are  paying  such  great  regard  to  the  Scriptures,  ye  reject  me,  and 
will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  may  have  the  life  there  revealed." 

Ans.  3.  When  Christ  directs  and  commands  to  seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  God,  etc.,  and  labor  for  the  meat  that  endures 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.  433 

to  everlasting  life,  he  doubtless  directs  to  that  seeking  and 
labor  by  which  men  will  certainly  obtain  what  they  seek  and 
labor  after.  There  is  certainly  not  the  least  evidence  that  he 
does  not;  or  that  by  seeking  and  laboring  he  means  any  exer- 
cises and  doings  of  men  unregenerate.  I  see  not  why  Mr.  M. 
might  not  with  as  much  propriety  and  reason  have  quoted 
every  direction  and  command  of  our  Savior  that  is  recorded, 
as  requiring  unregenerate  doings,  and  nothing  but  such. 

And  it  is  to  be  particularly  observed  that  there  is  an  ex- 
press promise  made  to  them  who  seek  first  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  his  righteousness,  —  "all  these  things  shall  be  added 
unto  you."  This  is  beyond  all  question  a  promise  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  to  that  godliness  which  has  the  promise  of 
the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.  (1  Tim.  iv. 
8.)  As  to  the  words,  "  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate," 
these  have  been  particularly  considered  before,  and  also  the 
remarkable  argument  which  Mr.  M.  here  uses  to  prove  that 
they  mean  the  strivings  of  the  unregenerate ;  to  which  the 
reader  is  referred. 

Mr.  M.  proceeds:  "And  is  not  the  sinner  that  finds  the 
pearl,  plainly  represented  as  being  a  seeker,  previous  to  his 
finding  it?"    (Matt.  xiii.  45,  46.) 

Ans.  1.  If  it  is  granted  that  the  unregenerate  sinner  seeks 
after  Christ  and  salvation,  this  is  not  to  the  purpose ;  for  he 
may  do  this,  and  yet  obey  no  command  nor  do  any  duty. 
How,  then,  came  Mr.  M.  to  think  that  this  was  in  the  least  to 
the  point  he  was  upon  ? 

Ans.  2.  The  merchant  seeking  goodly  pearls  is  not  designed 
to  represent  a  man  unregenerate,  but  one  who  is  as  much 
prepared  in  the  temper  of  his  mind,  as  much  disposed  to  em- 
brace Jesus  Christ  as  his  only  Savior  and  portion,  as  the  greedy 
merchant  is  to  prize  and  purchase  a  precious  pearl ;  and  who 
can  this  be  but  a  person  regenerate  ?  All  that  Christ  means 
to  represent  by  this  similitude  is,  the  temper  and  exercises  with 
which  men  embrace  him  and  become  members  of  his  king- 
dom, or,  in  his  language,  receive  the  kingdom  of  God.  They 
love  and  prize  him  so  as  to  forsake  all  for  him.  On  the  whole, 
then,  Mr.  M.  has  proved  nothing  by  producing  this  text,  unless 
it  be  that  he  looks  on  the  unregenerate,  not  as  enemies  to 
Christ,  but  as  being  as  much  disposed  to  embrace  Christ  and 
part  with  all  for  him,  as  is  the  merchant,  who  is  in  pursuit  of 
pearls,  to  part  with  his  whole  estate  to  purchase  a  pearl  of 
great  price;  —  a  notion  which  he  has  kept  in  view  through  his 
whole  book,  and  on  which  it  is,  in  a  measure,  all  built,  as 
has  been  observed,  however  contrary  to  the  whole  tenor  of 
Scripture. 

VOL.  III.  37 


434  MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

The  next  passage  of  Scripture  Mr.  M.  produces  in  the  fol- 
lowing words :  "  And  does  not  God  complain  of  his  people, 
that  they  will  not  frame  their  doings  to  turn  unto  their  God  ? 
(Hos.  V.  4.)  Sure  this  must  be  something  previous  to  a  sav- 
ing repentance,  and  something  that  God  required;  otherwise 
they  had  not  been  blamed  for  the  neglect  of  it ;  for  where  there 
is  no  law  there  is  no  ti*ansgression." 

Ans.  1.  The  Hebrew  word  here  translated  frame^  properly 
signifies  to  give,  or  grant,  and  is  often  translated  to  suffer,  or 
permit;  and  these  words  may  be  rendered  thus:  Their  pur- 
suits, or  their  evil  ways,  will  not  suffer  them  to  turn  to  the 
Lord.  That  is,  the  sins  in  which  they  live  are  in  the  way  of 
their  turning  to  the  Lord,  and  do  with  the  greatest  strength 
and  obstinacy  oppose  it.  This  sense  agrees  well  with  the 
following  words  :  "  For  the  spirit  of  whoredoms  is  in  the  midst 
of  them,  and  they  have  not  known  the  Lord."  The  words  set 
forth  their  great  degree  of  corruption,  by  which  they  were  at 
the  greatest  distance  from  turning  to  the  Lord. 

Ans.  2.  The  words  as  they  stand  in  our  translation,  express 
much  the  same  thing.  The  meaning  of  them  is,  that  they 
were  so  far  gone  in  wickedness,  that  they  had  not  the  least 
disposition  or  inclination  to  turn  to  the  Lord;  which  is  true  of 
every  unregenerate  person  ;  and  the  words  do  not  suppose  that 
while  men  continue  perfectly  wicked  and  obstinate  enemies 
to  God,  they  in  any  true  sense  frame  their  doings  to  turn  to 
the  Lord  ;  because  this  is  a  gross  contradiction,  which  Mr.  M. 
and  all  who  join  with  him  have  run  into  by  putting  such  a 
sense  upon  them.  Mr.  M.,  therefore,  had  no  warrant  to  say, 
"  Sure  this  must  be  something  previous  to  a  saving  repent- 
ance." On  this  assertion  all  the  weight  of  his  argument  from 
these  words  rests,  which  he  has  not  said  one  word  to  support; 
and  indeed  it  could  not  be  supported  by  him,  had  he  attempted 
it,  for  it  surely  rests  on  a  sandy  foundation. 

Mr.  M.  goes  on  :  "  And  does  not  St.  Paul  clearly  point  out 
attendance  on  the  word  preached,  as  a  means  in  order  to  faith? 
So,  then,  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
preached,"  (Rom.  x.  17;)  {by  the  ivord  of  God,  it  should  be.) 

Answer.  All  that  is  asserted  here  is,  that  it  is  impossible 
that  men  should  believe  that  of  which  they  never  heard ;  that 
the  truths  to  be  believed  by  men  in  order  to  salvation  are  con- 
tained in  divine  revelation,  and  that  none  can  believe  these, 
unless  he  hears  them.  It  follows  from  this,  that  hearing  or 
attending  to  the  truths  of  divine  revelation  is  necessary  in 
order  to  faith  in  Christ.  But  how  are  they  to  hear?  Not  with 
a  disposition  to  hate  Christ  and  all  divine  truth,  as  soon  as  it 
comes  to  their  notice  ;  but  as  Cornelius  heard  St.  Paul,  with  a 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     435 

disposition  and  readiness  of  mind  to  receive  the  truth  in  love 
and  believe  it.  This  is  never  done  by  the  unregenerate.  No  un- 
regenerate  duties,  therefore,  can  be  inferred  from  these  words. 

Mr.  M.  adds:  "And  does  not  tlie  apostle  Peter  expressly 
exhort  Simon,  being  unregenerate,  to  pray  ?  Repent,  there- 
fore, of  this  thy  wickedness,  and  pray  to  God,  ii'  perhaps  the 
thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee."    (Acts  viii.  22.) 

Answer.  Repentance  is  often  spoken  of  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  Old,  and  persons  are  often  called  upon  to  repent; 
and  when  spoken  of  as  connected  with  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  the  condition  of  this,  it  always  has  one  determinate  pre- 
cise meaning,  even  a  turning  from  sin  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ.  St.  Peter  received  orders  from  his  master  at  the  last 
interview  he  had  with  him,  to  preach  repentance  and  remission 
of  sins  in  his  name,  (Luke  xxiv.  47;)  and  we  find  him  obey- 
ing his  orders,  and  saying  to  a  large  auditory  when  waiting  on 
him  to  know  what  they  had  to  do,  "Repent,  and  be  baptized, 
every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission 
of  sins. "  (Acts  ii. 38.)  And  to  another,  "Repent  ye,  therefore, 
and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out."  (Acts 
iii.  19.)  And  we  have  no  account  ol'  hi:-,  or  of  any  of  the  rest 
of  the  apostles  directing  any  one  to  do  any  thing  short  of  re- 
pentance and  conversion  ;  or  speaking  of  forgivene.-s  of  sins  in 
any  other  connection  but  with  true  repentance  and  conversion. 
It  would,  therefore,  be  very  strange  and  quite  unaccountable, 
if  when  St.  Peter  directs  Simon  to  repent  of  his  wickedness,  and 
that  with  a  view  to  obtain  forgiveness,  he  uses  the  word  repent 
in  a  different  and  opposite  sense  from  that  in  which  his  Lord 
and  Master  had  expressly  commanded  him  to  use  it,  and  differ- 
ent from  that  in.  which  he  had  used  it  before  on  like  occasions, 
and  as  it  never  is  used  in  another  instance  in  all  the  Ne^y 
Testament.  If,  therefore,  these  words  of  St.  Peter  can,  without 
doing  manifest  violence  to  them,  be  understood  consistent  with 
the  orders  which  he  had  received  from  Christ,  and  with  his  way 
of  addressing  men  on  such  occasions  in  all  other  instances,  we 
may  be  certain  we  have  the  true  sense  of  them  ;  and  may  with 
confidence  reject  any  other  sense  that  any  have  devised. 

I  therefore  observe,  Simon  is  not  directed  to  pray  as  an  im- 
penitent sinner,  but  as  a  penitent.  "  Repent  of  this  thy  wick- 
edness, and  pray  to  God."  Is  not  the  meaning  of  these  words 
as  plain  as  those  are  when  this  same  apostle  says,  "  Repent  and 
be  converted;  repent  and  be  baptized"?  These  words  have 
been  long  quoted  as  an  incontestable  proof  that  unregenerate 
men  are  commanded  to  pray  as  impenitent  and  unregenerate; 
and  many  have  done  it  without  ever  observing  that  the  word 
repent  was  to  be  found  in  the  text.     Whereas,  directly  the 


4oU    MR.  M.  S    ARGUMENTS    FOR   THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

contrary  is  most  evidently  true.  As  well  might  we  overlook  the 
word  repent  in  the  other  passages  mentioned,  and  say  St.  Peter 
commanded  his  hearers  to  be  baptized ;  yea,  to  be  converted, 
as  impenitent,  unregenerate  sinners ;  and  hence  infer  that  to 
be  baptized  and  converted  are  duties  that  the  unregenerate  are 
to  do  while  such.  With  good  reason,  therefore,  I  think,  Dr. 
Doddridge  says,  in  his  note  on  this  text,  "  One  would  think 
that  none  could  be  so  wild  as  to  imagine  faith  in  Christ  was 
not  included  in  that  repentance  and  prayer  which  an  apostle 
preaches  to  a  baptized  person  as  the  way  of  obtaining  for- 
giveness." 

The  only  difficulty  in  the  words  is,  that  St.  Peter  does  not 
here  speak  of  forgiveness  of  sin,  as  certainly  connected  with 
the  repentance  and  prayer  to  which  he  exhorts  Simon,  which  he 
does  in  the  other  instances  mentioned ;  and  it  is  certain  that 
he  who  prays  as  a  true  penitent  shall  be  forgiven ;  whereas  it 
is  here  said,  "  If  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may  be 
forgiven  thee."  Mr.  M.  and  others  have  insisted  upon  this  as 
an  argument  that  the  prayer,  not  of  a  true  penitent,  but  of  an 
impenitent,  unregenerate  sinner  is  here  exhorted  to. 

Upon  this,  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  words  if  perhaps 
are  not  designed  to  express  the  uncertainty  of  his  obtaining 
forgiveness  if  he  should  repent  of  his  wickedness  and  pray  to 
God,  as  he  was  exhorted  to  do ;  but  the  doubtfulness  and  un- 
certainty whether  there  was  forgiveness  for  this  his  sin,  and  so 
whether  he  would  repent  and  pray.  Simon  had  been  guilty 
of  a  sin,  which  it  was  to  be  feared  was  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  for  which  there  was  no  forgiveness,  or  at  least 
was  bordering  upon  it;  and  it  is  in  this  view  that  St.  Peter 
puts  in  the  words  "  if  perhaps."  As  if  he  had  said,  "  If  there  is 
room  left  for  repentance  and  pardon  in  this  case,  which  per- 
haps there  is  not."  Thus  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  Si- 
mon's case,  rendering  it  doubtful  whether  there  was  any  for- 
giveness for  his  sin,  are  the  only  reason  why  the  apostle  puts 
in  these  words  "  if  perhaps,"  which  we  find  he  did  not  in  other 
cases. 

Dr.  Doddridge  understands  the  words  in  this  sense,  and 
gives  the  reason  of  it  in  the  following  words :  "  The  dubious 
manner  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  being  forgiven,  intimates, 
not  that  his  sinctere  repentance  might  possibly  fail  of  accept- 
ance, —  for  that  is  contrary  to  the  whole  tenor  of  the  gospel,  — 
but  that  after  the  commission  of  a  sin  so  nearly  approaching 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  there  was  little  reason  to 
hope  he  would  ever  be  brought  truly  to  repent."  And  though 
I  do  not  quote  the  doctor  as  an  authority,  yet  I  may  be  allowed, 
])crhaps,  to  quote  another  author  as  such,  at  least  as  one  of 


MR.  M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     437 

'Sufficient  authority  with  Mr.  M,,  as  it  is  no  less  a  one  than 
Mr.  Mills  himself.  He  says,  "  This  '  perhaps,'  as  here  used, 
imports,  indeed,  only  a  suspicion  of  the  truth  of  the  man's  re- 
pentance, and  not  any  doubt  of  God's  forgiveness  in  case  his 
repentance  were  sincere."  This  he  wrote  above  twenty  years 
ago;  and  I  think  it  is  a  pity  he  has,  in  his  old  age,  given 
this  up,  and  espoused  a  sense  which  is  attended  with  insuper- 
able difficulties. 

But  if  this  sense  should  not  be  satisfying  to  all,  there  is 
another  which  some  have  espoused,  that  I  will  mention.  The 
words  in  the  original,  translated  "if  perhaps,"  do  not  appear 
to  have  this  signification,  and  denote  doubtfulness  or  a  perhaps, 
at  least  not  always ;  but  are  used  only  as  expletives,  without 
any  particular  meaning,  taken  by  themselves  ;  or  else  are  used 
to  make  the  assertion  more  strong  and  emphatical.  Accord- 
ing to  this,  the  words  should  have  been  translated,  "  Repent, 
etc.,  that  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee,"  or 
"  may  indeed  be  forgiven."  The  same  words,  in  the  original, 
are  used  in  the  first  verse  of  the  preceding  chapter,  by  the  high 
priest,  in  his  question  to  Stephen,  translated,  "  Are  these  things 
so?"  where  it  would,  at  best,  make  a  poor  sense,  to  trans- 
late them  as  they  are  here  :  "  If  perhaps,  are  these  things  so  ?  " 
And  it  is  to  be  observed  that  these  same  particles  are  found 
in  the  Septuagint,  in  Ps.  Iviil.  1-5,  which,  in  our  translation, 
stands  thus :  "  Do  ye  indeed  seek  righteousness,"  etc. 

And  now  I  leave  it  to  the  reader,  whether  either  of  these 
senses  is  not  much  more  easy  and  natural  than  that  which 
Mr.  M.  has  put  upon  the  words,  which  involves  us  in  the  in- 
extricable difficulties  which  have  been  mentioned?  I  am 
confident  that  it  will  appear  to  all  who  well  attend  to  this 
matter,  that  this  text  is  by  no  means  a  sufficient  foundation 
to  build  a  doctrine  upon  which  has  no  shadow  of  support  from 
any  other  passage  of  Scripture,  and  which,  indeed,  is  repug- 
nant to  the  whole  run  of  Scripture,  and  most  apparently  con- 
trary to  the  express  assertions  of  Christ  and  St.  Paul,  as  has 
been  shown ;  especially  if  what  has  been  observed  be  kept  in 
view,  that  to  put  this  sense  upon  the  text  is  to  make  the  apos- 
tle speak  a  language  which  he  never  uses  before  or  after,  or 
any  of  the  other  apostles,  and  is  directly  contrary  to  the  orders 
which  Christ  gave  them ;  and  that  when  another  sense  free 
of  all  these  difficulties  offers  itself. 

If  they  who  now  hold  that  the  impenitent  enemies  of  God 
and  the  gospel  are  commanded  to  do  many  impenitent,  unre- 
generate  duties,  would  be  as  silent  about  it  as  were  the  apos- 
tles, we  should  not  hear  much  of  this  doctrine,  if  at  all,  and  it 
would  do  very  little  hurt,  and,  to  be  sure,  as  little  good. 
37* 


438      MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

Mr.  M.  says  something  else,  which  perhaps  he  intends  as 
an  argument  for  the  sense  of  the  text  which  he  contends  for, 
and  therefore  must  not  be  neglected.  His  words  are,  "  It  is 
evident,  therefore,  that  as  the  apostle  knew  he  was  a  sinner, 
so  he  expected  from  him  the  prayer  of  a  sinner."  If  there  is 
any  thing  in  this  argument,  it  takes  its  force  from  this  suppo- 
sition, viz.,  that  whatsoever  is  said  to  an  impenitent,  unregen- 
erate  sinner  by  way  of  exhortation  or  command,  can  require 
or  propo.se  nothing  but  what  he  may  do  and  yet  continue  im- 
penitent and  unregenerate.  Therefore,  every  exhortation  and 
command  in  the  Bible  directed  to  such,  requires  nothing  but 
impenitent,  unregenerate  doings.  And,  because  this  suppo- 
sition is  taken  to  be  an  undeniable  maxim,  and  is  built  upon 
as  such,  not  only  by  Mr.  M.  but  others,  I  will  take  leave  par- 
ticularly to  consider  it  here,  and  observe  these  following 
things :  — 

I.  If  this  maxim  is  true,  then  another  is  as  true,  viz.,  that 
it  is  not  the  duty  of  the  impenitent,  unregenerate,  to  repent 
and  believe  the  gospel ;  nothing  is  to  be  required  of  them  but 
what  they  may  do  under  the  influence  of  the  disposition  and 
principles  by  which  they  are  now  governed.  For  if  any  thing 
more  than  this  is  their  duty,  more  is  certainly  required  of 
them,  and  they  may  and  must  be  commanded  and  exhorted 
to  do  more,  even  to  repent  and  embrace  the  gospel.  Accord- 
ing to  this,  therefore,  the  unregenerate  and  impenitent  are  not 
to  blame  in  the  least  for  being  so,  or  for  not  loving  God  and 
embracing  the  gospel,  but  only  for  neglecting  to  do  unregen- 
erate duties  ;  or  those  which  they  may  do  consistent  with 
being  enemies  to  Christ  and  continuing  in  impenitence  and 
unbelief.  If  the  unregenerate  are  commanded  to  repent  and 
love  God,  for  instance,  these  commands,  as  they  respect  them, 
only  require  the  attempts  and  endeavors  to  repent  and  love 
God,  which  the  impenitent  enemies  of  God  may  exert,  and 
yet  continue  in  their  impenitence  and  enmity  against  God. 
Thus,  if  St.  Peter's  knowing  that  Simon  was  an  impenitent 
sinner  was  a  good  reason  why  he  should  not  exhort  him  to 
repent  and  pray  to  God  as  an  impenitent  never  does,  it  must 
be  because  it  was  not  his  duty  thus  to  repent  and  pray,  and  so 
he  could  not  be  exhorted  and  commanded  to  do  it.* 


*  This  appears  to  be  Mr.  M.'s  notion  of  the  matter,  by  the  tenor  of  his  book, 
and  by  the  sense  he  puts  on  the  words  of  St.  Peter  to  Simon,  as  will  be  seen 
under  the  next  argument ;  though  there  are  a  few  expressions  in  it  contrary  to 
this.  He  seems  to  think  the  duty  of  the  unregenerate  lies  wholly  in  unre- 
generate doings,  and  not  in  loving  God,  etc.  Therefore,  all  the  commands  and 
exhortations  to  them  arc  to  strive  to  love  God,  etc.,  or  to  make  those  attempts 
•which  persons  unregenerate  may  do  while  such ;    and  he  takes  for  granted 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.      439 

II.  It  also  follows  from  this,  that  sinners  may  not  be  ex- 
horted and  commanded  to  do  any  thing  from  higher  and  better 
views,  disposition,  or  principles,  than  those  which  they  now 
actually  have.  The  only  reason  why  the  impenitent  enemies 
to  God  may  not  be  exhorted  to  repent  and  love  God,  if  there 
is  any  reason  for  this,  is,  that  this  requires  higher  principles 
than  those  which  they  now  act  from ;  or,  in  other  words,  they 
have  no  heart,  disposition,  or  inclination  to  repent  and  love 
God,  but  their  hearts  are  inclined  to  that  which  is  directly  the 
reverse  of  this,  as  what  they  choose  and  prefer.  And  for  the 
same  reason,  no  person  may  be  exhorted  and  commanded  to 
do  any  thing  which  his  heart  is  now  set  against,  and  is  not  in 
the  least  inclined  to  do  ;  which,  therefore,  he  will  not  do  till  he 
has  a  different  disposition  and  turn  of  mind,  and  views  things 
in  a  different  and  better  light  than  he  now  does.  If  it  was  not 
proper  for  St.  Peter  to  exhort  Simon  truly  to  repent  and  be- 
come a  friend  to  Christ,  and  pray  as  such,  because  he  knew 
he  was  an  impenitent  enemy  of  Christ;  and  if  we  may  hence 
safely  infer  that  he  did  not  exhort  him  to  this,  we  may  for  the 
same  reason  infer  that  he  did  not  exhort  him  to  repent  and 
pray  from  any  higher  views  and  motives  than  merely  worldly 
ones ;  for  hfe  had  as  much  evidence  that  he  was  wholly  under 
the  influence  of  worldly  motives  as  he  had  that  he  was  an 
impenitent  sinner. 

And  when  Christ  exhorted  the  Jews  to  labor  for  the  meat 
which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life ;  if  their  being  unholy 
and  perfectly  disinclined  to  any  thing  truly  good  is  aify  reason 
and  evidence  that  he  does  not  exhort  them  to  any  thing  incon- 
sistent with  this  perverse,  prevailing  temper  and  disposition  of 
their  hearts,  (and  such  an  argument  has  been  gravely  offered  to 
the  public  by  those  who  would  not  choose  to  have  their  talent 
at  clear  reasoning  called  in  question  ;)  I  say,  if  this  is  so,  then, 
since  they  were  so  low  and  sordid  in  their  views  and  aims  as 
to  be  influenced  to  foflow  him  purely  that  they  might  get 
their  fill  of  bread,  we  may  safely  infer  that  Christ  did  not  in 
these  words  exhort  them  to  any  thing  that  they  might  not  do 
under  the  influence  of  such  low,  carnal  views  and  motives  ; 
and  that  he  does  not  really  exhort  them  to  seek  any  other 
bread  but  that  with  which  they  might  fill  their  bellies,  how- 
ever his  words  may  seem,  at  first  view,  to  imply  something 
more. 

III.  Yea,  it  hence  follows,  that  men  are  never  to  be  com- 

that  if  they  are  not  required  to  do  unregenerate  duties,  nothing  is  reqixired  of 
them.  He  is  not  alone  iii  this ;  many  preachers  and  writers  have  represented 
the  matter  in  the  same  light ;  yet  I  trust  neither  Mr.  M.,  nor  any  of  them,  •wUl 
expressly  undertake  a  vindication  of  this  notion. 


440   MR.  M.'S  ARGUMRNTS  FOR  THE  AFFIRMATIVE  EXAMINED. 

manded  or  exhorted  to  any  thing  which  is  contrary  to  their 
present  prevailing  will  and  inclination  ;  for,  if  their  prevailing 
inclination  in  one  case  is  a  good  reason  why  they  may  not  be 
exhorted  and  commanded  to  that  which  is  contrary  to  it,  it  is 
as  good  a  reason  in  any  other  case  of  this  kind  whatsoever. 
Therefore,  according  to  this  principle,  if  we  knew  what  were 
the  precise  inclinations  of  Simon's  heart  when  St,  Peter  spoke 
those  words  to  him,  we  may  determine  what  he  did,  and  what 
he  did  not,  exhort  him  to,  as  well  as  we  can  know  that  he  did 
not  exhort  him  to  any  thing  contrary  to  the  inclination  and 
heart  of  an  impenitent,  unregenerate  sinner.  And  we  may 
be  sure  Simon  was  fully  inclined  to  repent  of  his  wickedness, 
and  pray  to  God,  in  the  sense  in  which  the  apostle  directed 
him  to  do  it,  and  actually  complied  with  the  exhortation,  else 
he  would  not  have  exhorted  him  to  it. 

According  to  this,  no  man  can  be  directed  and  commanded 
to  do  that  which  is  contrary  to  his  inclination  and  heart,  or 
which  he  is  not  willing  to  do;  which  is  the  same  as  to  say, 
no  man  can  be  under  any  law  at  all  but  his  own  inclination 
and  will,  which,  in  all  cases,  must  be  the  law  and  rule  of  his 
conduct ;  and  so  long  as  he  does  as  he  pleases,  he  transgresses 
no  law,  and  so  commits  no  sin.  The  consequence  is,  there 
can  be  no  such  thing  in  nature  as  sin  and  blame ;  for  all  men 
always  do  as  they  please,  or  act  according  to  the  inclination 
of  their  own  hearts.  All  these  absurdities,  I  think,  are  evi- 
dently contained  in  the  maxim  under  consideration,  which  Mr. 
M.  and  others  seem  to  take  for  granted,  and  build  much  upon. 

Mr.  M.  goes  on  to  produce  two  other  texts,  but  seems  here 
to  have  shifted  his  point,  and  instead  of  attempting  to  prove 
by  them  that  there  are  duties  enjoined  on  the  impenitent,  to 
be  done  by  them  while  they  remain  so,  he  seeks  only  to  prove 
that  there  are  encouragements  to  such  to  use  means.  One  of 
these  is  in  the  following  words  :  "  Then  shall  we  know,  if  we 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord."  (Hos.  vi.  3.)  He  says, "  How,  as 
the  body  of  the  people,  by  far  the  greater  number  comprehended 
in  the  pronoun  ice  were  undoubtedly  sinners,  destitute  of  the 
true  knowledge  of  God,  as  the  words  plainly  hold  forth,  can 
any  thing  less  be  understood  by  these  expressions, — '  if  we  fol- 
low on  to  know,'  — than  that  the  only  encouragement  sinners 
destitute  of  the  saving  knowledge  of  God  have  of  attaining 
to  it,  is  a  persevering  attendance  on  all  God's  appointed 
means,  as  sinners,  until  by  grace  they  become  successful?" 
Upon  this  it  may  be  observed, — 

1.  This  text  rises  much  higher  than  encouragement;  it 
contains  an  express  promise  to  them  that  follow  on  to  know. 
So  that  if  following  on  to  know  means  the  doings  of  the 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     441 

unregenerate,  as  Mr.  M.  says  it  does,  there  are  promises  to  the 
doings  of  the  unregenerate.  I  wonder  he  did  not  observe  this. 
Did  he  forget  that  he  had  wrote  a  book  to  prove  the  contrary, 
and  had  rendered  his  pubhc  thanks  to  me  for  finishing  this 
debate  ?  He  may  now  thank  himself  for  giving  this  point  up ; 
for  he  has  certainly  contradicted  all  this,  by  saying  the  unre- 
generate follow  on  to  know  the  Lord,  and  that  these  words 
are  spoken  of  such.  He  has  now  got  on  the  other  side  of  the 
question,  and  found  an  express  promise  to  unregenerate  doings, 
and  might  as  well  have  applied  all  the  promises  in  the  Bible 
to  them.  What  reason,  what  right  had  he  to  lower  down  this 
promise,  and  call  it  only  an  encouragement? 

2.  There  is  not  the  least  evidence  that  the  persons  into 
whose  mouths  these  words  are  put  have  the  character  of  im- 
penitent, unregenerate  sinners  ;  but  the  contrary  is  most  evi- 
dent. The  whole,  from  the  first  verse  to  this,  is  the  language 
of  God's  people,  submitting  and  returning  to  him,  under  his 
corrections;  and  represents  that  temper  of  mind,  and  those 
exercises  which  ought  to  take  place,  and  do  actually  take 
place,  in  the  truly  penitent,  and  which  are  connected  with  de- 
liverance and  divine  favor. 

I.  The  other  text  which  he  mentions  here  is  this :  "  I  will  yet 
for  this  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel  to  do  it  for  them." 
(Ezek.  xxxvi.  37.)  He  quotes  this  here,  not  as  commanding  a 
duty,  but  only  as  an  encouragement  to  the  unregenerate.  He 
expressly  says,  "  The  words  are  spoken  in  the  way  of  a  predic- 
tion or  prophecy,  and  showed  them  what  God  had  absolute- 
ly, not  conditionally,  determined  to  accomplish  for  his  people." 
What  God  does  reveal  as  a  promise  of  what  he  will  do,  can- 
not be  considered  as  a  command.  Whether  the  inquiry  here 
spoken  of  points  out  the  prayers  and  seeking  of  the  unregen- 
erate, 1  particularly  considered  in  my  remarks  on  Dr.  May- 
hew's  sermons,  and  suppose  I  produced  evidence  that  it  does 
not.  Mr.  M.  has  a  large  note  on  this  text,  to  prove  that  I  have 
misunderstood  it  as  well  as  the  doctor.  But  to  this  I  shall 
have  something  to  say  in  another  place. 

n.  Mr.  M.  forms  another  argument  from  the  encouragement 
which  is  given  in  the  Word  of  God  to  sinners  to  attend  on 
means.  He  argues,  that  "  from  the  encouragement  set  before 
Simon  to  repent  and  pray,  i.  e.,  to  attempt  the  performance  of 
those  duties,  though  on  no  higher  principles  than  that  of  natu- 
ral conscience,  which  encouragement  stands  good  to  all  the 
unregenerate,  under  the  external  light  and  advantages  of  the 
gospel,  it  is  evident  that  God  doth  some  way  require  these 
essays  of  the  unregenerate ;  otherwise  he  encourages  them  to 
that  in  his  worship,  which  he  no  way,  in  any  sense,  requires  in 


442     MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

his  word.  Would  not  this  be  for  the  Almighty  to  encourage 
his  creatures  to  practise  will-worship,  and  the  inventions  of 
men,  which  God  every  where  condemns  in  his  word  as  utterly 
sinful  ?  And  can  it  agree  to  the  purity  of  his  nature  to  en- 
courage his  creatures  to  that  which  is  utterly  sinful?  Sure  it 
cannot.  It  must,  therefore,  hence  clearly  follow,  that  the  un- 
regenerate,  under  the  light  and  advantages  of  the  gospel,  are 
some  way  required  to  make  these  essays,  to  repent,  pray,"  etc. 
On  these  words,  I  observe,  — 

1.  If  the  words  of  St.  Peter  to  Simon  are  not  a  command 
to  him  to  repent  and  pray  in  an  unregenerate  manner,  or  as 
an  impenitent  enemy  to  God,  which  Mr.  M.  has  insisted  they 
are,  then  they  are  not  a  command  to  do  any  thing,  as  an  im- 
penitent. Mr.  M.  has  remarkably  lowered  down  here,  and 
considers  these  words,  not  as  an  express  command  or  exhorta- 
tion to  do  any  thing,  but  only  as  an  encouragement  set  be- 
fore Simon  to  attempt  to  repent  and  pray;  not  a  command 
really  to  do  them.  He  might  just  as  reasonably  construe 
away  all  the  commands  in  the  Bible,  and  represent  them  to 
be  nothing  but  encouragements  to  attempt  to  do  something. 

2.  The  sinner  who  is  utterly  impenitent  never  does  truly 
attempt  to  repent  and  pray  as  a  penitent.  He  never  has  the 
least  motion  of  heart  or  vAW  this  way ;  for  his  whole  heart  is, 
by  the  supposition,  in  direct  opposition  to  this ;  therefore,  the 
more  he  exercises  himself  about  it,  or  the  more  exercises  he 
has,  the  more  he  opposes  it.  We  may,  therefore,  be  sure  that 
the  Scripture  nowhere  says  any  thing  to  encourage  such  at- 
tempts to  repent,  which  are  consistent  with  perfect  impeni- 
tence and  enmity  against  God;  because  there  are  not  in 
nature  any  such  attempts ;  and  such  a  supposition  involves 
the  most  gross  contradiction  ;  such  a  notion  never  existed, 
except  in  the  minds  of  those  who  suppose  that  the  unregen- 
erate are  penitent  and  friendly  t»  God  and  the  gospel  in  a 
degree ;  or  of  those  who  are  absurd  enough  to  hold  that  the 
perfectly  impenitent  and  enemies  to  God  are  inclined  to  re- 
pent, and  disposed  to  be  friendly  to  him.  Mr.  M.  is  to  be 
ranked  among  both  these,  for  he  supposes  each  of  these  in 
their  turns. 

3.  It  is  difficult,  I  think,  to  know  what  Mr.  M.  means  by 
"will-worship,  and  the  inventions  of  men,"  as  applied  to  the 
case  before  us.  If  by  this  he  means  something  external,  ways 
of  worship  and  conduct  which  men  invent  and  practise  to 
express  their  devotion  and  respect  to  God,  which  I  suppose  is 
the  sense  in  which  these  phrases  are  commonly  used,  they  are 
not  applicable  to  this  case ;  for  it  is  not  pretended  by  any  one 
that  the  unregenerate,  or  any  other,  are  urged  to  any  such 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.      443 

thing.  If  he  means  any  motions  and  exercises  of  the  heart 
that  are  neither  right  nor  \\Tong  in  themselves,  neither  sinful 
nor  holy,  these  are  indeed  "  the  inventions  of  men,"  —  of  Mr.  M. 
at  least ;  for  there  are  in  reality  no  such,  which  are  not  holy, 
and  yet  not  utterly  sinful. 

All  the  seeming  force  and  plausibleness  in  what  Mr.  M. 
says  here,  if  there  seems  to  be  any,  lies  in  the  ambiguity  of 
the  word  encourag-ement,  which  may  be  taken  in  different 
senses,  and  is  often  used  so. 

To  encourage.,  sometimes  means  to  invite,  urge,  and  exhort 
a  person  to  something;  urging  him  to  it  by  good  reasons  and 
motives.  In  this  sense,  God's  encouragements  and  commands 
cannot  be  distinguished;  for  where  there  is  such  encourage- 
ment, there  is  a  command,  implied  or  expressed. 

Sometimes  encouragement  means  that  which  gives  a  hope 
and  prospect  of  success  in  any  business  and  pursuit;  and 
when  we  say  a  person  has  encouragement  to  do  this  or  the 
other  thing,  we  mean  that  this  is  the  most  likely  way  to  ob- 
tain his  end  which  he  is  pursuing;  and  to  encourage  him  to 
any  particular  way  of  conduct,  is  to  let  him  know  that  this 
is  the  most  hopeful  way  to  miss  of  the  evil  he  dreads,  and 
obtain  what  he  sets  up  as  the  object  of  his  pursuit,  be  that 
what  it  will. 

In  the  first  sense  of  encouragement  mentioned,  God  en- 
courages men  to  holiness,  and  nothing  else.  In  the  last  sense, 
he  encourages  men,  let  their  hearts  be  as  sinful  and  opposite 
to  him  as  tliey  will,  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace.  He  has 
so  ordered  things  that  this  is  the  most  likely  way  to  escape 
the  greatest  evil  and  be  happy  forever;  so  that  when  they 
come  to  view  things  in  any  measure  as  they  are,  and  are  above 
all  things  afraid  of  eternal  destruction,  and  desirous  of  future 
happiness,  they  will  be  induced  from  a  principle  of  self-love, 
or  selfishness,  even  that  very  principle  which  sets  their  hearts 
against  God,  and  leads  them  into  all  the  wickedness  they 
practise,  with  great  care  and  anxiety  to  attend  on  these  means. 
The  whole  encouragement,  as  laid  before  them,  lies  in  its  being 
the  most  hopeful  and  likely  way  to  promote  their  interest  and 
answer  the  end  which  they  are  pursuing.  God  has  so  con- 
trived and  ordered  things,  that  whenever  the  sinner's  conscience 
is  thoroughly  awakened  and  convinced,  and  he  comes  to  a 
sense  of  the  wretchedness  of  his  case,  and  attends  to  what  is 
contained  in  divine  revelation,  and  labors  under  no  particular 
delusion,  he  will  forsake  those  ways  in  which  secure  sinners 
live,  and  pursue  the  most  likely  way  to  obtain  deliverance  and 
eternal  salvation,  however  vile  his  heart  is,  and  though  he  is  a 
greater  enemy  to  God,  and  all  that  is  good  now,  than  he  was 


444     MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

before ;  and  thus  there  is  encouragement  to  all  this,  and  this  is 
the  encouragement  God  sets  before  the  sinner ;  and  a  person 
may  be  »  utterly  sinful,"  that  is,  inclined  to  nothing  else  but  sin  ; 
yea,  may  be  growing  more  and  more  guilty  and  vile  continu- 
ally, and  yet  take  this  encouragement  and  act  upon  it. 

He  who  will  consider  these  things,  must  be  sensible,  I  think, 
that  the  encouragement  sinners  have  to  attend  on  means  is 
consistent  with  their  obeying  no  command,  and  doing  no  duty, 
while  they  act  under  the  influence  of  this  encouragement ;  and 
that  God  may,  and  does,  consistently  with  the  purity  of  his 
nature,  encourage  his  creatures  to  that,  in  doing  which  they 
are  utterly  sinful ;  and  that  Mr.  M.  has  confused  himself  by 
using  the  word  encouragement  in  an  indeterminate  or  wrong 
sense,  as  many  others  have  done.  Yea,  I  think  it  will  be  evi- 
dent to  such  a  reader,  that  the  passage  I  am  considering  is 
so  far  from  proving  any  thing,  that  it  is  quite  unintelligible, 
and  contains  in  it  as  many  absurdities,  at  least,  as  there  are 
sentences. 

Before  I  leave  this  head  about  encouragement,  I  would  ob- 
serve, that  when  Mr.  M.  undertakes  to  show  what  encourage- 
ment there  is  to  sinners,  on  his  plan  of  commands  to  do 
unregenerate  duties,  he  seems  to  have  a  right  notion  of  en- 
couragement ;  but  finds  no  more  than  they  do  who  teach  the 
unregenerate  that  they  do  no  duty  while  they  continue  so,  and 
places  it  upon  the  same  bottom  they  do,  in  the  words  follow- 
ing :  "  To  all  who  with  earnest  concern  thus  attend  on  God's 
appointed  means,  the  language  of  Scripture  encouragement 
is,  May  be  God  will  be  gracious  ;  who  can  tell,  if  perhaps  sov- 
ereign grace  may  be  displayed  for  your  help,  in  this  way  ?  It 
implies  in  it  that  God  is  a  God  of  infinite  goodness ;  can  exer- 
cise his  mercy  towards  them  through  Christ  in  this  way  con- 
sistent with  the  honor  of  all  his  other  perfections ;  and  that 
they  are  in  some  measure  in  the  way  in  which  he  is  wont  to 
bestow  mercy  on  perishing  sinners  whenever  he  does  bestow 
it ;  the  way  in  which  millions  have  found  mercy,  and  the  way 
out  of  which  he  has  determined,  in  the  ordinary  dispensation 
of  his  grace,  not  to  bestow  it,"  I  have  endeavored  particularly 
to  show  that  the  sinner  has  all  this  encouragement  in  the  use 
of  means,  in  my  tenth  section  ;  and  when  he  again  undertakes 
to  show  "the  usefulness  and  importance"  of  the  truth  he  con- 
tends for,  he  mentions  nothing  but  what  is  consistent  with  the 
doctrine  he  is  opposing. 

III.  Another  of  Mr.  M.'s  arguments  is  in  the  following 
words:  "Again,  it  is  further  evident  that  the  unregenerate 
are  otherwise  required  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace  than 
merely  by  being   called  upon   to   repent   and  believe   in   a 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     445 

gospel  sense ;  because  if  they  are  not,  then  none  of  the  unregen- 
erate  would  be  required  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace  until 
they  had  attained  to  a  competency  of  speculative  knowledge 
in  order  to  saving  faith ;  since  till  then  they  are  under  a 
natural  impossibility  of  believing,  and  so  of  being  immediately 
required  to  believe ;  and  since  the  gospel  does  not  require  any 
natural  impossibility  as  the  condition  of  life,  it  must  thence 
clearly  follow,  upon  this  principle,  they  are  not  required  to 
attend  on  means  at  all."  * 

Answer.  The  Word  of  God  requires  sinners  to  be  always  so 
friendly  to  him  at  heart  as  to  be  disposed  and  ready  to  believe 
every  truth  which  he  reveals  and  proposes  to  them,  and  to  have 
exercises  answerable  to  that  truth,  or  to  receive  the  love  of 
the  truth.  They  are  under  no  natural  impossibility  of  doing 
this.  If  they  do  this  they  will  not  attend  on  means,  as  do  the 
impenitent  and  unregenerate ;  therefore,  they  are  not  required 
to  attend  on  means  in  any  one  instance  as  such,  or  with  an 
impenitent,  unbelieving  heart.  Mr.  M.  says,  very  agreeable  to 
truth,  "  God  does  not  make  the  depraved  will  of  the  creature  the 
rule  of  his  duty,  but  requires  him  to  reach  the  appointed  end. 
Make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit,  for  why  will  ye  die  ? 
Turn  yourselves,  and  live  ye."  And  he  allows  that  all  under 
the  gospel  are  required  to  pray,  and  do  all  other  duties  in  a 
gracious  manner  ;  which,  he  will  not  deny,  implies  faith.  How 
came  he,  just  now,  in  direct  contradiction  to  this,  to  say  all  are 
not  immediately  required  to  believe?  God  does  not  require 
men  to  believe  any  truth  which  never  has  been  proposed  to 
them,  and  which  they  have  had  no  opportunity  to  understand; 
but  he  requires  them  to  attend  to  every  truth  set  before  them, 
and  receive  it  with  a  penitent  heart  and  in  the  exercise  of  love 
to  him. 

It  is  true,  there  are  many  under  the  gospel  who  have  not  that 
speculative  knowledge  necessary  in  order  to  their  exercising 
faith  in  Christ ;  but  this  is  wholly  their  own  fault,  owing  en- 
tirely to  their  depraved  wills.  Were  their  hearts  as  they  ought 
to  be,  they  would  understand  and  receive  every  truth  as  soon  as 
proposed  to  them  ;  and  this  is  required  of  them,  and  nothing  less. 
If  they  did  so,  they  would  in  no  instance  attend  on  means  as 
do  impenitent  unbelievers.  Though  God  will  not  give  them 
a  new  heart,  and  bring  them  to  a  right  temper  and  disposition 

*  I  -would  here  just  observe,  that  I  believe  Mr.  M.  will  not  be  able  to  prove 
one  thing  which  he  here  asserts,  viz.,  that  there  is  a  natural  impossibility  in 
requiring  men  to  do  what  is  naturally  impossible  to  them.  There  is  no  more 
natural  impossibility  in  doing  this  than  there  is  in  requiring  any  thing  else, 
however  unreasonable  it  may  be.  I  know  not  why  Mr.  M.  asserted  this,  since, 
if  it  was  true,  it  is  nothing  to  his  purpose. 

VOL.  III.  38 


446      MR.    M.'S    AHGUMEXTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

of  mind,  while  they  are  inattentive  and  ignorant,  yet  he  always 
requires  that  disposition  of  mind  which  is  inconsistent  with 
their  inuttention  and  ignorance  ;  for,  as  he  does  not  make  the 
depraved  will  of  sinners  the  rule  of  their  duty,  so  he  does  not 
make  the  rule  of  their  duty  the  rule  of  his  conduct,  in  giving 
or  not  giving  a  new  heart.  Mr.  M.  says,  "If  there  be  some 
under  the  gospel  that  are  destitute  of  it,"  (i.  e.,  of  a  competency 
of  speculative  knowledge,  in  order  to  faith,)  "as  not  having 
opportunity  and  advantages  for  acquiring  of  it,  they  are  not  re- 
quired to  attend  on  means  of  grace  at  all."  That  is,  on  my 
plan.  I  answer,  there  is  no  such  instance.  All  under  the  gos- 
pel have  this  opportunity  and  advantage,  and  their  ignorance, 
impenitence,  and  unbelief  is  their  own  fault.  Were  they,  in 
any  measure,  as  God  requires  them  to  be,  they  would  have 
understood  the  truth  when  first  proposed,  that  is,  as  soon  as 
they  became  moral  agents,  in  the  exercise  of  love,  repentance, 
and  faith. 

If  persons  under  the  gospel  were  not  required  to  attend  on 
means  until,  with  all  their  depravity,  stupidity,  and  dulness, 
they  had  obtained  a  good  degree  of  speculative  knowledge, 
and  could  not  be  required  to  repent  and  believe  till  in  a  long 
course  of  the  use  of  means  they  had  attained  to  this,  how  can 
we  account  for  our  Savior's  calling  upon  men,  when  he  first 
began  to  preach  to  them,  to  "  repent  and  believe  the  gospel "  ? 
And  why  did  the  apostles  direct  men  immediately  to  repent 
and  be  converted,  and  believe  on  Jesus  Christ  ?  If  they  might 
preach  so  to  persons  who  had  much  less  opportunity  and  ad- 
vantage to  get  speculative  knowledge  than  all  under  the  gos- 
pel now  have,  surely  this  may  be  required  of  all  now.  And 
this  is  a  pattern  which  all  preachers  of  the  gospel  ought  to 
follow,  and  not  to  devise  another  way  of  preaching  and  ad- 
dressing sinners  ;  calling  upon  them  to  do  a  set  of  duties  short 
of  repentance  and  faith,  under  the  notion  that  the  latter  are 
not  yet  their  duty.  The  truths  of  the  gospel  ought  to  be 
clearly  preatthed  and  set  before  sinners ;  and  one  truth  is,  that 
they  are  required  to  repent  and  believe  the  gospel  as  soon  as 
proposed,  and  that  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned. 

IV.  Mr.  M.  undertakes  to  prove  that  the  unregenerate  are 
required  to  do  duty  in  an  ungracious  manner;  or,  as  he  ex- 
presses it,  "  though  they  fail  and  come  short  of  a  gracious 
manner,"  by  asserting  and  attempting  to  prove  that  the  regen- 
erate, or  children  of  God,  are  required  to  do  duties  in  this 
manner. 

The  argument  stands  thus :  Duties  are  required  of  the 
regenerate,  or  true  Christian,  which  they  must,  and  often  do, 
conscientiously  perform,  though  they  have  no  gracious  or  holy 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.      447 

exercises,  but  come  wholly  short  of  the  least  degree  of  love  to 
God  or  man.  Therefore,  the  same  duties  are  required  of  the 
unregenerate,  as  they  may  do  them  without  any  grace,  as  well 
as  the  regenerate,  and  as  no  truly  good  and  holy  exercises  of 
heart  are  necessary  or  required  in  order  to  perform  them. 

I  suppose  this  argument  is  quite  new,  and  that  Mr.  M.,  in 
advancing  it,  is  perfectly  an  original ;  and,  therefore,  that  I 
shall  be  the  first  that  ever  attempted  to  answer  it.  Indeed,  it 
appears  to  me  to  want  no  great  matter  of  an  answer. 

In  this  argument,  Mr.  M.  supposes  not  only  that  a  principle 
of  grace  may  be  perfectly  dormant  and  unactive  in  the  true 
Christian,  so  that  in  this  respect  he  may  not  differ  at  all  from 
him  who  is  ignorant  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  perfectly  impenitent, 
and  obstinately  hates  his  whole  character ;  but  that  such  may 
and  actually  do  conscientiously  attend  on  the  duties  of  the 
first  and  second  table,  and  use  conscientious  and  painful  en- 
deavors, and  their  utmost  efforts  to  do  them  in  a  gracious 
manner,  or  in  the  exercise  of  true  love  to  God  and  man,  and 
yet  not  have  the  least  degree  of  such  exercise,  but  fall  wholly 
short  of  it  in  all  they  do,  having  nothing  better  in  their  heart, 
or  more  like  true  Christian  holiness,  than  the  impenitent  un- 
believer may  have  ;  and  that  when  this  is  the  case  they  do  that 
duty  which  God  requires  of  them.  Such  suppositions  as 
these,  I  conclude,  will  appear  not  only  weak  and  absurd,  but 
very  whimsical  and  ridiculous,  to  the  judicious  reader;  and 
more  so  as  they  are  represented  in  Mr.  M.'s  book  than  in  this 
abridgment. 

I  have  often  heard  them  tell  of  dead  Christians  ;  by  which 
I  suppose  they  mean  Christians  who  have  no  exercises  of 
grace  at  some  seasons.  But  such  must  be  very  dead  indeed ; 
I  should  think  "twice  dead,  and  plucked  up  by  the  roots," 
who,  when  they  strain  so  hard,  conscientiously  take  so  much 
pains,  and  exert  their  repeated  and  utmost  endeavor  to  call 
up  and  put  forth  the  exercise  of  grace,  are  not  able  to  produce 
the  least  spark  or  motion  of  this  kind.  Mr.  M.  puts  his  Chris- 
tian to  as  hard  a  task  as  Elijah  did  the  prophets  of  Baal ;  he 
may  "  cry  aloud,"  be  in  the  greatest  earnest,  and  put  forth  his 
utmost  endeavors  and  efforts  to  wake  up  or  recall  his  grace  ; 
but  it  is  either  too  fast  asleep  to  be  awaked,  or  is  gone  on  a 
journey,  and  so  cannot  be  recalled.  However,  he  gives  him 
more  consolation  than  those  prophets  had  ;  for  if  the  Christian 
utterly  fails  in  his  conscientious  attempt,  and  reiriains  as  grace- 
less as  he  who  has  no  grace,  he  will  not  lose  his  pains,  seeing 
he,  after  all,  does  his  duty. 

But  what  are  these  conscientious  endeavors  to  exercise  grace, 
•or  to  perform  duties  in  a  gracious  manner?     Do  they  imply 


448      MR.  M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

any  inclination  of  heart  towards  holiness,  or  any  actual  idea, 
or  liking  of  that  in  which  holiness  consists  ?  No ;  for  this  is 
the  exercise  of  grace.  They  must,  therefore,  consist  in  exer- 
cises of  heart  directly  opposite  to  holiness,  or  in  exercises  and 
endeavors  which  are  neutral ;  neither  inclined  nor  tending  to 
the  exercise  of  grace,  nor  to  that  which  is  unfriendly  and  con- 
trary to  it.  The  former  cannot  be  meant,  I  conclude.  Nor 
can  they  consist  in  the  latter,  for  two  reasons  :  First,  there  are 
in  nature  no  such  exercises  and  conscientious  endeavors,  which 
are  perfectly  and  equally  indifferent  towards  holiness  and  sin, 
and  imply  no  inclination  to  one  or  the  other.  Secondly,  if 
there  could  be  any  such,  they  would  be  no  more  endeavors  to 
do  duty  in  a  gracious  manner  than  in  an  ungracious  and  sin- 
ful manner ;  because,  by  the  supposition,  there  is  no  more  of 
an  inclination  or  tendency  to  the  former  than  to  the  latter. 

The  Scripture  gives  us  a  quite  different  idea  of  the  Chris- 
tian from  this  which  Mr.  M.  has  set  before  us.  According  to 
that,  the  Christian  is  wholly  made  up  of  flesh  and  spirit,  two 
different  and  opposite  principles,  and  the  latter  is  as  constantly 
exercised  as  the  former,  and  is  no  more  dead  or  asleep  than 
the  former,  though  it  may  be  exercised  in  a  weak  and  low 
degree.  "  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit 
against  the  flesh ;  and  these  are  contrary  one  to  the  other." 
(Gal.  v.  17.)  The  spirit  is  never  said  to  be  dead ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  the  Christian  has  "  crucified  the  flesh,  with  the  affec- 
tions and  lusts,"  (Gal.  v.  24  ;)  and  "  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life 
has  made  him  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death."  (Rom.  viii. 
2.)  And  there  is  not  one  word  said  in  the  Bible  about  these 
graceless  duties  of  Christians,  not  one  exhortation  to  them,  or 
the  least  hint  about  them  in  all  the  New  Testament,  where 
there  are  such  a  number  of  letters  wrote  to  Christians,  and  so 
many  directions  and  precepts  given  to  them.  I  am  confident, 
and  every  one  else  will  be  so,  I  trust,  that  Mr.  M.'s  regenerate, 
dead,  graceless  Christian  has  no  existence  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment nor  in  nature,  the  character  he  gives  of  such  a  one 
being  quite  unscriptural,  and  in  itself  a  contradiction. 

Mr.  M.'s  representation  of  this  matter  is  not  only  unscrip- 
tural, but  a  fatal  resting-place  for  many  nominal  Christians;  a 
refnge  of  lies,  in  which  many  have  doubtless  perished.  They 
think  Ihey  are  not  to  blame  for  not  acting  and  doing  duties 
in  a  "  gracious  manner."  Grace  is  from  God,  and  they  can 
exercise  no  degree  of  this  without  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is 
not  at  their  disposal,  but  is  given  or  withheld  as  God  pleases. 
They  therefore  rest  in  their  good  desires  and  endeavors,  and 
what  they  call  conscientious  performance  of  duty,  as  all  that 
is  required  of  them,  not  considering  that  they  are  commanded- 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     449 

to  be  "filled  with  the  Spirit,"  and  always  to  live  and  walk  in, 
the  Spirit,  and  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit ;  and  that  not 
to  do  so  is  to  oppose  and  quench  the  Spirit,  and  to  live  after 
the  flesh.  Mr.  M.  expressly  says,  that  if  Christians,  as  well  as 
the  unregenerate,  are  not  required  to  do  duty  not  in  "  a  gra- 
cious manner,"  or  without  the  exercise  of  holiness,  then  "  no 
Christian  duty  is  required  of  us,  but  as  we  are  moved  by  the 
Spirit,  since  this  cannot  be  done  but  as  moved  and  assisted  by 
the  Spirit."  What  can  be  the  meaning  of  this,  but  that  Chris- 
tians are  under  no  obligation  to  do  duty  in  a  gracious  man- 
ner, unless  when  actually  moved  and  influenced  thereto  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  which,  not  being  always  the  case,  they  are  not 
at  all  to  blame  for  not  acting  in  «  a  gracious  manner,"  but  have 
only  to  wait  till  God  shall  move  them  by  his  Spirit?  Sweet 
doctrine  to  many  graceless  Christians,  and  tends  to  fix  them 
on  the  fatal  rock  on  which  multitudes  are  perishing. 

The  reason  Mr.  M.  gives  why  these  graceless,  unregenerate 
duties  are  equally  required  of  the  regenerate  and  unregenerate, 
is  remarkable,  and  worthy  of  particular  notice  here.  He  says, 
"  God  does  not  require  these  things  because  they  have  in  them 
any  positive  virtue,  or  true  moral  goodness,  but  because  of  a 
negative  moral  goodness  they  have  in  them ;  i.  e.,  the  absence 
of  a  greater  degree  of  true  moral  evil  than  there  would  be  in 
the  careless  neglect  of  them."  And  again  he  says,  the  reason 
of  the  requirement  of  these  performances  is,  "  not  because 
they  are  holy,  but  because  they  are  less  unholy.  There  is  a 
less  degree  of  true  moral  evil  in  the  conscientious  performance 
of  them  than  in  the  contemptuous  neglect  of  them,  and  therefore 
are  they  required."     On  this  I  have  two  things  to  observe, — 

1.  Mr.  M.  has  here  reduced  his  commands  to  mere  pro- 
hibitions, in  which  God  only  forbids  sin.  And  the  duty  he 
contends  for  is  nothing  but  abstinence  from  sin,  or  not  com- 
mitting it ;  or  rather,  committing  a  less  sin  instead  of  a  greater. 
Undoubtedly  God  forbids  all  sin,  of  every  degree  and  kind  ;  but 
this,  I  conceive,  is  quite  different  from  commanding  duty.  Nor 
is  every  instance  or  degree  of  abstinence  from  sin,  or  of  the 
non-commission  of  sin,  doing  duty,  as  Mr.,  M.  here  supposes. 
A  tree  or  horse  commits  no  sin;  but  none  will  say  ihey  do 
any  duty.  But  a  tree  does  as  much  duty  as  any  man  does  in 
merely  not  committing  sin  ;  and  a  rock  has  as  much  "  negative 
moral  goodness"  as  the  best  man  on  earth,  and  much  more; 
and  so  more  of  Mr.  M.'s  negative  duty,  as  there  is  less  moral 
evil ;  yea,  the  absence  of  every  degree  of  moral  evil. 

I  think  Mr.  M.  has  run  into  all  this  confusion  and  absurdity 
by  confounding    prohibitions  with   commands,  and  not  dis- 
tinguishing doing  duty  from  merely  not  committing  sin. 
38* 


450      MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

2.  If  every  instance  of  abstaining  from  any  sin,  or  greater 
degree  of  sin,  that  might  be  committed,  is  doing  duty,  as  it  is, 
according  to  Mr.  M.,  then  all  men  do  some  duty,  something 
that  God  requires;  for  none  commit  all  the  sin  that  in  nature 
is  possible,  and  the  sins  of  most  are  much  less  than  those  of 
the  greatest  sinner  that  ever  lived:  all  these  have,  therefore,  a 
great  degree  of  "  negative  moral  goodness,"  or  the  absence 
of  a  great  degree  of  true  moral  evil.  And  the  greatest  sinner 
of  all  has  a  considerable  degree  of  this  sort  of  moral  goodness; 
for  it  cannot  be  supjaosed  that  he  is  as  great  a  sinner  as  is 
possible.  Yea,  will  it  not  follow  that  most  of  mankind  have 
much  more  moral  goodness,  and  do  much  more  duty,  than  sin  ? 
No  individual  commits  half  the  sin  that  in  nature  is  possible ; 
and  there  are  millions  of  sins  actually  committed  of  which  he 
is  not  guilty.  All  his  sins  put  together  are  as  nothing  to  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world  of  mankind,  and  of  all  the  fallen 
angels.  Now,  if  his  not  committing  all  this  is  negative  moral 
goodness  and  duty,  his  sin  hardly  bears  any  proportion  to  his 
goodness  and  duty. 

And,  according  to  Mr.  M.,  every  less  sin,  every  sin  except 
the  greatest  of  all  that  ever  was  committed,  or  can  be,  is  in 
some  sense  required  of  God,  viz.,  as  having  a  degree  of  nega- 
tive moral  goodness  in  it,  or  not  being  so  bad  and  sinful  as 
something  else  which  might  take  place  in  its  room.  Conse- 
quently God  requires  and  commands  every  sin  in  the  universe, 
except  it  be  the  greatest  of  all;  and  even  that  too,  if  there  is 
less  moral  evil  in  it  than  might  have  been,  on  any  supposition. 
All  these,  I  say,  must  be  commanded  for  the  same  reason 
which  Mr.  M.  gives  for  graceless  duties  being  required ;  for 
"  there  is  a  less  degree  of  true  moral  evil  in  them  "  than  in  the 
greatest  possible  sin,  "  and  therefore  they  are  required."  I  leave 
it  to  the  reader  whether  these  consequences  are  not  fairly  de- 
duced from  Mr.  M.'s  principles  and  way  of  reasoning  on  this 
head. 

V.  Mr.  M.  forms  another  argument  thus  :  It  is  a  sin  to  dis- 
obey and  counteract  the  dictates  of  natural  conscience ;  to  be 
without  natural  gratitude  to  God  and  our  benefactors  among 
men,  from  a  principle  of  self-love ;  and  to  be  without  natural 
atlection,  such  as  the  aftection  of  parents  to  children,  etc.  All 
these  appear  from  Scripture  and  reason  to  be  sinful,  and  even 
a  high  degree  of  wickedness.  It  hence  follows,  that,  acting 
agreeably  to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  the  exercise  of  grati- 
tude merely  from  a  principle  of  self-love,  and  natural  afTection 
between  parents  and  children,  which  are  found  with  the  unre- 
generate,  as  well  as  others,  are  duties,  and  required  by  God; 
for  if  they  are  not  required,  "the   absence  of  them  would 


MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     451 

be  no  sin ;  because,  "  where  there  is  no  law,  there  is  no  trans- 
gression." 

I  have  not  stated  Mr.  M.'s  arguments  exactly  in  his  words, 
as  this  would  take  up  too  much  room ;  but  suppose  it  is  here 
set  in  as  strong  and  advantageous  a  light  as  it  stands  in  his 
book.  The  reader,  who  has  access  to  that,  may  satisfy  him- 
self. And  he  will  be  ready  to  judge  whether  there  is  any 
weight  in  this  argument,  when  he  has  attended  to  the  follow- 
ing particulars:  — 

1.  Acting  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  conscience  is,  in  all 
cases,  a  sin ;  because  this  is  acting  contrary  to  love  to  God. 
It  does  not  follow  as  a  consequence  that  acting  agreeably  to 
the  dictates  of  conscience  is  virtue  or  duty,  but  only  that  love 
to  God  is  so.  In  this  case,  the  sin  of  acting  contrary  to  the 
dictates  of  conscience  does  not  stand  in  opposition  to  acting 
according  to  the  dictates  of  it ;  but  to  obedience  to  God's  law, 
which  requires  love  to  him.  Both  of  the  former  may  be  sin. 
It  is  always  contrary  to  God's  law,  and  is  sin,  to  disregard  the 
dictates  of  conscience,  and  that  may  be  and  often  is  a  sin, 
and  directly  contrary  to  God's  law,  which  is  agreeably  to  the 
dictates  of  conscience.  These  are,  in  this  respect,  not  in  op- 
position to  each  other,  but  both  are  in  opposition  to  the  divine 
law.  The  Pharisee,  who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  had 
lived  in  obedience  to  his  conscience,  and  acted  up  to  the  dic- 
tates of  it,  and  did  so  in  the  address  he  made  to  God  ;  yet,  I 
suppose  none  will  say  he  was  doing  his  duty,  and  obeying 
God's  commands ;  or  that  God  required  him  to  do  as  he  did, 
when  he  stood  praying.  To  be  sure,  Mr.  M.  will  not;  for  he 
represents  him  as  guilty  of  high-handed  wickedness  in  making 
this  prayer,  and  even  one  of  the  vilest  sinners  on  earth.  In 
obeying  his  conscience  he  disobeyed  God,  instead  of  obey- 
ing him,  or  being  friendly  to  him  in  the  least  degree.  Acting 
against  the  dictates  of  conscience  is  sinful,  because  this  is  in 
all  cases  acting  against  God.  Therefore,  acting  agreeably  to 
the  dictates  of  conscience  is  sin,  when  persons  doing  thus  act 
against  God ;  which  is  the  case  always  when  they  are  enemies 
to  him,  as  are  all  the  unregenerate. 

2.  It  does  not  appear  that  want  of  gratitude  to  benefactors, 
from  a  principle  of  self-love  only,  is  any  where  spoken  against 
or  condemned  in  the  Bible.  Christ  represents  the  worst  of 
men  as  acting  from  such  a  principle.  (Matt.  v.  46,47.)  When 
St.  Paul  says  of  the  Gentiles,  "  neither  were  they  thankful," 
it  does  not  appear  that  he  speaks  of  thankfulness  from  natural 
principles,  as  Mr.  M.  expresses  it,  or  a  principle  of  self-love ; 
but  of  that  thankfulness  which  God's  law  requires,  and  con- 
sists in  true  love  to  God.     It  is  altogether  without  foundation, 


452      MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

or  the  least  evidence,  that  Mr.  M.  supposes  that  when  St. 
Paul  speaks  of  the  Gentiles  not  glorifying  God  as  God,  and 
not  being  thankful,  he  means  glorifying  God,  and  rendering 
gratitude  to  him  upon  natural  principles,  or  from  self-love. 
They  were  bound  by  the  highest  obligations  to  glorify  God, 
and  express  their  gratitude  to  him  from  the  highest  and  best 
principles,  even  true  love  to  him,  and  had  no  excuse  for  not 
doing  it;  and  it  would  be  perfectly  unaccountable  if  St.  Paul 
quite  overlooked  this,  the  greatest  of  all  their  crimes,  when  he 
was  setting  forth  the  greatness  of  their  wickedness,  and  speaks 
only  of  that  which  was  immensely  less  criminal,  and  is  really 
no  crime,  any  further  than  it  is  contrary  to  true  love  to  God. 
I  can  account  for  Mr.  M.'s  running  into  this  notion  no  other 
way  but  by  concluding  he  supposed  that  the  Gentiles  and  all 
men  unregenerate  are  not  obliged  to  act  from  any  higher  prin- 
ciples than  those  he  calls  natural;  a  notion  which  he  seems  to 
carry  with  him  through  his  book,  though  he  sometimes  con- 
tradicts it. 

What  is  called  natural  affection  cannot  be  suppressed  and 
rooted  out  but  by  the  prevalence  of  a  high  degree  of  sinful- 
ness;  therefore,  to  be  without  natural  aflection  is  an  argument 
and  evidence  of  the  prevalence  of  a  great  degree  of  wicked- 
ness. It  was,  therefore,  to  the  apostle's  purpose  to  mention 
this,  in  order  to  show  the  bad  character  of  the  persons  he  was 
describing.  This  is  consistent  with  there  being  no  command 
requiring  the  mere  exercise  of  natural  atFeetion,  or  prohibition 
forbidding  the  want  of  it.  The  strong  and  confirmed  exercise 
of  pride  and  sensuality  (to  use  President  Edwards's  words, 
quoted  by  Mr.  M.)  "tend  to  overbear  and  greatly  diminish 
the  exercises  of  those  useful  and  necessary  principles  of  na- 
ture." And  nothing  else  will  do  it.  Therefore,  where  natural 
affection  is  overborne  and  diminished,  it  is  a  certain  evidence 
of  a  very  bad,  vile  character.  To  be  without  natural  affection, 
and  to  be  monstrously  wicked,  is  the  same  thing.  Yet  nat- 
ural affection  is  not  a  virtue,  nor  is  it  in  any  sense  required 
as  a  duty.  They  who  exercise  it  in  the  highest  degree  are 
herein  no  more  obedient  and  do  no  more  duty  than  the 
brutes,  in  whom  it  takes  place  as  well  as  in  men.  As  Mr.  M. 
observes,  to  be  without  natural  affection  is  "  falling  below  even 
the  brutal  nature,  that  is  wont  to  retain  that  instinct  of  fond- 
ness to  their  young." 

4.  By  being  without  natural  atfection,  is  intended  something 
more  than  what  is  merely  negative,  or  not  being  influenced 
by  this  principle.  It  intends  that  exercise  and  conduct  which 
is  directly  contrary  to  it,  which  shows  that  it  is  overborne  and 
suppressed.     Thus  the  heathen,  in  many  instances,  were  with- 


MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.     453 

out  natural  affection,  i.  e.,  acted  directly  contrary  to  it  when 
they  burnt  their  children  to  death  as  a  sacrifice  to  their  gods. 
The  son  is  said  to  be  without  natural  affection  when  he  puts 
an  end  to  his  aged  father's  life  that  he  may  inherit  his  estate. 
The  father  is  said  to  be  without  natural  affection  when  he 
acts  a  cruel  j3art  to  his  child,  and  sells  it  into  the  hands  of 
barbarous  men,  to  get  money  to  enable  him  to  pursue  his  in- 
temperance and  lewdness.  In  this  case,  that  wickedness 
which  leads  a  man  to  counteract  natural  affection  and  sup- 
press it  is  censured  and  condemned;  and  not  merely  the 
absence  of  natural  affection;  therefore,  it  does  by  no  means 
follow  from  such  an  expression  that  the  exercise  of  natural 
affection  is  required,  and  is  a  duty. 

VI.  Another  argument  which  Mr.  M.  offers  in  favor  of  com- 
mands to  the  unregenerate  duties  is,  that  if  there  are  no  such 
commands,  and  they  have  no  duty  to  do  while  impenitent 
enemies  to  God,  then  nothing  is  required  of  them ;  they  are 
left  without  any  law  or  restraint  to  indulge  their  lusts  as  they 
please,  without  any  motive  or  encouragement  to  the  contrary, 
and  to  attend  on  the  means  of  grace.  This  leaves  sinners  at 
liberty,  and  they  have  nothing  to  do.  He  says,  that,  upon  the 
principle  he  is  opposing,  "  the  unregenerate,  while  such,  are  not 
required  to  pray  at  all,  and,  by  parity  of  reason,  not  required 
to  attend  any  other  duty,  since  they  can  no  more  perform 
them  in  a  gracious  manner  than  they  can  prayer;  and,  there- 
fore, according  to  this  principle,  are  in  no  sense  required  to 
perform  them.'' 

And  again,  he  says,  "  It  takes  off  all  restraint  from  the  un- 
regenerate, and  opens  a  floodgate  to  all  manner  of  iniquity." 

I  would  observe  here,  that  when  he  says  the  unregenerate, 
while  such,  are  not  required  to  pray  at  all,  and  are  in  no  sense 
required  to  perform  any  duty,  he  cannot  mean  that  they  are 
not  required  to  pray  as  impenitents,  and  do  unregenerate 
duties  ;  for  this  would  be  to  say  nothing  at  all.  The  principle 
he  is  opposing  is,  that  nothing  is  required  of  men  as  duty 
which  they  do  while  unregenerate;  and  if  this  is  all  he  means 
to  assert  in  these  words,  they  are  no  more  than  to  say,  "  If 
unregenerate  duties  are  not  required,  then  unregenerate  duties 
arc  not  required ; "  which  is  to  say  nothing.  What  he  here 
says,  he  infers  as  a  consequence  from  the  principle,  that  no 
unregenerate  duties  are  required,  as  an  argument  against  it. 
But  the  principle  itself  is  no  consequence  from  itself,  or  argu- 
ment against  it;  for  this  is  only  to  say,  if  the  principle  is  true, 
it  is  indeed  true.  Just  as  if  I  should  undertake  to  prove  I  am 
not  now  writing  against  Mr.  M.  in  opposition  to  some  one 
who  had  said  I  was,  by  saying,  this  cannot  be  true ;  for  from 


454     MR.    M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

this  principle  it  will  follow,  that  1  am  writing  against  Mr.  M. 
Besides,  Mr.  M.  here  says,  that  according  to  this  principle  they 
are  in  no  sense  required  to  do  any  duty ;  which  denies  that 
they  are  under  any  command  to  do  any  duty,  if  not  required 
to  do  unr(^generate  duty. 

Mr.  M.  says  things  to  the  same  purpose  in  many  other 
places  of  his  book.  I  will  mention  but  one,  which  is  in  the 
following  words :  "  And  if  this  perversion,  which  is  here  given 
of  this  text,  strive  to  enter,  etc.,  should  be  received  for  truth,  I 
cannot  but  think  it  would  have  a  very  bad  tendency  to  increase 
security  and  negligence  about  religion,  and  open  profaneness 
among  the  unregenerate.  If  this  text  does  not  respect  the 
unconverted,  and  enjoin  duties  upon  them,  where  can  there  be 
any  passage  found  in  the  Bible  that  has  any  reference  to  them? 
Let  this  author  produce  some  divine  law  requiring  the  duties, 
endeavors,  and  exercises  of  the  unregenerate,  or  say  plainly 
there  is  nothing  required  of  them  in  this  state."  Here  we  see 
he  supposes  that  if  any  text  does  not  require  unregenerate 
duties,  and  enjoin  something  to  be  done  by  man  while  impeni- 
tent, it  has  no  respect  to  the  unconverted,  nor  enjoins  any  duty 
upon  them  ;  and  that  there  is  no  medium  with  him  between 
their  being  required  to  do  unregenerate  duties,  and  nothing 
being  required  of  them ;  and  that  in  this  view  to  deny  that 
unregenerate  duties  are  required,  "  has  a  very  bad  tendency  to 
increase  security  and  negligence  about  religion,  and  open  pro- 
faneness among  the  unregenerate."     Here  I  would  observe, — 

1.  It  is  not  true  that  if  nothing  is  required  of  the  unregen- 
erate, which  they  will  do  while  in  that  state,  then  nothing  is 
required  of  them  in  any  sense.  It  has  been  before  observed, 
that  they  are  as  much  under  law  as  the  regenerate,  and  Re- 
quired to  practise  godliness  and  humanity  in  the  exercise 
of  love  to  God  and  their  neighbor.  They  cannot  be  ex- 
cused from  this,  and  must  be  wholly  to  blame  for  every 
instance  and  each  degree  of  failure,  and  every  thing  in  them 
that  opposes  it;  unless  a  person's  having  no  inclination  to  that 
which  is  most  reasonable,  and  a  strong,  fixed  opposition  of 
heart  to  it,  removes  all  obligation,  and  takes  off  all  blame  in 
neglecting  and  opposing  it.  And  if  so,  then  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  blame  in  the  universe;  nor  any  such  thing  as  law  and 
moral  government.  For,  according  to  this,  no  person  can  be 
obliged  to  do  any  thing  which  he  is  not  inclined  to  do.  There- 
fore, he  can  be  under  no  law  but  his  own  inclination  and  will, 
nor  in  the  least  to  blame  while  he  follows  this,  which  every  one 
always  does. 

Mr.  M.  does  repeatedly  assert  that  the  unregenerate  are  re- 
quired to  be  holy,  and  to  do  duty  in  a  right  and  holy  manner. 


MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.      455 

But  he  seems,  in  these  passages  mentioned,  and  others,  to  for- 
get all  this,  and  take  it  for  granted. that  the  contrary  is  true, 
else  he  never  could  iiave  expressed  himself  as  he  has.  And  I 
appeal  to  the  judicious  reader  to  judge,  whether  his  whole 
book  does  not  owe  its  existence  to  his  latent  maxim  in  favor  of 
the  unregenerate,  viz.,  that  they  cannot  be  required  to  do  any 
thing  which  they  may  not  do  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy,  so 
are  to  blame  only  for  the  neglect  of  such  duties,  and  for  walk- 
ing in  those  ways  that  arc  contrary  to  them ;  this  being  the 
maxim  he  builds  all  upon,  though  he  has  sometimes  asserted 
the  contrary. 

2.  This  being  the  case,  every  thing  being  required  of  the 
unregenerate  that  is  in  itself  desirable,  good,  and  excellent,  and 
urged  with  promises  of  the  greatest  good,  even  of  eternal  life, 
if  they  hearken  and  comply  with  the  least  degree  of  sincerity, 
and  with  the  most  awful  threatenings  of  eternal  destruction 
if  they  obstinately  persist  in  impenitence  and  rebellion,  noth- 
ing can  be  more  suited  to  awaken  and  alarm  them,  to  deter 
them  from  sin,  and  excite  them  to  dut3^  Never  did  a  person 
believe  and  realize  this,  and  yet  continue  in  open  profaneness 
or  security.  And  if  these  truths  are  kept  out  of  view,  nothing 
remains  by  which  the  sinner  can  be  convinced  of  his  true  state, 
and  thoroughly  awakened.  How  then  could  Mr.  M.  imagine 
that  to  preach  this  to  the  unregenerate,  with  all  that  is  implied 
in  it,  and  nothing  else,  "  would  have  a  bad  tendency  to  increase 
security  and  negligence  in  religion,  and  open  profaneness  among 
the  unregenerate  "  ?  It  is  most  certain  that  if  this  is  left  out 
out  of  view,  and  nothing  but  unregenerate  duties  are  preached 
up,  not  one  sinner  will  be  awakened  and  convinced.  And  if 
they  are  preached  up,  as  they  often  are,  and  as  Mr.  M.  does, 
(at  least  in  his  book,)  as  being  that  in  which  the  duty  of  the 
unregenerate  principally,  if  not  wholly,  consists,  and  that  their 
sin  chiefly  lies  in  the  neglect  of  them,  they  being  not  much,  if 
at  all,  to  blame  for  not  loving  God,  and  not  embracing  the  gos- 
pel, it  has  the  greatest  tendency  to  keep  sinners  in  ignorance, 
security,  and  ease  ;  and  if  it  does  not  make  them  negligent  of 
all  religion,  it  tends  to  lead  them  to  neglect  and  oppose  all 
true  religion. 

Mr.  M.,  and  they  who  join  with  him,  are  wiser  than  John  the 
Baptist ;  and  if  he  was  wi,se  and  right  in  his  way  of  preach- 
ing, they  are  not  so.  He  said  not  a  word  of  unregenerate 
duties,  but  preached  and  inculcated  nothing  short  of  repent- 
ance, true  repentance,  —  that  repentance  with  which  the  re- 
mission of  sin  was  connected,  (Lukeiii.3,)  —  that  repentance 
which  implied  a  preparedness  of  heart  to  receive  and  believe 
on   Christ,  when   he  should   be  revealed.     (Acts  xix.  4.)     He 


456      MR.    M.'s    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED. 

required  of  all  his  hearers  good  fruit,  fruits  meet  for  repentance, 
on  pain  of  eternal  damnation,  (Luke  iii.  8,  9,  17.)  and  said 
not  a  word  to  them  of  any  doings  short  of  this,  even  repent- 
ance and  faith  on  him  who  should  come  after  him.  Indeed, 
when  he  was  asked  by  persons  what  they  should  do  in  order 
to  conduct  as  penitents, —  what  fruits  they  ought  to  bring 
forth,  which  were  meet  for  repentance,  and  a  proper  manifes- 
tation of  it,  —  he  told  them  what  external  conduct  they  must 
go  into,  in  order  to  this.  (Luke  iii.  10-14.)  But  this  w*as  not 
directing  them  to  impenitent,  unregenerate  doings,  but  point- 
ing out  the  exercise  and  fruits  of  that  repentance  which  he 
required. 

And  had  this  preaching  any  tendency  to  security  and  open 
profaneness  ?  Did  this  "  take  off  all  restraint  from  the  unre- 
generate, and  open  a  floodgate  to  all  manner  of  iniquity"? 
No ;  quite  the  reverse.  By  such  preaching,  a  secure,  wicked 
generation  was  awakened  and  externally  reformed,  and  many 
of  the  children  of  Israel  he  turned  to  the  Lord  their  God. 
(Luke  i.  16.) 

If  Mr.  M.'s  servant  should  desert  his  service  and  run  from 
him,  and  he  should  send  a  messenger  after  him  to  persuade 
him  to  return,  with  offers  of  pardon  upon  his  submission,  and 
threatenings  of  death  if  he  refused ;  if,  when  the  person  he 
sent  should  overtake  him,  and  the  servant  should  refuse  to 
return  one  stefp  back,  and  draw  his  sword  upon  him  to 
oppose  him,  he  should,  instead  of  persisting  in  requiring  him 
to  return,  direct  and  persuade  him  to  do  something  agreeable 
to  his  inclination,  and  consistent  with  his  hating  his  master 
and  obstinately  refusing  to  return  ;  would  Mr.  M.  think  he 
was  faithful  to  his  trust,  or  that  this  had  more  of  a  tendency 
to  awaken  the  servant  to  a  sense  of  the  evil  case  he  was  in, 
or  promote  his  return  ?  Would  it  not  be  the  most  proper  and 
likeliest  way  to  rouse  the  attention  of  the  servant,  and  prevent 
his  going  off  yet  farther,  to  keep  up  the  master's  demand,  and 
show  the  unreasonableness  and  crime  of  refusing  to  comply, 
the  happy  consequences  of  his  returning,  and  the  dreadful  evil 
that  a  refusal  would  bring  upon  him,  etc.  ?  Certainly  the  ser- 
vant would  have  no  heart  to  make  himself  merry  in  his  sup- 
posed liberty,  or  be  disposed  to  go  out  of  the  hearing  of  these 
things,  so  long  as  he  had  any  realizing  belief  of  them  and 
thought  there  was  any  hope  in  his  case  while  he  attended, 
however  unwilling  he  should  be  to  obey  his  master's  orders 
and  return. 

3.  If  the  sinner  did  his  duty  while  he  continued  a  perfectly 
impenitent  enemy  to  God  and  the  Savior  in  attending  on 
means,  etc.,  and  he  is  told  that  God  commands  hiin  to  do 


MR.  M.'S    ARGUMENTS    FOR    THE    AFFIRMATIVE    EXAMINED.      457 

these  things  with  such  a  heart  as  he  has,  seeing  he  is  unwill- 
ing to  repent  and  return  to  God,  and  obstinately  opposes  it, 
and  he  should  be  urged  to  do  them  from  this  consideration,  it 
would  not  have  the  least  influence  upon  him,  or  be  any  motive 
to  him  to  comply.  The  sinner  has  no  regard  to  duty,  as  such, 
and  is  not  inclined  to  do  any  thing  merely  because  it  is  duty ; 
this  will  never  be  a  motive  with  him  to  take  one  step,  or  to 
exert  himself  so  much  as  to  lift  up  a  finger.  So  far  as  he  is 
influenced  by  this  consideration,  he  is  not  an  impenitent,  but 
has  true  respect  and  love  to  God,  and  is  disposed  to  return  to 
him  and  embrace  the  gospel.  He  is,  by  the  supposition,  only 
seeking  his  own  interest,  and  cares  nothing  about  God  or 
duty  to  him,  in  themselves  considered,  and  for  their  own  sake; 
if  he  does,  the  point  is  gained,  and  it  will  be  enough  to  tell 
him  it  is  his  duty  to  repent  and  believe  on  Christ,  and  there 
will  be  no  need  to  devise  a  lower  set  of  duties  for  him  which 
he  may  do  merely  from  a  principle  of  self-love,  and  as  an  ene- 
my to  God,  could  there  be  any  such  duty ;  for  this  is  at  bot- 
tom to  urge  him  to  do  duty,  not  because  it  is  his  duty,  and 
without  any  regard  to  it  as  such.  There  is,  therefore,  a  plain 
contradiction  and  absurdity  in  the  very  proposal.  The  person 
is  supposed  and  known  to  have  no  regard  to  his  duty,  and  to 
care  nothing  about  it,  as  such  ;  if  he  had,  it  would  be  enough 
to  tell  him  it  is  his  indispensable  duty  to  love  God  and  em- 
brace the  gospel.  But  while  he  has  no  regard  to  this,  he  will 
be  influenced  and  governed  by  some  other  motive  in  all  he 
does,  and  not  at  all  by  this.  Nothing  but  a  principle  of  self- 
love  can  be  apj)lied  to  in  this  case,  which  has  no  regard  to 
duty,  as  such,  but  his  own  interest.  If  he  can  be  thoroughly 
and  feelingly  convinced  that  it  is  for  his  own  interest  to  avoid 
one  thing  and  do  another,  this  will  be  a  forcible  and  sufficient 
motive  to  induce  him  to  do  it.  But  if  not,  and  it  seems  to 
him  to  be  for  his  own  interest  to  act  contrary  to  duty,  he  will 
pay  no  regard  at  all  to  the  command,  how  much  soever  it  is 
urged  upon  him  ;  it  is  quite  equal  with  him  whether  he  does 
his  duty  or  not.  He  can  no  more  be  influenced  or  bound  by 
obligation  and  duty  than  the  man  possessed  with  devils  could 
be  restrained  and  confined  with  fetters  and  chains.  He  will 
break  all  these  bands ;  however  great  and  strong  they  are,  he 
will  esteem  them  as  straw  and  rotten  wood. 

As  the  unregenerate  are  wholly  under  the  influence  of  self- 
love,  and  seek  their  own  interest  only,  they  regard  duty  only  as 
it  does,  in  their  view,  tend  to  their  own  interest.  And  in  this 
view  they  may  have  a  sort  of  desire  to  do  their  duty,  as  the  most 
likely  way  to  escape  evil  and  obtain  the  good  they  want.  But 
however  high  their  regard  to  duty  in  this  sense  rises,  they  yet 
VOL.  III.  39 


458   MR.  M.'S  ARGUMENTS  FOR  THE  AFFIRMATIVE  EXAMINED. 

have  no  regard  to  it  for  its  own  sake,  or  considered  merely  as 
duty ;  but  purely  for  their  own  sakes,  as  they  consider  their 
own  interest  to  be  connected  with  it.  If,  therefore,  it  is  for  the 
highest  interest  of  the  unregenerate  to  avoid  all  open  vice,  and 
diligently  attend  on  the  means  of  grace,  it  being  the  only  likely 
way  to  escape  eternal  destruction  and  attain  endless  happi- 
ness, and  they  can  be  thoroughly  convinced  of  this,  it  will  be 
the  o-reatest  and  only  motive  that  can  be  set  before  them  to 
induce  them  to  this,  and  will  certainly  and  effectually  influ- 
ence them.  And  the  consideration  that  this  is  their  duty,  if  it 
was  so,  would  not  add  the  least  grain  to  the  motive.  It  is  a 
matter  of  perfect  indifference  with  them  whether  it  is  duty  or 
sin,  if  they  may  answer  their  own  ends  by  it,  and  promote 
their  own  interest. 

God  knew  this  to  be  the  state  of  the  sinner,  and  has  so  con- 
trived and  suited  things  to  this  in  the  revelation  he  has  given, 
without  saying  a  word  to  them  of  doing  any  duty  while  they 
continue  impenitent,  that  as  soon  as  their  consciences  are 
awakened,  and  they  begin  to  see  in  what  a  state  they  are, 
they  will  forsake  the  courses  of  the  secure  profligate,  and  at- 
tend on  the  means  of  grace. 

Mr.  M.  and  others  have,  in  their  great  wisdom,  devised 
another  method  of  treating  with  sinners,  by  trying  to  persuade 
them  to  do  their  duty  while  perfect  enemies  to  God,  as  if  they 
had  a  true  regard  for  their  duty,  and  desire  to  do  it  for  its  own 
sake ;  when  their  unregeneracy  and  all  their  sinfulness  consist 
in  the  want  of  such  regard  to  duty,  and  opposition  of  heart  to 
it.  In  this  they  are  therefore  guilty  of  the  absurdity  of  sup- 
posing sinners  have  some  true  respect  to  God,  that  is,  some 
true  love  to  him  and  his  law,  while  they  are  obstinate  and 
perfect  enemies  to  him,  and  have  never  had  the  least  degree 
of  repentance  of  any  of  their  rebellion.  And  this  way  of 
treating  sinners  is  so  far  from  having  any  tendency  to  their 
good,  that  it  tends  to  keep  them  in  ignorance  and  security, 
and  always  has  this  effect  where  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  its 
genuine  influence. 

Belore  I  end  this  section,  I  would  observe,  the  phrase,  con- 
scientiovs  perfoi'mance  of  duty,  which  Mr.  M.  uses  so  often 
with  respect  to  the  unregenerate  and  the  regenerate,  when 
they  have  no  grace,  or  are  not  in  the  exercise  of  it,  is  very  am- 
biguous, and  tends  to  give  a  wrong  idea  of  the  case.  I  think 
the  natural  and  proper  import  of  the  phrase  is,  a  performance 
of  duty  in  sincerity  and  out  of  true  respect  to  the  duty  as 
commanded.  If  he  who  is  only  an  eye-servant,  and  has  no 
true  respect  to  his  master,  but  hates  him  and  his  service,  be- 
haves obediently  in  his  master's  presence  merely  because  he  is 


SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED.        459 

in  his  master's  hands,  and  fears  his  displeasure  and  the  rod, 
no  one  perhaps  will  think  this  may  be  properly  called  a  con- 
scientious performance  of  duty.  But  this  is  as  properly  and  as 
much  so  as  the  best  performances  oi  the  nnregenerate,  or  of 
the  regenerate  whose  grace  wholly  fails  them,  if  any  such  there 
are.  If  Mr.  M.  intends  any  more  by  this  phrase,  which  I  con- 
clude he  does,  he  has  only  imposed  on  himself  and  his  reader. 
Men  may  act  agreeably  to  their  consciences,  i.  e.,  not  know 
that  what  they  do  is  contrary  to  the  command,  but  think  they 
are  doing  what  is  right,  as  Saul  did  when  he  persecuted  the 
church,  and  yet  not  come  up  to  the  conscientious  performance 
of  duty,  any  more  than  the  servant  just  mentioned,  if  they  act 
from  the  same  principles. 


SECTION  III. 

In  which  several  Passages  in  Mr.  M.^s  Book  are  attended  to, 
which  have  not  been  particularly  considered  in  the  former 
Sections. 

I  TOOK  some  pains  to  prove  in  my  remarks  on  Dr.  Mayhew's 
sermons,  that  the  words  "  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of  by 
the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them,"  (Ezek.  xxxvi.  37,)  do 
not  mean  the  prayers  of  the  unregenerate  for  a  new  heart;  and 
Mr.  M.  has  taken  as  much  or  more  pains  to  prove  the  contrary, 
in  a  long  marginal  note.  I  shall  not  trouble  myself  or  the  reader 
so  much  as  to  take  notice  of  all  he  says  on  this  argument.  It 
may  suffice  to  say,  that  he  has  not  attempted  to  answer  what 
I  have  said  to  establish  my  sense,  unless  it  be  grossly  to  mis- 
represent it ;  which  he  ought  in  all  reason  to  have  done,  since 
he  undertook  to  oppose  me.  I  shall,  therefore,  conclude  I  have 
a  right  to  think  my  sense  of  the  text,  and  arguments  to  sup- 
port it,  stand  good,  notwithstanding  all  he  has  said,  till  Mr.  M. 
or  some  one  else  shall  show  wherein  their  weakness  lies. 
The  misrepresentation  I  speak  of  is  this  —  he  represents  my 
sense  of  the  text  in  the  following  words :  "  I  will  yet  for  this 
be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  i.  e.,  by  the  godly  few,  to 
to  do  it  for  them,  i.  e.,  to  bestow  on  these  godly  few  a  new 
heart.  Or  the  construction  must  run  thus  :  to  do  it  for  them, 
i.  e.,  not  for  them,  but  for  others  that  were  unregenerate." 
Whereas,  I  gave  no  such  sense  of  the  text,  or  any  thing  like  it. 
I  undertook  to  prove,  by  many  parallel  places,  that  the  thing 
which  God  would  be  inquired  of  to  do  it  for  them  was  deliv- 
erance from  their  captivity,  and  resettlement  in  their  own  land 
in  peace  and  prosperity ;  and  said  not  a  word  of  a  new  heart, 


460        SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED. 

as  the  thing  to  be  asked  for.  Nor  do  I  say  that,  by  the  house 
of  Israel,  are  meant  "  the  godly  few."  It  may  mean  the  godly 
many,  notwithstanding  any  thing  I  say.  Mr.  M.  supposes 
that  "  a  great  number  of  Israelites  were  brought  to  true  re- 
pentance, and  the  body  of  that  people  were  reformed."  He, 
indeed,  seems  to  suppose  this  took  place  after  their  return  to 
their  own  land.  The  truth  of  the  case  is,  this  took  place  in  a 
degree,  and,  in  many  instances,  before  any  of  them  returned ; 
and  after  great  numbers  had  returned,  they  were  in  their  own 
land  in  a  state  of  great  affliction  and  distress  for  many  years, 
in  which  time  they  humbled  themselves  before  God,  and 
earnestly  sought  deliverance,  and  confessed  and  put  away  the 
sins  that  had  been  found  among  them,  and  entered  into  solemn 
covenant  to  renounce  all  ways  of  sin  and  cleave  to  God  and 
serve  him.  They  appeared  to  have  a  new  heart,  humble, 
penitent,  obedient  heart,  while  they  confessed  their  sins  and 
earnestly  inquired  and  sought  of  God  the  deliverance  they 
wanted.  There  were  probably  many,  even  great  numbers,  of 
true  penitents ;  these,  with  the  rest  of  the  people  who  were 
reformed  and  in  profession  true  penitents,  were  the  house  of 
Israel,  who  inquired  of  God,  and  earnestly  and  solemnly  be- 
sought him  (the  godly  with  true  sincerity,  and  the  rest  only  in 
appearance)  to  return  their  captivity,  deliver  them  from  their 
distresses,  etc.  This  leads  me  to  observe  another  gross  mis- 
take Mr.  M.  has  made  here.  He  says,  I  deny  that  by  the 
house  of  Israel,  in  the  text,  are  meant  the  same  people  who 
under  this  phrase  are  spoken  of  in  the  preceding  context.  For 
this  assertion  he  had  not  the  least  reason,  as  I  am  sure  it  is 
not  true,  as  any  one  may  be  who  will  read  what  I  have 
wrote  on  that  argument. 

Before  I  leave  this  long  note  I  shall  remark  upon  a  number 
of  other  passages  in  it,  not  pretending,  however,  to  mention 
every  one  that  appears  to  me  very  exceptionable. 

He  supposes  the  prayers  and  seeking  of  the  unregenerate 
are  spoken  of  in  the  following  words :  "  I  have  surely  heard 
Ephraim  bemoaning  himself  thus.  Thou  hast  chastised  me, 
and  I  was  chastised,  as  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke. 
Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned."  (Jer.  xxxi.  18.)  He 
says,  "  It  is  evident  that  while  unconverted  he  thus  bemoans 
himself,  confessing  the  justice  of  God's  chastisement,  his  own 
stubbornness  and  unteachableness,  and  under  conviction  of  the 
necessity  of  this  change  of  his  own  impotency,  and  the  in- 
sufficiency of  all  means,  he  cries  to  God  to  work  it  in  him." 

1.  I  observe  Mr.  JM.  here  represents  the  unregenerate  sinner 
as  being  converted  already;  he  is  become  submissive,  pliable, 
and  teachable,  so  as  truly  to  bemoan  his  own  past  stubborn- 


SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED.       461 

ness  and  unteachableness,  and  acknowledge  the  justice  of 
God  in  his  eternal  damnation ;  and  being  quite  reconciled  to 
turning  to  God,  and  having  a  very  good  will  in  the  matter,  he 
cries  to  God  to  do  that  for  him  which  he  cannot  do  himself, 
however  well  disposed  he  is  towards  it.  This  is  the  light  in 
which  many  set  the  unregenerate  who  are  awakened  to  a  con- 
cern about  their  eternal  interest,  and  in  which  multitudes  view 
themselves  and  imagine  they  are  doing  their  utmost,  and  cry- 
ing to  God  to  do  that  for  them  which  they  are  quite  willing 
and  would  be  glad  with  all  their  hearts  to  do,  but  it  is  utterly 
beyond  their  power.  It  is  impossible  that  the  sinner  who  has 
this  notion  of  himself  should  feel  himself  wholly  to  blame  for 
not  turning  to  God,  and  be  sensible  that  not  embracing  the 
gospel  is  the  greatest  of  all  sins,  or  that  he  deserves  to  be 
damned  for  it. 

The  unregenerate  sinner  is  so  far  from  being  of  this  charac- 
ter that  he  is  properly  represented  by  the  foregoing  words: 
"  Thou  hast  chastised  me,  and  I  was  chastised  as  a  bullock 
unaccustomed  to  the  yoke."  The  unregenerate  sinner  is 
always  like  a  bullock  unaccustomed  to  the  yoke,  who  will 
not  submit  to  the  hand  of  his  master,  but  is  perfectly  untoward 
and  opposite,  and  only  attempts  to  get  out  of  his  hands.  But 
as  soon  as  he  comes  to  a  better  mind,  and  has  a  new  heart, 
he  condemns  and  bemoans  himself,  and  sensible  of  his  per- 
verseness,  and  the  opposition  of  his  own  heart  to  God,  he 
heartily  cries,  "  Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned."  This 
is  the  prayer  of  a  regenerate  sinner  submitting  to  God,  after  a 
course  of  obstinate  rebellion,  and  feeling  his  own  perverseness 
and  dependence  on  God  for  all  moral  good,  as  no  unregen- 
erate sinner  ever  did. 

If  it  should  be  said  the  regenerate  are  turned  already,  why 
should  they  pray  to  God  to  turn  them  ?  I  answer,  they  are 
turned  in  a  low  and  imperfect  degree,  and  now  see  unspeak- 
ably more  of  the  perverseness  and  obstinacy  of  their  hearts 
than  ever  an  unregenerate  person  did.  They  need  the  continu- 
ance of  the  influence  which  has  changed  their  hearts  in  some 
degree,  and  to  be  turned  more  and  more.  Thus  David  prays, 
long  after  he  was  a  good  man,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart, 
O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."  (Ps.  li.  10.) 
The  Christian  needs  to  be  turned  as  really  as  any  other  man, 
and  sees  his  need  of  it  more,  and  heartily  desires  it.  Why, 
then,  should  he  not  pray  for  it  ?  Would  Mr.  M.,  or  any  other 
man,  think  it  improper  and  strange  if  he  should  hear  a  number 
of  professed  Christians  use  this  expression  in  prayer,  "  Turn 
us,  and  we  shall  be  turned  "  ?  Has  he  not  used  it,  or  expres- 
sions of  the  same  import,  times  without  number? 
39* 


462    SEVERAL  PASSAGES  IN  MR.  M.'s  BOOK  CONSIDERED. 

Mr.  M.  says,  "  He  is  represented  as  converted  while  he  stands 
praying  for  it,  as  is  incontestably  clear  from  the  following  words: 
'  For  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God ;  surely  after  that  I  was  turned  I 
repented  ;  and  after  I  was  instructed,  I  smote  upon  my  thigh.' " 
The  whole  that  Ephraim  is  represented  as  saying  here  appears 
to  be  one  continued  address  to  God,  which  may  be  distinctly 
read  over  in  less  than  half  a  minute.  It  is  but  two  sentences ; 
the  petition,  "  turn  thou  me  "  is  urged  by  this  argument,  "  for 
thou  art  the  Lord  my  God,"  Surely,  this  is  not  the  language 
of  the  uin-egenerate.  He  then  proceeds  to  speak  of  the  change 
that  had  passed  upon  him  since  he  was  as  a  bullock  unaccu^s- 
tomed  to  the  yoke,  and  was  the  ground  of  his  coming  to  God 
with  this  humble  petition  as  he  now  does,  and  is  a  representa- 
tion of  the  temper  of  mind  with  which  he  now  addressed  God. 
He,  crying  to  God  with  this  temper  of  mind,  as  a  friend  to 
his  character,  and  a  penitent,  returning  sinner,  is  accepted  and 
obtains  favor;  God  immediately  says,  "I  will  surely  have 
mercy  upon  him."  Mr.  M.,  in  order  to  make  it  incontestably 
clear  that  he  was  converted  while  he  stood  praying,  takes  part 
of  the  first  sentence,  which  is  the  reason  and  argument  with 
which  the  petition  is  urged,  "  for  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God," 
and  adds  it  to  the  next  sentence,  because  it  would  not  do 
to  put  these  words  into  the  mouth  of  an  unregenerate  sinner; 
by  which  he  has  broken  and  spoiled  the  sense  of  the  whole. 
If  he  "is  represented  as  converted  while  he  stands  praying  for 
it,"  he  was  converted  in  the  middle  of  a  sentence.  He  said, 
"  Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned,"  and  then  stopped, 
because  he  could  go  no  further  while  unconverted ;  and  when 
he  got  converted,  he  finishes  the  sentence  he  had  begun,  and 
urges  the  petition  he  had  made  in  an  unconverted  state,  by  an 
argument  he  could  not  use  while  unconverted  ;  which  petition 
was  granted  before  he  mentioned  the  argument.  He  there- 
fore used  the  argument  when  there  was  no  need  of  it,  or  of  so 
much  as  making  the  petition,  for  he  had  already  got  what  he 
asked  for.  If  he  could  not  make  this  petition  after  he  was 
converted,  how  could  he  after  this  back  it  up,  and  plead  to 
have  it  granted,  even  immediately  upon  its  being  granted  ?  I 
was  going  to  say  what  I  think  is  incontestably  clear;  but  I 
forbear,  and  leave  it  to  the  reader. 

I  would  make  a  brief  remark  upon  what  he  says  on  the 
prodigal.  He  supposes  his  coming  to  himself,  and  conse- 
quently seeing  that  there  was  bread  enough  and  to  spare  in 
his  lather's  house,  and  resolving  to  go  and  confess  his  sins  to 
his  father,  and  ask  admission  into  his  house  ;  and  his  actually 
doing  this  is  designed  to  represent  the  unregenerate  under  con- 
victions.    His  words  are,  "  He  now  began  to  be  in  want,  felt 


SEVERAL  PASSAGES  IN  MR.  M.'s  BOOK  CONSIDERED.   463 

himself  in  a  famishing  condition  for  want  of  bread :  this  put  him 
in  earnest  upon  thinking  what  he  had  done ;  and  as  all  hope 
of  rehef  that  now  remained  was  from  his  father,  he  earnestly 
looked  out  for  help  in  this  way,  and  found  relief.  All  this  is 
a  lively  representation  of  the  sinner's  being  brought  to  a  feel- 
ing sense  of  his  perishing  want  of  the  bread  of  life,  and  that 
God  only  has  it  in  his  power  to  bestow,  and,  therefore,  will 
grant  earnestness  to  look  to  God  for  it,  as  one  that  seeks  bread 
when  life  is  at  stake." 

Here  he  makes  the  unregenerate  sinner,  who  is  under  the 
dominion  of  his  lusts,  an  enemy  to  God  and  the  Savior,  and 
so  blind  that  the  gospel  is  hid  from  him,  —  he  makes  such  a 
one,  I  say,  to  have  his  eyes  opened  to  see  the  wonderful  fulness 
there  is  in  Christ  for  sinners,  and  to  desire  and  long  for  a  share 
in  it,  as  a  hungry  man  longs  for  bread ;  to  look  to  God,  and 
actually  go  to  him  for  it ;  loathing  himself  for  his  sins,  and 
earnestly  longing  to  be  God's  servant,  and  dwell  in  his  family. 
In  short,  he  makes  the  unregenerate  sinner  come  up  to  every 
thing  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  his  finding  mercy,  accord- 
ing to  Christ's  representation  of  the  matter  by  the  prodigal, 
and  all  that  to  which  the  promises  of  God's  favor  are  every 
where  made  in  the  gospel.  And  Mr.  M.  may  be  challenged 
to  tell  what  more  ever  takes  place  in  a  sinner,  in  order  to  his 
finding  mercy,  than  he  here  says  the  unregenerate  come  to. 
We  therefore  here  see  again  what  little  reason  Mr.  M.  had  to 
thank  me  for  proving  that  there  are  no  promises  to  the  doings 
of  the  unregenerate;  and  that  all  I  said  to  prove  this  is  as 
inconsistent  with  his  notion  of  the  character  and  doings  of 
such  as  it  is  with  Dr.  Mayhew's,  and  as  is  any  thing  contained 
in  my  section  on  means.  No  such  thing  can  be  proved  con- 
sistently with  what  he  says  here,  and  in  many  other  places ; 
but  the  contrary  is  the  undeniable  consequence. 

The  prodigal  in  all  he  did  after  he  began  to  be  in  want,  till 
he  came  to  himself,  represents  an  unregenerate  sinner  under 
awakenings  and  convictions  of  conscience.  In  this  state  he 
took  methods  to  help  himself,  which  were  vain  and  wholly 
failed  him,  but  had  not  the  least  inclination  of  returning  to 
his  father's  house.  This  blinded  him  to  the  fulness  of  it,  and 
the  desirableness  of  dwelling  there.  This  is  a  short  but  true 
and  striking  representation  of  the  state  of  the  unregenerate, 
whatever  awakenings  and  convictions  they  are  under.  They 
begin  to  be  in  want;  they  feel  themselves  in  a  miserable,  per- 
ishing state  ;  and  this  is  the  sole  ground  of  all  their  uneasiness 
and  exercises.  They  arise  and  exert  themselves,  but  spend 
their  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread,  and  their  labor  for 
that  which  satisfieth  not.    (Isa.  Iv.  2.)     They  see  not  their 


464        SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.  M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED. 

true  sinfulness  and  unwortbiness,  so  do  not  confess.  They 
have  not  the  least  inclination  to  return  home  to  God,  how- 
ever pinched  they  may  be  on  every  side  with  a  sense  of  their 
own  want.  But  as  soon  as  they  have  a  new  heart  their  eyes 
are  opened,  and  they  come  to  themselves ;  they  see  what  fools 
they  have  been,  what  guilty  wretches  they  are,  what  full  and 
rich  provision  is  made  for  the  most  wretched  and  vile  in 
Christ  the  Mediator,  and,  in  these  views,  return  home  to  God, 
and,  as  humble  penitents,  fly  for  refuge  to  sovereign  mercy. 

It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  our  Savior  intended  to  represent 
the  regenerate  sinner  by  the  prodigal,  when  he  came  to  him- 
self, etc.  And  we  have  reason  to  admire  the  precision  and 
clearness  of  the  representation  he  here  makes.  None  but  a 
teacher  sent  from  God  could  have  spoken  these  words.  But 
they  never  were  understood,  nor  can  be,  by  those  who  differ 
from  this  divine  Teacher  in  their  notions  of  the  character  of  the 
unregenerate  as  much  as  Mr.  M.  appears  to  do.  And  by  the 
way,  if  Mr.  M.  had  no  better  notion  of  the  unregenerate,  con- 
vinced sinner  than  is  given  in  this  parable  by  the  prodigal 
before  he  came  to  himself,  he  would  never  have  thought  of  his 
growing  so  much  better  or  less  sinful,  nor  been  so  much  of- 
fended at  his  being  set  in  so  bad  a  light  in  my  section  on 
means.  But  Mr.  M.  has  made  more  sad  work  yet,  I  think,  in 
what  he  says  on  the  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  publican. 
(Luke  xviii.  9-14.)  He  says  our  Savior,  in  the  publican, 
meant  to  give  the  character  of  an  awakened,  convinced,  un- 
converted sinner,  in  distinction  from  a  proud,  stupid,  self- 
righteous  sinner,  and  takes  considerable  pains  to  prove  it. 

Our  divine  Teacher,  in  this  short  parable,  exhibits  two  differ- 
ent and  opposite  characters,  in  which  the  exercises  and  charac- 
ter of  the  true  Christian  are  in  a  very  clear  and  striking  manner 
expressed,  in  opposition  to  all  other  religious  exercises  and 
characters  on  earth.  In  the  publican  we  have  the  character 
which  is  represented,  through  the  Old  Testament,  as  the  dis- 
tinguishing character  of  the  godly,  to  whom  promises  of  the 
divine  favor  are  constantly  made.  Confession  of  sin  is  repre- 
sented as  peculiar  to  those  who  find  mercy.  (Pr.  xxviii.  13. 
Ps.  xxxii.  5.)  The  true  servants  of  God,  who  share  in  his 
mercy,  and  are  the  objects  of  his  peculiar  favor,  are  the  hum- 
ble, those  of  a  broken  heart  and  contrite  spirit.  (Ps.  xxxiv.  18; 
li.  17.  Isa.  Ivii.  15.)  And  promises  are  constantly  made  to 
them  who  hope  and  trust  in  God's  mercy,  and  make  that  their 
only  refuge;  and  this  is  represented  as  the  character  of  God's 
people,  (Ps.  xxxiii.  18;  lii.  8;  cxlvii.  11.)  All  this  is  expressed 
in  the  publican's  i)rayer  —  "  God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner." 
It  is  not  possible  for  a  man  to  say  these  words,  considered  in 


SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED.        465 

their  proper  sense  and  latitude,  understandingly  and  heartily, 
unless  he  is  a  true  penitent,  and  in  a  true  sense  of  what  sin  is, 
and  what  it  deserves,  with  a  humble,  broken,  contrite  heart, 
flies  to  the  sovereign  mercy  of  God,  as  revealed  and  offered  to 
sinners  in  divine  revelation,  and  makes  this  his  only  ho|>e  and 
refuge.  And  in  this  are  summarily  comprehended  all  the  ex- 
ercises of  true  Christian  piety.  What  is  expressed  in  these 
words,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  is  the  very  soul  and 
spirit  of  the  tifty-tirst  Psalm,  in  which  not  an  unregenerate 
sinner,  but  David,  an  eminent  saint,  expresses  the  humble, 
penitent,  pious  sentiments  of  his  heart.  This  Psalm  is,  as  it 
were,  epitomized  with  so  much  judgment  and  precision,  and 
the  very  spirit  of  true  piety,  as  revealed  through  the  whole  of 
the  Old  Testament,  is  so  comprehensively  summed  up  in  this 
short  sentence,  which  Christ  puts  into  the  mouth  of  the  publi- 
can, that  it  is  one  standing  evidence,  among  ten  thousand 
others,  that  he  was  a  divine  teacher.  No  man,  unless  divinely 
inspired,  would  ever  have  thought  of  thus  distinguishing  all 
true  piety  from  that  which  is  not  so. 

But  so  great  is  the  blindness  of  men,  such  are  their  prejudices, 
that  when  this  is  done  to  their  hand  by  Him  who  spake  as 
never  man  spake,  they  overlook  all  the  instruction  that  is  given, 
and  cannot  see  any  part  of  the  character  of  the  godly,  or  the 
least  expression  of  true  piety,  in  the  words,  but  think  they 
rather  express  the  heart  of  a  friend  to  sin,  an  enemy  to  God, 
and  an  obstinate  opposer  of  his  wonderful  mercy  ofl'ered  to 
sinners  in  Jesus  Christ.  Who  would  expect  to  find  Mr.  M. 
among  these,  who  has  had  so  long  a  time,  and  been  under  so 
many  advantages,  to  find  out  what  is  the  spirit  of  true  Chris- 
tian piety,  and  what  are  the  exercises  of  the  saint  in  his  ap- 
proaches to  God  ? 

But  let  us  attend  to  the  reasons  he  gives  against  the  mean- 
ing and  design  of  this  parable,  which  I  have  endeavored  briefly 
to  establish,  and  in  favor  of  his  ou'n. 

1.  He  says,  "  There  does  not  appear  any  thing  in  the  publi- 
can's prayer  conclusive  of  his  being  a  saint,  no  distinguishing 
character  of  a  saint."  I  am  sorry  this  did  not  appear  to  him, 
since  I  am  sure  nothing  but  prejudice  or  some  worse  cause 
could  prevent  it.     But  enough  of  this  before. 

2.  He  queries  what  instruction  is  here  given  worthy  of  a 
divine  teacher,  if  the  parable  is  understood  in  the  sense  he 
opposes  ?  "  Is  it  that  the  prayer  of  a  saint,  put  up  in  faith,  is 
more  acceptable  to  God  than  the  prayer  of  one  of  the  vilest 
sinners  upon  earth  ?"  * 

*  Why  was  the  Pharisee  one  of  the  greatest  sinners  on  earth  ?  lie  was  a 
reformed  sinner,  and  did  many  duties  from  a  principle  of  seK-love  and  naturs^ 


\ 

466        SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.  M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED. 

Answer.  The  instruction  given  is  very  great,  and  most 
important  and  interesting.  It  does  not  teach  us,  indeed,  what 
prayer  is  most  acceptable  and  pleasing  to  God  for  its  own 
sake,  or  considered  in  itself;  for  in  this  respect  all  sinners  are 
perfectly  on  a  level,  and  the  holiest  prayer  is  no  more  accept- 
able than  any  other.  The  holiest  saint  that  ever  was  is  no 
more  acceptable  to  God  in  his  person  or  offerings  than  the 
vilest  sinner  on  earth,  considered  in  any  other  view  than  as 
united  to  Christ,  and  trusting  in  his  merit  and  righteousness 
alone  to  recommend  his  person  and  offerings;  for  both  are,  in 
any  other  view,  under  the  curse  of  God,  and  proper  objects  of 
the  divine  displeasure  and  abhorrence.  But  our  divine  Teacher 
here  tells  us,  in  a  very  plain,  familiar,  striking  way  and  man- 
ner, what  is  that  character,  and  what  are  those  exercises  in 
which  the  sinner  comes  to  God,  so  as  to  find  acceptance  and 
obtain  mercy  through  a  Mediator,  as  distinguished  from  every 
character,  and  all  the  exercises  which  fail  of  this.  Or  with 
what  temper  and  exercises  the  true  Christian  draws  near  to 
God,  and  lives  by  faith  in  Christ  from  first  to  last;  and  in 
what  true  Christian  humility  and  piety  consist,  as  it  is  dis- 
tinguished from  every  thing  else,  and  points  out  the  only  way 
to  heaven,  in  distinction  from  all  by-paths.  This  I  endeavored 
briefly  to  illustrate  just  now.  Woe  to  him  who  has  not  yet  this 
instruction,  either  from  this  or  some  other  passage  of  Scripture. 

3.  He  asks,  "  Is  this  the  whole  truth  ?  Does  it  agree  with 
the  Scripture  account  m  general  of  the  difference  between  a 
saint  and  a  sinner?"  What  has  been  said  before  is  an  answer 
to  this ;  and  it  is  not  a  little  surprising  that  such  a  question 
could  be  asked.  But  the  next  words  are  more  shocking  still. 
"  Is  it  not  the  character  of  a  saint  to  lift  up  his  eyes  with  his 
heart  to  God  in  prayer ;  to  draw  near  with  full  assurance  of 
faith,  and  come  boldly  to  a  throne  of  grace  ?  All  which  are 
directly  the  reverse  to  the  character  here  given  to  the  poor, 
dejected  publican." 

Answer.     The  publican  had  a  great  degree  of  the  assurance 

conscience.  He  had  tenderness  of  conscience,  and  was  very  exact  and  careful 
to  avoid  all  kno-\\ni  sin,  and  do  all  known  duty.  Why  did  not  God  take  a 
favorable  notice  of  him,  and  express  his  approbation  ?  Mr.  M.  will  say,  per- 
haps, he  trusted  in  his  own  righteousness  to  recommend  him  to  God. 

Ans.  1.  Why  should  he  not  do  this?  How  can  this  he  so  great  a  sin,  since 
this  was,  according  to  Mr.  M.,  worthy  of  God's  favorable  notice  ? 

Ans.  2.  The  awakened,  convinced  sinner  has  as  much  of  this  same  spirit 
and  disposition  as  the  Pharisee  had.  It  is  true,  his  conscience  is  convinced  that 
his  own  righteousness  will  not  avail  for  his  acceptance ;  but  this  is  not  in  his 
favor,  but  rather  against  him,  as  he  continues  of  this  disposition  of  heart,  and 
indulges  it,  under  all  the  light  and  conviction  he  has,  and  is  actually  attempting 
to  recommend  himself  by  his  own  righteousness  and  doings ;  this  being  as 
agreeable  to  his  heart  as  it  was  to  the  Pharisee ;  and  his  heart  opposes  the  way 
of  acceptance  by  a  Mediator,  at  least  as  much  as  the  jPharisee  did. 


SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED.        467 

of  faith,  which  consisted  in  trusting  in  the  mercy  of  God, 
while  his  great  sinfuhiess  was  in  full  view.  There  is  no  true 
assurance  of  faith  but  this ;  and  he  was  bold  indeed  to  come 
to  God  for  mercy  and  make  this  his  only  refuge,  bringing 
nothing  in  himself  but  sin,  and  a  clear  and  affecting  view  of 
his  amazing  infinite  guilt  and  vileness.  This  is  all  the  true 
Christian  boldness  that  ever  any  one  had  or  exercised  in  coming 
to  the  throne  of  grace.  There  is  no  other  boldness  but  that 
of  the  Pharisee,  set  in  direct  opposition  to  this  of  the  publican. 
He  who  does  not  like  and  exercise  the  boldness  at  the  throne 
of  grace  which  is  described  in  the  character  of  the  publican, 
but  exercises  another  sort  of  boldness  before  God,  has  cer- 
tainly nothing  but  a  pharisaical  boldness,  whatever  name  he 
may  call  it  by.  I  see  not  why  Mr.  M.  should  not  like  the 
Pharisee  as  a  saint,  had  he  not  been  called  by  so  bad  a  name, 
and  expressly  condemned  by  our  Savior.  I  am  confident  he 
had  that  very  boldness  which  Mr.  M.  means  by  Christian 
boldness,  so  far  as  his  idea  of  it  differs  from  that  which  appears 
in  the  publican ;  and  I  know  not  why  Mr.  M.  cannot  well  say 
and  do  just  as  the  Pharisee  did,  only  call  it  humble  boldness 
instead  of  proud  boasting.  The  publican  is  said  not  so  much 
as  to  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  not  to  denote  dejection,  but 
humility  and  faith,  in  opposition  to  the  pride  and  boldness  of 
the  Pharisee;  even  that  Christian  humility,  without  which  there 
is  no  true  confidence  and  boldness  at  the  throne  of  grace. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Mr.  M.  daily  makes  this  prayer  and 
comes  to  the  throne  of  grace  with  that  very  faith  and  bold- 
ness which  is  recommended  in  the  character  of  the  publican, 
and  that  he  has  been  advancing  in  this  for  many  years,  how- 
ever unaccountably  he  has  overlooked  it  on  this  occasion,  and 
wrote  in  such  a  manner  that  I  know  not  how  the  humble 
Christian  can  read  it  and  enter  into  the  true  spirit  of  it,  with- 
out being  surprised  and  shocked  in  a  manner  that  is  not  easily 
expressed. 

4.  He  says,  though  "this  man  went  down  to  his  house 
justified,"  i.  e.,  actually  accepted  and  pardoned,  it  does  not 
follow  that  he  was  so  when  he  prayed;  but  he  might  be  con- 
verted soon  after,  even  before  he  got  down  to  his  house.  This 
is,  therefore,  no  evidence  that  he  did  not  make  an  unconverted 
prayer;  and  is  so  far  from  being  against  his  sense  of  the  par- 
able, that  it  strongly  supports  it,  and  shows  the  efficacy  and 
success  of  the  prayers  of  the  unconverted,  so  is  an  instance 
more  to  his  purpose. 

Answer.  Christ  here  exhibits  a  character  in  the  publican, 
and  these  words  are  predicated  of  this  character  and  nothing 
else,  and  are  the  most  express  assertion,  that  they  who  have 


468        SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    IM.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED. 

this  character  are  accepted  and  justified  ;  and  they  who,  be- 
cause they  like  not  this  character,  will  imagine  and  form 
another  quite  different  one,  about  which  Christ  says  not  one 
word,  and  apply  these  words  to  that,  are  very  presumptuous, 
and  set  their  own  wisdom  up  above  that  of  a  divine  Teacher. 
They  who  take  this  liberty  will  make  wild  steerage  indeed. 

The  words  immediately  following,  which  Mr.  M.  has  entirely 
neglected,  are  worthy  of  particular  notice.  "  For  every  one 
that  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  and  every  one  that  hura- 
bleth  himself  shall  be  exalted."  These  words  fix  the  sense  of 
the  parable,  if  nothing  else  did.  The  Pharisee  exalted  himself; 
the  publican  humbled  himself,  therefore  was  justified  and  ex- 
alted. Here  Christ  does  in  the  most  express  manner  declare 
that  all  who  are  of  the  character  exhibited  in  the  publican,  and 
do  as  he  did,  do  humble  themselves,  and  shall  be  exalted. 
Here,  then,  Mr.  M.  has  again  found  an  absolute  promise  of 
salvation  to  his  humble,  unregenerate  sinner;  and  must,  ac- 
cording to  his  interpretation,  hold  to  such  promises.  We 
might  from  this,  and  other  instances  of  the  like  kind,  safely 
conclude  he  had  renounced  the  book  he  formerly  wrote  to  prove 
the  contrary,  had  he  not  mentioned  it  in  his  preface  to  this 
with  approbation,  and  thanked  me  for  espousing  the  same 
cause,  and  finishing  the  debate.  But  as  the  case  now  stands, 
it  is  a  glaring  instance,  among  many  others,  of  the  most  gross 
inconsistency  with  himself. 

Mr.  M.,  through  his  whole  book,  and  in  the  passage  I  am 
now  upon,  frequently  speaks  of  his  awakened  sinner  as  the 
humble  sinner,  and  often  as  legally  humbled.  This  is  not  a 
Scripture  expression,  and  it  is  difficult  to  know  what  he  means 
by  it,  unless  it  be  true  humility,  or  else  something  directly  con- 
trary to  it.  The  Scripture  every  where  speaks  of  the  humble 
person  as  one  who,  by  his  humility,  is  distinguished  from  the 
ungodly,  and  as  one  who  is  interested  in  God's  favor,  as  our 
Savior  does  in  the  words  under  consideration.* 

I  pass  to  another  passage  in  this  remarkable  note.  Mr.  M. 
undertakes  to  represent  the  state  of  an  unregenerate  sinner, 
with  respect  to  his  desires  of  the  salvation  oft'ered  in  the  gos- 
pel, by  a  person  who  has  a  mortification,  so  that  it  is  neces- 
sary the  limb  should  be  cut  off  in  order  to  save  his  life.  In 
this  case,  from   his  love  and  desire  of  life,  he  on  the  whole 

*  Ahab  and  Rehoboam  and  the  princes  of  Israel  arc  said  to  humble  them- 
selves. (2  Chron.  xii.  6-7.)  But  this  has  reference  only  to  their  external  con- 
duct ;  the  appearance  and  profession  of  true  humility  -which  they  put  on,  and 
not  to  any  tiling  in  their  hearts.  If  they  had  really  and  heartily  humbled 
themselves,  they  would  have  been  exalted  and  saved  forever ;  but  as  they  did 
this  only  externally,  God  gave  them  an  answerable  external  deliverance,  and 
that  only. 


SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED.         469 

earnestly  desires,  and  cheerfully  submits  to  the  operation. 
This,  Mr.  M.  says,  is  "  a  plain  simile."  I  answer,  it  is  not 
so,  nor  at  all  to  the  purpose,  unless  the  unregenerate  do  on  the 
whole  desire  the  salvation  which  the  gospel  off'ers  —  yea,  de- 
sire it  as  a  man  in  danger  of  death  desires  life,  and  do  cheer- 
fully submit  to  the  terms  of  salvation,  and  actually  choose  and 
embrace  Christ  and  his  righteousness  as  oftered  in  the  gospel, 
in  order  to  escape  damnation. 

Mr.  Mills's  notion  of  faith  is,  I  think,  worthy  of  special  re- 
mark. He  does  not  undertake  to  describe  faith,  and  particu- 
larly show  what  it  is,  but  he  repeatedly  suggests  what  may 
lead  us  to  his  notion  of  it.  He,  speaking  of  persons  insisting 
that  the  unregenerate  are  required  to  pray  in  faith,  adds,  "  A 
thing  as  impossible  in  nature  as  for  the  same  thing  to  be  and 
not  to  be  at  the  same  time  ;  not  only  because  faith  implies 
regeneration,  but  also  because  there  is  no  promise  for  the  un- 
regenerate to  ground  their  faith  upon,  as  the  author  has  abun- 
dantly proved""  And  again,  speaking  of  the  same  thing,  he 
says,  "  Besides,  what  have  the  unregenerate,  while  such,  to 
ground  an  act  of  faith  in  prayer  upon,  since,  as  the  author  hath 
well  proved,  they  have  no  title  to  any  of  the  promises  ?" 

What  is  faith,  then,  acccording  to  him  ?  Why,  plainly  this, 
a  person's  really  believing  that  God  has  promised  life  and  sal- 
vation to  him,  or  that  he  has  an  interest  in  the  divine  promises ; 
for  if  faith  was  any  thing  else  but  this,  a  person  might  believe 
before  he  has  any  promise  made  to  him,  or  is  interested  in  any 
promise ;  which  Mr.  M.  here  says  he  cannot,  and  that  it  is  as 
impossible  as  for  the  same  thing  to  be  and  not  to  be  at  the 
same  time. 

It  follows  from  this  that  sinners  must  be  interested  in  the 
promises  before  it  is  possible  for  them  to  believe  or  do  any 
thing  in  faith.  For  if  there  is  no  promise  made  to  any  thing 
lower  than  faith,  and  short  of  that,  so  that  the  sinner  may  be 
interested  in  the  promise  before  he  believes,  he  never  can  be- 
lieve, because  in  order  to  his  exercising  faith  he  must  be  en- 
titled to  the  promise.  But  Mr.  M.  agrees,  and  has  earnestly 
contended,  that  there  is  no  such  promise.  Therefore,  according 
to  him  it  is  absolutely  impossible,  as  impossible  as  that  the 
same  thing  should  be  and  not  be  at  the  same  time ;  that 
there  ever  should  be  any  such  thing  as  faith  exercised  by  any 
in  this  world,  whether  regenerate  or  unregenerate,  for  none  have 
a  title  to  any  promise  before  they  believe. 

It  also  hence  follows  that  it  is  not  the  duty  of  the  unregen- 
erate to  believe,  and  so  not  their  duty  to  exercise  any  true 
holiness ;  nor  are  they  in  the  least  to  blame  for  the  neglect  of 
all  this,  it  being  absolutely  impossible  to  them.  And  if  faith 
VOL.  III.  40 


470         SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED. 

and  repentance  are  not  their  duty,  unbelief  and  impenitence 
are  no  sin.  No  wonder,  then,  Mr.  M.  has  espoused  the  cause 
of  the  poor,  innocent,  unregenerate  against  me,  who  had 
charged  tliem  with  great  guilt  and  vileness  in  continuing  im- 
penitent unbelievers,  and  had  represented  this  as  the  greatest 
sin  of  which  they  could  be  guilty.  This  is  perfectly  wrong 
and  abusive,  if  his  account  of  faith  is  right.  And  no  wonder 
he  is  zealous  to  find  abundance  of  unregenerate  duties  to  be 
done,  for,  according  to  him,  nothing  is  their  duty;  and  if  they 
have  no  unregenerate  duty  to  do,  they  have  nothing  to  do,  and 
nothing  is  required  of  them ;  it  being  most  unreasonable  and 
absurd  to  call  upon  them  to  repent  and  believe. 

But  if  faith  is  a  cordial  belief  of  the  truth  of  divine  revela- 
tion, or  seeing  them  to  be  what  they  are  with  approbation  of 
heart,  so  that  nothing  is  wanting  in  order  to  this  but  a  right 
taste  and  temper  of  mind,  or  a  wise  and  understanding  heart, 
then  this  is  the  duty  of  all,  for  the  neglect  of  which  none  have 
the  least  excuse;  and  all  may  be  most  reasonably  called  upon 
to  believe,  and  threatened  with  God's  highest  displeasure  and 
eternal  ddm nation  if  they  neglect  it.  But  if  Mr.  M.'s  account 
of  faith  is  right,  none  of  these  things  are  true.  Who  can  at- 
tend to  this,  and  many  other  things  which  Mr.  M.  has  said 
agreeable  to  it,  and  not  think  that  at  bottom  he  believes  the 
unregenerate  are  not  at  all  to  blame  for  unbelief,  or  any  thing 
in  which  unregeneracy  consists,  even  though  he  has  never  ex- 
pressly asserted  it,  and  has  more  than  once  granted  the  con- 
trary ?  But  1  pass  to  another  thing,  which  is  worthy  of  par- 
ticular notice. 

Mr.  Mills,  after  he  has  said  much  to  prove  that  the  unregen- 
erate are  commanded  to  do  unregenerate  duty,  at  length  desires 
it  may  be  noted  to  prevent  mistakes  and  objections,  "  that  in 
what  has  been  or  may  be  said  of  the  unregenerate's  being  re- 
quired to  pray,  etc.,  he  would  be  understood  to  mean  such  of 
the  unregenerate  as  are  visibly  related  to  God  in  covenant;  at 
least,  admitted  by  baptism,  and  thereby  being  trained  up 
under  the  advantages  of  the  gospel,  laid  under  solemn  vows 
to  deny  ungodliness,  etc.  These,  all  these,  whether  regen- 
erate or  unregenerate,  are  required  to  pray  and  attend  on  all 
other  religious  and  Christian  duties,  as  above." 

He  keeps  this  in  view,  and  reminds  the  reader  near  twenty 
times,  as  a  matter  of  great  importance  to  be  observed,  that  he 
is  speaking  of  "God's  covenant  people,"  —  his  "visible  cove- 
nant people,  visibly  related  to  God  in  covenant." 

It  is  difficult,  I  think,  to  know  what  he  means  by  this.  But 
let  his  meaning  be  what  it  will,  it  does  not  appear  to  what 
purpose   he   makes   this  observation,  or  what  mistakes   and 


SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED.        471 

objections  it  tends  to  prevent.     Does  he  mean  to  exclude  all 
others  from  any  obligations  to  do  duty,  and  as  not  being  re- 
quired to  do  any  duty  at  all?     It  seems  he  does ;  but  for  what 
reason?     If  his  arguuients  prove  that  there  are  unregenerate 
duties  required  of  any,  they  equally  prove  they  are  required  of 
all,  whether  visibly  in  covenant  or  not.     Has  Mr.  M.  nothing  to 
say  to  others  ?     Must  not  they  be  required  to  attend  on  means, 
pray,  and  do  other  duties  ?     Must  they  be   left  to  abandon 
themselves  to  all  wickedness,  and  have  nothing  required  of 
them  ?     What  does   he  mean  by  this  distinction  ?     Does  he 
suppose  that  none  are  under  any  obligation  to  any  duty  un- 
til they  of  their  own  accord  enter  into  covenant  with  God,  and 
solemn  engagements  and  vows  to  do  it  ?     If  there  are  any  com- 
mands requiring  something  to  be  done  by  the  unregenerate 
while  they  continue  such,  being  impenitent  enemies  to  God, 
no  reason  can  be  given  why  all  such,  whether  "  visibly  related 
to  God  in  covenant"  or  not,  are  not  required  to  do  these  duties. 
But  why  does  he  say,  "  These  are  required  to  pray  and  at- 
tend other  religious  duties  "  ?     What  he  asserts  and  atterripts 
to  prove  is,  tliat  they  are  required  to  do  unchristian  duties ; 
duties  which  persons  are  to  do,  not  with  a  Christian,  but  with 
a  perfectly  unchristian  spirit ;  not  as  Christians,  but  as  ene- 
mies to  Christ.    And  how  can  these  be  called  Christian  duties? 
By  those  who  are  "  visibly  related  to  God  in  covenant "  he 
means,  I  conclude,  if  the  words  have  any  meaning,  those  who 
have  entered  into  covenant  with   God,  by  professedly  giving 
themselves  up  to  him  as  his  friends  and  servants,  to  be  obe- 
dient to  him  in  all  things  as  his  people  and  servants,  and  as 
the  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ.     None  but  such  are  visibly  re- 
lated to  God  in  covenant.     None  but  such  put  on  the  profes- 
sion and  appearance  of  God's  people,  nor  are  in  appearance 
(which  I  suppose  is  the  same  with  being  visibly  so)  in  cove- 
nant with  God.     But  such  are  in  appearance  and  profession, 
or  visibly,  not  unregenerate,  but  true  Christians.     It  is  expect- 
ed of  these  that  they  will  do  the  duties  which  Christ  requires 
of  his  people,  and  attend  on  all  his  institutions  and  ordinances, 
and  walk  agreeably  to  their  profession  and  vows.     So  far  as 
they  visibly  fail  of  this  they  come  short  of  the  character  of 
those  who  are  "visibly  related  to  God  in  covenant."     It  is, 
therefore,  impossible  that  he  who  is  visibly  unregenerate  can 
be  of  God's  visible  covenant  people,  as  impossible  as  it  is  that 
one  should  be  a  true  Christian  in  appearance  and  profession 
who  at  the  same  time  appears  to  be  an  open  enemy  to  Christ. 
There  is,  therefore,  the  greatest  absurdity  in  addressing  and 
teaching  those  who  are  "  visibly  related  to  God  in  covenant," 
as  though  they  were  unregenerate,  and  appeared  to  be  so,  or 


472        SEVERAL    PASSAGES    IN    MR.    M.'s    BOOK    CONSIDERED. 

directing  and  exhorting  them  to  unregenerate  duties.  There- 
fore, if  jsuch  directions  and  requirements  are  made  to  any,  they 
must  be  made  to  the  visibly  unregenerate,  and  not  to  those 
who  are  God's  visible  covenant  people,  or  the  visible  friends 
and  servants  of  Christ.  Mr.  M.  is  therefore  so  far  from  "  pre- 
venting mistakes  and  removing  objections"  in  these  words, 
that  he  has  himself  made  as  gross  a  mistake  as  he  well  could, 
and  opened  a  door  to  the  greatest  objections,  while  he  confines 
unregenerate  duties  to  the  visibly  regenerate,  and  at  the  same 
time  calls  them  Christian  duties,  and  excludes  all  the  visibly 
unregenerate,  to  whom  alone  exhortations  and  commands  to 
unregenerate  duties  can  be  made,  if  to  any,  as  not  being  the 
proper  subjects  of  such  exhortations  and  commands.  The 
covenant  of  grace,  the  Christian  covenant,  by  entering  into 
which  men  become  "  visibly  related  to  God  in  covenant,"  pro- 
poses and  requires  no  duties  to  be  done  by  them,  as  visibly 
unregenerate  and  enemies  to  God,  but  Christian  duties,  which 
are  incumbent  on  them  as  Christians.  Their  entering  into 
this  covenant,  therefore,  lays  them  under  no  obligations  to  act 
as  the  unregenerate,  and  do  duties  as  such,  but  the  contrary. 
If  they  might,  before  this,  while  visibly  unregenerate,  be  exhort- 
ed and  commanded  to  do  unregenerate  duties,  they  cannot  now ; 
upon  their  becoming  visible  saints,  and  visibly  related  to  God  in 
covenant,  they  are  to  be  treated  as  saints,  and  not  as  unre- 
generate ;  and  the  duties  of  the  Christian  covenant,  which  they 
are  to  do  in  the  character  of  Christians,  are  to  be  inculcated 
on  them,  and  no  other. 

Mr.  M.,  however,  appears  to  be  of  a  different  opinion.  He 
thinks  the  unregenerate  may  sincerely  and  heartily  enter  into 
covenant  with  God  and  do  Christian  duty  with  no  better  a 
heart  than  they  have,  and  not  pretend,  profess,  or  engage  any 
thing  more  than  an  unregenerate  person  may  heartily  do  con- 
sistent with  his  being  unregenerate  and  appearing  to  be  so. 
However  inconsistent  this  is  in  itself,  it  is  in  a  measure  con- 
sistent with  Mr.  M.'s  notion  of  the  unregenerate,  under  awaken- 
ings and  convictions  of  conscience.  He  considers  them  to  be 
so  humble,  penitent,  and  obedient,  so  well  disposed  towards 
their  duty,  and  desirous  and  inclined  to  obey  and  serve  God,  and 
do  all  that  they  can,  and  as  little  or  nothing  to  blame  for  not 
embracing  the  gospel  or  doing  any  thing  that  implies  regen- 
eration and  saving  conversion,  that  it  is  no  wonder  he  thinks 
they  may  heartily  give  themselves  to  God  with  a  desire  to 
serve  him  and  do  all  their  duty,  waiting  on  God  in  this  way 
to  do  that  for  them  which  they  (poor  innocent  creatures)  can- 
not work  in  themselves,  which  they  would  be  glad  with  all 
their  hearts  to  do,  if  it  was  in  their  power.     AH  who  have 


•  SEVERAL  PASSAGES  IN  MR.  M.'s  BOOK  CONSIDERED.    473 

such  notions  of  the  unregenerate  naturally  talk  of  their  cov- 
enanting with  God  and  being  his  visible  covenant  people, 
while  they  are  visibly  unregenerate,  and  think  the  unconverted 
may  sincerely  and  properly  do  and  be  all  this,  and  heartily  per- 
form many  duties  which  are  required  of  them,  with  much  more 
such  like  jargon. 

But  they  who  consider  the  unregenerate  as  impenitent  and 
obstinate  enemies  to  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  who  with  all  their 
hearts  oppose  and  reject  the  gospel,  for  which  they  have  no 
excuse,  but  are  as  voluntary  and  as  wholly  blamable  in  this 
as  in  any  external  acts  of  sin,  and  that  these  external  acts, 
such  as  lying  and  profane  swearing,  derive  all  their  odiousness 
and  blame  from  this  sinfulness  of  heart,  and  as  being  fruits  of 
it;  and  that  unregeneracy  itself,  or  that  in  which  it  consists,  is 
a  most  odious,  blamable,  scandalous  wickedness,  and  that  no 
external  overt  act  of  sin  is  properly  scandalous  in  any  other 
view  than  as  an  evidence  and  fruit  of  the  former ;  —  I  say,  they 
who  view  things  in  this  light,  and  have  this  notion  of  the 
unregenerate,  which  I  have  before  endeavored  to  show  is  the 
true  one,  will  never  talk  in  the  language  of  Mr.  M.,  whicji  I 
am  considering.  They  have  no  notion  that  covenanting  with 
God,  and  being  God's  visible  covenant  people,  is  so  consistent 
with  the  character  of  the  unregenerate  that  they  have  any  right 
externally  to  enter  into  this  covenant.  They  are  sensible  that 
s«ch  an  appearance  and  profession  and  visible  covenant  rela- 
tion to  God  becomes  none  but  the  true  Christian ;  and  if  the 
unregenerate  take  on  them  this  appearance  and  profession, 
they  he  to  God  and  man  in  a  most  aggravated  and  shocking 
manner;  are  guilty  of  mocking  God,  and  of  gross  hypocrisy; 
and  so  do  that  which  is  much  more  vile  and  provoking  in 
God's  sight  than  no  profession,  or  pretence  to  that  which  im- 
plies love  to  duty  and  to  God;  and  they  know  the  unregenerate 
do  not  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  live  soberly 
and  righteously  in  this  world,  unless  it  be  in  appearance  and 
pretence,  which  is  most  contrary  to  the  truth,  and  the  worst 
sort  of  lying. 

I  shall  conclude  this  section  with  observing  that  Mr.  M.  has, 
in  the  latter  part  of  his  book,  a  great  deal  to  say  about  "  some 
that  are,  or  have  been,  public  teachers."  He  charges  those  with 
holding  several  things  which  I  should  think  did  not  concern  me, 
were  it  not  that  I  am  somehow  blended  with  them,  as  if  we 
were  one  and  the  same.  I  know  not  what  right  Mr.  M.  had  to 
do  this.  I  have  no  connection  with  them,  that  I  know  of,  nor 
do  I  think  I  am  obliged  to  answer  for  what  they  have  said.  It 
is  enough  if  I  can  answer  for  myself. 

I  have  heard  there  have  been  some  religious  jars  and  con- 
40* 


474  MR.  M.'s    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF. 

tentions  of  late  years  in  the  county  in  which  Mr.  M.  lives,  and 
one  or  two  ministers  have  been  deposed  in  the  tumult.  These 
things  he  attributes  to  the  "  new  divinity"  which  he  often  men- 
tions, and  to  "  some  who  are,  or  have  been,  public  teachers." 
These,  it  seems,  have  raised  disputes  to  the  greatest  height, 
divided  towns,  broke  societies  and  churches,  "  alienated  affec- 
tion among  dear  brethren,"  etc.  Mr.  M.  has  himself  been  very 
zealous  and  active  in  these  affairs ;  and  it  has  been  thought 
by  many  that  he,  with  some  of  his  brethren  who  joined  with 
him,  have  overacted  their  parts,  and  have  been  themselves 
very  much  the  blamable  cause  of  these  divisions  and  breaches, 
which  might  have  been  prevented  or  healed,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure at  least,  had  they  conducted  with  that  prudence  and 
judgment,  that  brotherly  tenderness  and  caution,  which  be- 
came them. 

But  be  this  as  it  may,  I  see  not  what  connection  these 
things  have  with  any  thing  I  have  wrote.  They  took  place 
chiefly  before  my  section  on  means  was  published,  and  "  those 
who  are,  or  have  been,  public  teachers,"  if  I  can  guess  who  they 
are,  have  been  as  far  from  approving  that  section  as  Mr.  M. 
himself;  and  I  think  his  jumbling  these  things  together  as 
he  has  done  has  no  tendency  to  give  light  in  the  controversy 
between  him  and  me,  but  is  suited  to  lead  those  who  have 
not  been  particularly  acquainted  with  these  matters  into  a 
mistake. 

SECTION    IV. 

Mr.  Mills's  Inconsistencies  with  himself. 

A  NUMBER  of  these  have  been  mentioned  and  particularly 
pointed  out  in  the  foregoing  sections ;  I  shall  just  mention 
them  here,  under  the  head  of  inconsistencies,  and  point  out 
others  which  have  not  been  considered. 

I.  He  insists  that  internal  light  and  conviction  of  con- 
science does  not  aggravate  the  guilt  of  the  sinner;  and  yet  he 
represents  sinning  against  the  light  of  conscience  as  the  great 
and  chief  aggravation  of  the  sinner's  guilt,  and  says,  "  It  is 
readily  granted  that  he  that  sins  against  a  greater  degree  of 
light  is,  in  that  respect,  a  greater  sinner." 

II.  Though  he  grants  that  he  who  sins  against  a  greater 
degree  of  light  is,  in  that  respect,  a  greater  sinner,  and  that  sins 
against  the  light  of  conscience  are  the  greatest  sins,  yet  he 
represents  him  to  be  the  greatest  sinner  whose  conscience  is 
perfectly  blind  and  stupid. 

IIL    He  says  the  greater  sinfulness  of  the  inhabitants  of 


MR.    M.'s    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF.  475 

Betbsaida,  by  which  they  were  worse  than  the  Tyrians  and 
Sidonians,  consisted  in  their  not  being  brought  to  legal 
repentance  and  external  reformation,  by  the  preaching  of  Christ 
and  his  mighty  works  ;  and  yet  he  elsewhere  says  these  very 
persons  did  repent  and  reform  under  the  preaching  of  John  the 
Baptist,  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  by  the  mighty  works  done 
among  them. 

IV.  He  insists  upon  the  necessity  of  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  in  order  to  bring  men  to  an  awakened,  convinced 
state,  or  to  what  he  calls  legal  repentance  and  humiliation. 
And  yet  he  supposes  the  Tyrians  and  Sidonians  would  have 
been  actually  brought  to  this  without  any  such  influence,  and 
by  the  bare  use  of  the  external  means  which  the  Jews  enjoyed, 
and  that  Christ  himself  asserts  this. 

V.  He  quotes  the  words  of  the  Westminster  and  Savoy 
confessions  with  approbation,  in  which  it  is  said,  "  the  works 
done  by  the  unregenerate  cannot  please  God."  And  yet  he 
says  of  Ahab,  Jehu,  and  the  Israelites  at  Mount  Sinai,  who 
were  unregenerate,  that  God  took  a  favorable  notice  of  their 
works,  and  gave  his  express  approbation  of  them. 

VI.  In  what  he  says  concerning  the  scribe,  he  supposes  that 
a  person  cannot  be  said  to  be  near,  or  not  far  from  the  king- 
dom of  God,  on  account  of  his  right  speculative  knowledge. 
In  direct  contradiction  to  this,  he  says  elsewhere,  "  It  is  evident 
and  certain  that  every  degree  of  knowledge  that  is  necessary 
in  order  to  a  state  of  grace  and  salvation  brings  them  in  state 
one  degree  nearer  to  it." 

VII.  He  says  I  have  not  so  much  as  once  mentioned  the 
sinner's  breaking  off  from  his  sins,  as  that  whereby  he  is  more 
in  the  way  of  mercy  than  going  on  in  them.  And  yet  he  re- 
peatedly says  that  in  my  account  of  what  renders  a  sinner 
more  likely  to  be  saved,  reformation  of  life,  to  the  highest  de- 
gree the  unregenerate  are  capable  of,  a  diligent  attendance  on 
means,  and  all  there  is  in  a  common  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
are  implied. 

VIII.  He  calls  my  sense  of  Luke  xiii.  24  a  neio  sense,  and 
at  the  same  time  represents  it  as  the  Arminian  sense  ;  and  it 
appears  to  have  been  his  own  sense  above  twenty  years  ago, 
if  he  was  then  consistent  with  himself. 

IX.  He  insists  upon  it  that  the  doctrine  that  impenitent 
unbelievers  grow  more  guilty  and  vile  in  the  use  of  means  under 
awakenings  and  convictions  has  a  very  bad  tendency,  and  is 
matter  of  great  discouragement  to  a  painful  attendance  on 
means,  and  encouragement  to  sinners  to  abandon  themselves 
to  carelessness  and  vice.  Yet  he  says  that  their  appearing  to 
themselves  to  grow  worse,  which  is  commonly,  if  not  always, 


476  MR.    M.'S    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF. 

the  case  with  those  under  genuine  convictions,  is  no  matter  of 
discouragement,  but  the  contrary.  The  latter  is  in  direct  con- 
tradiction to  the  former;  for,  if  their  looking  on  themselves  as 
growing  worse  is  no  matter  of  discouragement  to  them,  then 
their  really  growing  worse  cannot  be  so. 

X.  Though  he  insists  much  upon  it,  that  God  requires 
duties  of  the  unregenerate  which  they  are  to  do  as  such,  and 
which  are  to  be  done  without  the  exercise  of  any  true  holiness 
or  goodness,  yet  in  the  midst  of  all  this  he  turns  right  against 
himself,  and  says,  God  requires  good  duties,  gospel  holiness; 
and  that  God  does  not  abate  his  demands  of  sinners  by  reason 
of  their  "  prevalent  indisposition  of  heart  and  disinclination  of 
will  to  do  right ; "  that  "  God  does  not  make  the  depraved  will 
of  the  creature  the  rule  of  his  duty ;  but,  on  the  dreadful  pen- 
alty of  damnation,  requires  him  to  reach  the  appointed  end. 
Make  you  a  new  heart,  and  a  new  spirit ;  for  why  will  ye  die  ?  " 
That  God  does  not  require  these  duties  as  they  come  marred 
out  of  their  hands.  And  yet  he  says,  in  the  same  page,  God 
does  require  them  as  they  come  out  of  their  hands,  because 
they  are  less  sinful  than  the  omission  of  them  would  be. 

XL  Mr.  M.  is  a  zealous  asserter  that  there  is  not  one 
promise  in  the  whole  Bible  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate; 
yet,  in  direct  contradiction  to  this,  he  represents  them  as  doing 
that  to  which  express  promises  are  made,  and  applies  such 
promises  to  them. 

XII.  He  speaks  of  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts, 
etc.,  as  the  fruit  and  exercise  of  holiness,  which  the  unregen- 
erate never  attain  to.  But,  in  contradiction  to  this,  he  else- 
where represents  the  unregenerate  as  doing  all  this. 

XIII.  He  asserts  that  many  under  the  gospel  are  under  a 
natural  impossibility  of  believing,  and  therefore  cannot  be  re- 
quired to  believe  at  present.  But,  directly  contrary  to  this,  he 
elsewhere  asserts  that  all  these  are  required  to  pray  in  faith ; 
to  make  them  a  new  heart,  and  turn  to  God  and  believe,  on 
pain  of  damnation. 

XIV.  He  represents  the  unregenerate  as  not  required  to  do 
any  thing,  if  they  are  not  required  to  do  unregenerate  duties, 
"iet,  contrary  to  this,  he  repeatedly  says  the  unregenerater  are 
required  to  be  holy,  and  to  do  duty  in  a  right  and  holy  manner, 
as  has  been  just  now  observed. 

XV.  He  says,  "  The  utmost  attainments  of  the  unregener- 
ate have  nothing  in  them  pleasing  to  God,  nothing  that  can 
recommend  them  to  his  favor."  He  also  says  that  these  very 
attainments  have  something  in  them  of  which  God  takes  a 
favorable  notice,  and  which  have  his  express  approbation. 

XVI.  He  insists  upon  it  that  they  who  have  no  light  and 


MR.    M.'S    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF.  477 

conviction  of  conscience  have  as  much  to  answer  for,  and  are 
as  guilty  in  God's  sight,  as  they  who  have  this  in  the  greatest 
degree.  Yet,  directly  contrary  to  this,  he  says,  "  It  is  readily 
granted  that  he  that  sins  against  a  greater  degree  of  light  is, 
in  that  respect,  a  greater  sinner."  And  that  light  and  convic- 
tion of  conscience  "  is  a  great  and  precious  favor  from  God, 
and  endearing  grounds  of  thankfulness ; "  consequently,  if 
abused,  renders  a  person  more  guilty  than  if  he  had  it  not. 

XVII.  He  represents  the  awakened,  convinced  sinner  as 
reforming  all  known  sin,  and  as  coming  up  to  all  known  duty. 
But  he  elsewhere  represents  such  as  seeing  themselves  guilty 
of  more  sin  than  they  were  sensible  of  before ;  the  law  comes, 
and  sin  revives ;  and  says,  "  The  great  impurity  and  sinful- 
ness attending  the  sinner's  best  duties,  after  his  utmost  efforts, 
is  the  very  means  God  is  wont  to  make  use  of  to  humble 
them."  How  can  they  see  the  great  sinfulness  of  their  best 
duties,  when  they  avoid  all  known  sin,  and  do  all  known  duty  ? 

XVin.  He  represents  one  end  of  awakenings  and  convic- 
tions to  be  sinners'  being  "fully  convinced  that  in  them  dwells 
no  good  thing."  But  he  elsewhere  says  there  is  some  sort 
and  kind  of  goodness  in  these  attainments  of  the  unregen- 
erate.  How,  then,  can  they  be  "  fully  convinced  that  there  is 
no  good  thing  in  them"? 

XIX.  He  says  the  unregenerate  are  required  to  break  off 
from  all  known  sin,  and  every  thing  in  the  way  of  embracing 
Christ,  even  the  secret  pride  of  the  heart.  This  is  certainly  to 
come  out  of  a  state  of  sin,  which,  in  the  preceding  page,  he 
says  is  not  required  to  be  done  antecedent  to  faith  in  Christ, 
or  "  otherwise  than  by  the  medium  of  the  gospel,  in  the  way 
of  faith." 

XX.  He  represents  the  streams  to  be  nothing  to  the  foun- 
tain ;  the  acting  out  of  sin  to  be  as  nothing  to  the  fountain  of 
sin  in  the  heart.  This  is  directly  contrary  to  w^hat  he  says  of 
the  reformed  sinner,  as  being  on  this  account  only  so  much 
less  guilty  and  vile  than  others,  or  than  he  was  before,  even  so 
as  to  become  in  a  great  degree  innocent.  And  he  insists  that 
such  external  reformations,  or  cutting  off  these  streams  of  ex- 
ternal sin,  are  of  so  great  account  as  to  overbalance  the  ag- 
gravated guilt  which  such  contract  by  continuing  in  unbelief 
and  rejection'  of  the  gospel  under  all  the  greater  light  they 
now  have. 

XXI.  Mr.  M.  blames  me  much  for  speaking  of  any  end  to 
be  answered  by  the  use  of  means  by  the  unregenerate  which 
is  short  of  saving  grace,  or  true  holiness,  and  says  that  God 
requires  them  to  attend  on  means  to  this  end.  But  when  he 
comes  to  tell  what  end  means  answer,  and  to  what  end  God 


478  MR.  M.'S    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF. 

commands  sinners  to  attend,  he  gives  a  different  and  contrary 
account  of  tiie  matter,  and  says  the  end  the  use  of  means 
answers  to  them  is,  to  convince  them  of  their  sinfuhiess  and 
humble  them,  etc. ;  and  that  "  they  are  not  required  to  God's 
gracious  acceptance,  but  to  other  wise  and  holy  purposes, 
worthy  of  God,  such  as  the  advancement  of  his  declarative 
glory  in  the  world,"  etc. 

XXII.  Mr.  M.  is  guilty  of  contradiction  in  representing  the 
Pharisee,  who  went  up  to  the  temple  to  pray,  as  one  of  the 
vilest  sinners  on  earth,  merely  because  he  trusted  in  himself 
that  he  was  righteous,  and  thought  himself  better  than  others, 
while  he  himself  insists  upon  it  that  such  who  refrain  from  all 
known  sin,  and  do  all  known  duty,  as  the  Pharisee  did,  are  in 
fact  better  than  others,  and  that  God  takes  a  favorable  notice 
of  them,  and  has  a  peculiar  respect  to  them,  on  this  account; 
and  particularly  represents  the  young  man  who  came  to  Christ 
to  learn  what  good  thing  he  should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life, 
and  was  to  all  appearance  as  self-righteous  as  the  Pharisee, — 
I  say,  represents  him  as  of  so  lovely  a  character  as  to  attract 
Christ's  respect  and  affection.  I  believe  Mr.  M.  will  find  it 
difficult  to  tell  wherein  the  great  difference  lies  in  these  two 
characters,  by  which  the  former  is  the  vilest  sinner  on  earth, 
the  latter  very  desirable  and  amiable. 

To  these  inconsistencies  I  shall  add  several,  in  which  Mr.  M. 
has  been  guilty  of  contradicting  in  his  "  Inquiry  "  what  he  has 
asserted  in  his  former  treatise,  called  "  A  Vindication  of  Gos- 
pel Truth." 

XXIII.  In  his  "  Vindication,"  he,  speaking  of  St.  Peter's 
words  to  Simon  — "  Repent,  and  pray  God,  if  perhaps  the 
thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee,"  says,  "  This 
'  perhaps,'  as  here  used,  imports  indeed  only  a  suspicion  of  the 
truth  of  the  man's  repentance,  and  not  any  doubt  of  God's  for- 
giveness, in  case  his  repentance  were  sincere."  But  in  his  "  In- 
quiry "  he  asserts  the  contrary,  and  builds  his  argument  from 
these  words  on  this  assertion. 

XXIV.  In  his  "  Vindication  "  he  says,  "  The  Scripture  no- 
where puts  mankind  upon  seeking  their  everlasting  happiness 
in  any  other  way  than  that  of  well  doing,  truly  such  in  the 
account  of  God,  i.  e.,  doing  his  commandments  ;"  that  is,  as 
the  unregenerate  never  do,  as  he  explains  his  meaning  in  the 
words  which  I  shall  quote  directly.  This  is  in  direct  contra- 
diction to  great  part  of  his  "  Inquiry,,"  in  which  he  asserts,  and 
labors  abundantly  to  prove,  that  God  requires  unregenerate 
doings,  by  which  men  are  directed  to  seek  their  everlasting 
happiness,  and  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  etc. 

XXV.  He  goes  on  to  say,  in  his  "  Vindication,"  "  Certainly 


MR.  M.'s    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF.  479 

none  will  pretend  that  well  doing  in  the  account  of  God,  or 
(which  is  the  same  thing)  doing  his  commandments,  is  what 
agrees  to  the  unregenerate,  under  the  guilt  and  dominion  of 
sin."  He  has  contradicted  this  two  ways  in  his  "  Inquiry." 
He  has  done  it  by  insisting  that  the  unregenerate  do  God's 
commandments,  and  may  keep  them  perfectly  and  be  in  this 
respect  perfectly  obedient,  while  they  are  under  the  guilt  and 
dominion  of  sin,  even  all  the  commands  to  unregenerate 
doings.  He  also  contradicts  this  by  representing  Jehu  as 
doing  well  in  God's  account,  when  all  that  he  did  is  consid- 
ered and  spoken  of  as  the  doings  of  a  man  unregenerate. 

XXVI.  In  his  "  Vindication  "  he  denies  that  men  are  com- 
manded or  directed  to  ask  any  thing  of  God  in  unbelief,  or  to 
pray  in  any  way  short  of  faith  ;  and  to  support  what  he  asserts, 
quotes  the  words  of  St.  James :  "  But  let  him  ask  in  faith," 
etc.  But  in  his  "  Inquiry  "  he  insists  upon  it,  as  a  very  im- 
portant doctrine,  that  men  are  required  to  pray  in  unbelief,  or 
as  the  unregenerate  do ;  and  he  zealously  asserts  that  these 
words  of  James  are  not  in  the  least  inconsistent  with  this  doc- 
trine, and  by  no  means  prove  that  "  prayer  short  of  a  gracious 
manner  of  performance,"  and  short  of  faith,  "  is  in  no  sense 
required." 

XXVII.  In  his  "Vindication"  he  says,  "  Since  sin  is  the 
predominant  principle  in  the  unrenewed  man,  from  whence  all 
his  actions  must  take  their  principal  denomination  and  have 
their  specification,  how  is  it  possible  for  the  best  doings  of  such 
a  man,  while  under  the  dominion  of  sin,  to  harmonize,  in  any 
degree,  with  the  moral  nature  of  God,  so  as  to  be  approvable 
in  his  sight?  " 

This  he  contradicts  in  his  "  Inquiry,"  two  ways.  First,  by 
saying  that  God  takes  a  favorable  notice  of  the  doings  of  the 
unregenerate,  and  that  they,  as  such,  have  had  his  express  ap- 
probation. Secondly,  by  insisting  upon  it  that  God  commands 
those  doings,  which  necessarily  implies  his  approving  of  them, 
and  is  indeed  the  same  thing ;  and  by  insisting  upon  it  that, 
thpugh  God  commands  these  doings,  he  does  not  command 
that  which  is  sin. 

XXVIII.  In  his  "Vindication"  he  says  the  doings  of  the 
unregenerate  are  displeasing  and  offensive  to  God ;  and  are, 
"in  their  whole  moral  complexion,  infinitely  disagreeable,  and, 
therefore,  displeasing  to  the  divine  purity."  Most  he  says 
about  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  in  his  "  Inquiry,"  is  in 
direct  contradiction  to  this. 

XXIX.  In  his  first  book,  he  asserts  "  there  is  infinite  contra- 
riety between  the  purity  of  the  divine  nature  and  the  polluted 
doings  of  the  most  refined  creature  under  sin's  dominion."    In 


480  MR.  M.'S    INCONSISTENCIES    WITH    HIMSELF. 

his  last  book  he  undertakes  to  show  that  it  is  consistent  with 
the  purity  of  the  divine  nature  to  command  such  doings ;  or, 
which  is  the  same,  approve  of  them. 

XXX.  In  his  "Inquhy"  he  speaks  of  obedience  from  self- 
love  as  required  in  the  Scriptures,  and,  therefore,  a  duty ;  but 
in  his  "  Vindication"  he  speaks  of  selfishness,  or  self-love,  as 
in  direct  opposition  to  that  which  is  right  and  good.  In  this 
view,  he  says,  "  Their  cries  for  mercy  and  their  very  best  devo- 
tions are,  at  bottom,  but  selfish,  carnal,  and  impure  in  God's 
sight.  Here,  according  to  him,  selfishness,  or  self-love,  is  the 
same  with  carnal,  or  the  carnal  mind,  which  is  itself  enmity 
against  God.  But  in  his  last  book  this  is  a  principle  of  obedi- 
ence, which  men  are  commanded  to  exercise. 

XXXI.  In  his  "  Vindication"  he  insists  upon  it,  that  to  rep- 
resent the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  who  are  under  the 
dominion  of  sin,  as  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God,  or  any 
way  tending  to  obtain  his  favor,  (while  they  do  not  come  to 
Christ,  but  reject  him,)  is  most  contrary  to  God's  character  as 
moral  Governor  of  the  world,  and  to  the  whole  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  dwells  upon  this  as  a  matter  of  great  importance;  but  in 
his  "  Inquiry  "  he  has  got  on  the  other  side  of  the  question,  and 
takes  pains  to  show  that  the  doings  of  such,  even  of  Ahab, 
Jehu,  and  the  children  of  Israel  at  Mount  Sinai,  who  were 
under  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  had  no  regard  to  a  Mediator, 
had  God's  express  approbation  and  obtained  his  favorable 
notice,  so  far  as,  out  of  respect  to  these  doings,  to  grant  them 
a  great  salvation. 

The  reader  will  here  observe  how  much  more  orthodox  Mr. 
M.  was  in  these  important  points  when  he  wrote  his  former 
book  than  he  is  now.  If  he  should  go  on  in  the  way  he  is 
now  going,  and  write  another  book,  is  it  not  to  be  feared  that 
he  will  give  up  most  of  the  important  doctrines  of  Calvinism, 
and  appear  quite  on  the  other  side  of  the  question,  towards 
which  he  has  made  such  large  strides  already  ?  I  am  sure,  if 
he  will  be  in  any  measure  consistent  with  himself,  he  must 
either  retract  much  he  has  said  in  his  last  book,  or  go  fully  into 
the  Arminian  scheme.  It  is  to  be  hoped  he  will  readily  do 
the  former. 

I  shall  conclude  this  inconsistent  section  with  the  words 
which  Mr.  M.  uses,  when  he  thought  he  had  fastened  a  con- 
tradiction on  his  former  antagonist:  "  So  very  difficult  a  thing 
is  it  for  any  one,  in  the  defence  of  error,  consistently  to  speak 
the  same  things!  And  when  this  is  the  case,  it  must  be 
equally  dilliculr  for  the  reader  to  fix  upon  the  true  meaning 
of  an  author,  or,  indeed,  for  his  answerer  to  confute  what  is  said 
in  one  page,  and  not  at  the  same  time  confirm  what  is  said 
in  another." 


SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.  M.'s    INQUIRY.      481 

SECTION   V. 

Showing-  the  evil  Tendency  of  Mr.  Mills's  Inquiry. 

It  is  hoped  that  what  has  been  said  is  sufficient  to  show 
that  what  Mr.  M.  has  designed  chiefly  to  oppose  in  his  "  In- 
quiry" are  important  truths;  and,  therefore,  that  what  he 
advances  and  attempts  to  support  are  real  and  hurtful  errors ; 
and  the  evil  tendency  of  some  things  he  has  advanced  has 
been  mentioned  and  pointed  out.  But  I  suppose  it  will  be 
proper  and  useful  more  particularly  to  attend  to  this  matter, 
and  consider  what  is  the  natural  tendency  of  this  book,  all 
taken  together,  so  far  as  it  is  received  and  has  influence. 

I.  I  think  it  fully  appears,  from  the  view  we  have  had  of 
Mr.  M.'s  book,  that  it  tends  greatly  to  the  dishonor  of  Christ 
and  his  gospel.  It  does  so  in  representing  sinners  more  to 
blame  for  other  sins  than  for  the  sin  of  unbelief  and  rejecting 
Christ  and  the  gospel ;  yea,  as  if  the  sinner  is  little  or  nothing 
to  blame  for  the  latter,  if  he  reforms  all  other  known  sins. 
This  view  of  the  matter  Mr.  M.'s  book  gives :  no  one  will  ever 
learn  from  this  that  the  sin  of  rejecting  Christ  and  the  gospel 
at  heart,  and  that  with  direct  acts  of  opposition  and  enmity 
against  him,  is  a  greater  sin  than  injuries  done  to  our  neigh- 
bor; but  he  will  find  the  contrary  through  the  whole  book, 
implicitly  or  expressly  asserted,  and  that  he  has  often  denied 
that  there  is  any  crime  in  the  former.  Thus  he  has  justified 
the  wicked  in  the  greatest  sin  he  is  guilty  of,  and  appeared  on 
his  side  in  the  great  and  chief  controversy  between  Jesus 
Christ  and  sinners. 

Now,  what  could  be  more  dishonorable  to  Christ  and  the 
gospel  than  this  ?  and  what  could  set  his  character  and  the 
great  salvation  in  a  more  unworthy,  mean,  and  contemptible 
light  ?  It  has  been  observed  in  what  a  different  light  divine  rev- 
elation sets  this  matter,  not  only  that  men  are  Without  excuse 
and  wholly  to  blame  for  not  heartily  embracing  Christ  and  the 
gospel,  but  that  this  is  immensely  the  greatest  sin  that  men 
can  be  guilty  of,  in  comparison  with  which  any  other  sin  is 
not  to  be  mentioned ;  and  it  is  easy  to  see  in  what  a  grand 
and  honorable  light  this  sets  Jesus  Christ ;  and  is  it  not  as  easy 
to  see  that  the  contrary  doctrine,  which  is  Mr.  M.'s,  equally 
degrades  and  dishonors  this  glorious  character? 

In  this  Mr.  M.  has  fallen  in  with  the  inclination  and  humor 

of  a  fallen  world.     Mankind  are  backward  to  be  convinced  of 

the  sin  of  unbelief,  and  of  not  heartily  receiving  Christ  and 

embracing  the  gospel;  they  are  inventing  a  thousand  pleas 

VOL.  III.  41 


482       SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.    M.'s    INQUIRY. 

and  excuses  in  their  favor,  in  opposition  to  such  convictions. 
They  will  be  convinced  of  any  thing  almost  rather  than  this. 
And  when  any  are  convinced  in  their  judgnjent  and  conscience 
that  this  is  altogether  their  crime,  and  the  greatest  that  they 
are  guilty  of,  this  truth  is,  beyond  most  others,  opposite  and 
galling  to  their  hearts.  All  this  is  owing  to  their  not  having 
any  love  to  Christ,  nor  a  view  and  sense  of  his  worthy  and 
glorious  character.  Mr.  M.  has  joined  hands  with  them  in 
this  matter,  and  all  he  has  said  tends  to  prevent  this  convic- 
tion, to  justify  and  quiet  the  sinner  in  the  pleas  and  excuses 
he  is  making  in  his  own  favor.  I  therefore  think  his  book 
may  be  justly  looked  upon  as  an  attempt  to  exalt,  flatter,  and 
justify  sinners  at  the  expense  of  the  honor  of  the  glorious  Re- 
deemer. I  own  I  view  the  matter  in  this  light,  and  this  has 
been  a  supporting  and  animating  consideration  to  me  in  the 
midst  of  all  the  opposition  made  to  the  doctrine  I  have  ad- 
vanced on  this  head,  by  means  of  Mr.  M.'s  book  or  any  other 
way,  and  in  the  pains  I  have  taken  to  support  this  doctrine, 
in  opposition  to  Mr.  M.'s  objections;  for  I  consider  myself  as 
pleading  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  attempting  to  exalt  and  hon- 
or his  character,  in  opposition  to  a  self-justifying  world,  and 
to  condemn  and  abase  the  sinner,  however  imperfect  and  de- 
ficient the  attempt  may  be. 

II.  Mr.  M.'s  book  tends  to  prevent  sinners  coming  to  any 
proper,  true,  and  thorough  conviction  of  their  guilt  and  vile- 
ness,  and  the  state  they  are  in,  and  the  whole  drift  and  spirit 
of  it  is  in  direct  opposition  to  this.  This  I  have  taken  notice 
of  in  the  foregoing  sections,  and  it  appears  from  what  has  been 
observed  in  the  last  particular.  The  sinner's  opposition  and 
enmity  of  heart  against  Christ  and  the  gospel  is  kept  wholly 
out  of  sight  through  the  whole  of  Mr.  M.'s  book,  and  the  most 
that  he  says  supposes  that  there  is  no  such  thing  in  the  heart 
of  an  awakened,  convinced  sinner,  and  is  in  direct  opposition 
to  its  being  the  greatest  of  all  sins,  if  there  is  any  such  thing. 
Therefore,  wherever  Mr.  M.'s  book  is  believed,  and  has  influ- 
ence, there  will  be  no  true,  genuine  conviction  of  sin,  and  so 
there  can  be  no  conversion  to  God.  And  he  who  is  brought 
to  genuine,  thorough  conviction  of  sin,  will  renounce  and  dis- 
card Mr.  M.'s  book,  so  far  as  he  understands  it,  as  what  is  most 
directly  contrary  to  the  truth.  There  is  no  medium  between 
this  and  losing  his  convictions.  Mr.  M.'s  book  is,  therefore, 
just  as  mischievous  and  hurtful  in  its  tendency  as  is  an  at- 
tempt to  prevent  sinners'  consciences  being  thoroughly  awa- 
kened and  convinced,  or  to  remove  such  conviction  wherever  it 
takes  place. 

III.  Mr.  M.'s  book  exactly  coincides  with  the  inclination  of 


SHOWING  THE  EVIL  TENDENCY  OF  MR.  M.'s  IS-^UIRY.   483 

the  sinner's  heart  who  is  in  some  degree  awakened  and 
thoughtful  about  his  eternal  interest,  and  has  reformed  exter- 
nal sins,  and  betook  himself  to  external  duty,  and  tends  to 
flatter  such  to  their  eternal  destruction,  and  give  them  that 
ease  and  resting-place  which  must  be  taken  from  them,  or  they 
will  perish  forever. 

As  soon  as  a  sinner's  conscience  is  awakened,  he  reforms 
his  external  conduct,  and  betakes  himself  to  external  duty, 
with  a  view  to  distinguish  himself  from  others  by  his  doings, 
to  grow  better,  and  do  something  to  abate  the  divine  anger 
and  displeasure  against  him;  and  if  he  believes  Mr.  M.'s 
book,  he  will  think  he  has  obtained  his  end,  and  his  conscience 
will  be  quieted,  and  he  will  rest  in  a  great  measure  easy  and 
secure  ;  for  now  he  has  forsaken  all  known  sin.  and  does  all 
known  duty,  and  God  is  less  angry  with  him  ;  yea,  takes  a 
favorable  notice  of  him ;  and,  on  this  account,  he  is  in  a  likely 
way  to  be  saved.  What  can  such  a  one  have  to  disquiet  his 
conscience  ?  He  has  done  his  utmost,  and  waits  at  the  foot 
of  sovereign  mercy  for  God  to  do  the  rest,  he  not  being  at  all 
to  blame  for  not  having  a  new  heart  and  embracing  the  gos- 
pel. In  this  resting-place  Mr.  M.'s  book  fixes  and  secures 
him,  where  many  thousands  have  perished  eternally. 

Mr.  M.  has,  therefore,  by  his  "  poor  labors,"  only  provided  a 
refuge  of  lies  for  the  sinner  to  fly  to  and  rest  in,  which  is  per- 
fectly agreeable  to  his  heart  while  an  enemy  to  Christ  and 
the  great  salvation.  Nor  can  he  possibly  be  driven  from  this 
on  his  plan,  and  so  long  as  he  believes  what  he  has  written. 
There  are  multitudes  of  secure  sinners  now  in  New  England 
and  elsewhere,  who  have  had  some  awakenings  of  conscience, 
and  serious  thoughtfulness  about  their  souls  and  eternal  inter- 
est, and  are,  in  their  view,  avoiding  all  known  sin,  by  doing 
all  duty ;  and  are  resting  here,  and  in  their  own  imagination 
waiting  on  God  to  do  that  for  them  which  they  cannot 
do  of  themselves,  and  which  they  think  they  are  not  at  all  to 
blame  for  not  doing.  And  here  they  will  perish,  unless  driven 
from  this  refuge  of  lies,  which  they  are  as  fond  of  as  is  the 
open  profligate  of  his  way  of  sinning;  for  men  will  love  that 
which  gives  them  ease  and  comfort.  Such  will,  therefore,  be 
pleased  with  Mr.  M.'s  book,  and  love  it  just  as  much  as  they 
love  their  own  ease.  And  nothing  will  drive  them  from  this 
fatal  resting-place  but  a  clear  conviction  of  that  which  Mr.  M. 
has  kept  wholly  out  of  sight  through  his  book,  and  has  at  least 
implicitly  denied  in  all  he  has  said  in  opposition  to  me,  viz., 
that  the  sinner  is  wholly  to  blame  for  not  embracing  the  gos- 
pel immediately ;  and  that  his  want  of  a  heart  to  do  this,  and 
the  opposition  of  his  heart  to  it,  is  by  far  the  greatest  crime 


484     SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.  M.'s    INQUIRY. 

he  ever  was  guilty  of,  for  which  God  is  very  angry  with  him, 
and  his  wrath  abideth  upon  him,  and  he  is  every  moment  ex- 
posed to  siniv  into  an  aggravated  destruction.  As  soon  as 
they  are  convinced  of  this  they  will  see  there  has  been  no 
sincerity  in  all  their  reformations  and  doings,  but  all  the  exer- 
cises of  their  hearts  have  been  a  direct  and  strong  opposition 
to  all  that  God  requires  of  them,  especially  to  the  important, 
merciful  declaration,  which  implies  the  whole  he  has  to  say  to 
sinners  :  "  This  is  my  beloved  son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased : 
hear  ye  himr  They  will  see  that  they  have  an  amazingly  hard 
and  obstinate  heart,  for  which  they  have  no  excuse ;  that  their 
neck  is  an  iron  sinew,  and  their  brow  brass,  which  appears  in  a 
more  clear  and  striking  light  now  than  ever,  in  that  they  persist 
in  opposing  and  rejecting  the  most  kind  invitations  of  the 
gospel,  under  all  the  convictions  of  their  consciences  and  ter- 
rifying apprehensions  of  the  wrath  to  come.  It  is  needless  to 
say  that  such  a  person  will  reject  Mr.  M.'s  book  at  the  same 
instant  that  he  is  delivered  from  his  former  delusions,  and  is 
by  these  convictions  driven  from  the  fatal  resting-place  just 
mentioned. 

IV.  Mr.  M.'s  book  tends  to  discourage  and  drive  to  despair 
every  sinner  who  has  any  good  degree  of  true,  genuine  con- 
viction, if  it  should  be  believed  by  such,  unless  it  drives  away 
his  convictions,  and  he  returns  to  a  degree  of  security  and 
ease. 

It  has  been  observed  before  that  this  must  be  the  case, 
according  to  Mr.  M.'s  own  concession ;  for  he  allows  that 
"  sinners,  under  deep  and  genuine  convictions,  have  been  ready 
to  look  upon  themselves  as  greater  sinners  than  heretofore; 
yea,  perhaps,  as  growing  daily  worse  and  more  hard-hearted." 
This  being  the  case,  when  such  hear  Mr.  M.'s  doctrine,  that 
the  design  of  the  use  of  means  is  to  render  them  less  guilty 
and  vile,  and  that  this  is  the  great  encouragement  to  use 
means,  that  hereby  they  may  be  in  the  way  of  duty  and  obe- 
dience, and  become  less  sinful,  so  as  to  obtain  God's  favorable 
notice  and  approbation,  and  on  this  account  be  more  in  the 
way  of  God's  mercy,  and,  in  the  disposition  and  exercises  of 
their  minds,  get  nearer  to  the  state  of  a  good  man,  and  so  be 
more  likely  to  be  saved,  —  I  say,  when  he  hears  this  doctrine, 
and  still  views  himself  in  the  light  in  which  Mr.  M.  grants  all 
such  are  ready  to  view  themselves,  (and  I  add,  in  which  such 
always  view  themselves,  as  it  is  agreeable  to  the  real  truth,  and 
not  to  see  it  is  to  be  greatly  deluded,  so  not  to  be  under  genuine 
convictions,)  so  far  as  he  pays  any  regard  to  it,  it  will  strike 
discouragement  and  despair  through  his  heart;  and  the  glori- 
ous gospel,  which  offers  salvation  to  the  chief  of  sinners  as 


SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.  M.*'S    INQUIRY.     485 

freely  as  to  the  least  sinner  in  the  world,  which  can  be  the  only 
relief  and  remedy  to  such  a  one,  will  be  wholly  hid  from  his 
eyes,  until  he  renounces  the  chief  and  leading  doctrines  of  Mr. 
M.'s  book  as  gross  and  fatal  delusions. 

V.  Mr.  M.'s  book  is  suited  very  much  to  please  Arminians 
and  semi- Arminians,  and  to  support  and  strengthen  them  in 
their  opposition  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 

It  is  certain  that  all  these  are,  with  no  small  degree  of  zeal, 
on  his  side  of  the  question  in  this  controversy ;  and  it  is  easy 
to  see  the  reason  why  they  are  so.  Mr.  M.  has  represented 
his  awakened,  reformed  sinner  in  a  light  very  agreeable  to 
their  notion  of  such.  He  is  a  humble  sinner,  who,  with  ten- 
derness of  conscience  and  trembling  at  God's  word,  reforms  all 
known  sin,  and  complies  with  all  known  duty.  He  does  his 
utmost,  and  seeks  the  Lord  with  trembling,  and  trusts  in  his 
mercy,  making  this  his  only  plea.  All  this  the  sinner  comes  to 
on  principles  of  nature,  and  in  this  way  obtains  the  divine 
approbation  and  favorable  notice,  and  has  nothing  further  to 
do  but  thus  to  wait  on  God.  And  what  reason  has  such  a 
person  for  any  distress  and  terror  of  conscience  ?  He  is  pre- 
pared to  be  comforted,  and  told  that  all  things  are  well,  and  he 
has  nothing  to  do  but  to  hold  on  in  this  way  of  duty.  This  is 
exactly  agreeable  to  their  notion,  and  sets  human  nature  in  its 
fallen  state  in  the  light  in  which  they  represent  it.  They  in- 
deed may  think  that  such  are  good  Christians,  and  in  the  sure 
way  to  heaven,  and  have  nothing  to  say  about  regeneration 
and  a  new  heart,  by  the  immediate  influences  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  in  order  to  bring  such  persons  to  the  exercise  of  what  is 
called  true  grace  after  they  have  attained  to  all  that  has  been 
mentioned ;  and  though  Mr.  M.  does  not  appear  fully  to  agree 
with  them  in  this,  yet  they  have,  many  of  them  at  least,  sense 
and  discerning  enough  to  see  that  herein  he  is  quite  incon- 
sistent with  himself,  and  that,  if  the  things  he  chiefly  insists 
upon  are  allowed  and  established,  the  fundamentals  of  their 
scheme  are  established,  and  the  rest  will  follow  of  course. 
They  can,  therefore,  patiently  bear  with  a  number  of  Mr.  M.'s 
inconsistent  whims  (as  they  think  them)  about  regeneration, 
saving  grace,  etc.,  while  they  are  only  mentioned  incidentally, 
and  not  much  insisted  upon  ;  and  these  things,  which  are  im- 
portant articles  in  their  scheme,  are  earnestly  contended  for; 
seeing,  if  the  latter  are  established,  the  former  cannot  be  main- 
tained, but  will  of  course  be  neglected,  if  they  do  not  fall  into 
general  contempt. 

I  would  particularly  observe  here,  that  the  doctrine  that  they 
who  are  the  least  sinners  and  have  done  most  duty  are,  on  this 
account,  most  likely  to  be  saved,  which  runs  through  Mr.  M.'s 
.      41*  ^ 


486     SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.    M.'s    INQUIRY. 

book,  contains  the  substance  and  soul  of  the  Arminian  scheme, 
and,  if  followed  in  all  its  just  consequences,  will  subvert  every 
important  doctrine  of  Calvinism.  For,  according  to  this,  God, 
in  showing  mercy  to  sinners,  has  respect  to  their  moral  charac- 
ter, and  by  distinguishing  themselves  from  others,  and  mend- 
ing their  moral  character  by  becoming  less  sinful,  and  doing 
those  things  by  which  they  obtain  God's  approbation,  they 
recommend  themselves  to  his  mercy,  as  more  fit  and  proper 
objects  of  it  than  others  whose  moral  character  is  worse,  and 
who  are  greater  sinners  in  God's  sight.  It  is  easy  to  see  this 
turns  every  thing  in  this  affair  into  the  Arminian  channel.  It 
entirely  shuts  out  the  doctrine  of  God's  sovereignty  in  the  exer- 
cise of  his  saving  mercy  towards  sinners,  having  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  without  respect  to  any  thing  in  their 
moral  character,  as  being  better  or  worse ;  and  it  founds  the 
determinations  of  God,  with  respect  to  the  salvation  of  one 
man  rather  than  another,  on  something  foreseen  in  his  moral 
character,  by  which  he  has  done  something  to  distinguish 
himself  from  others.  It  introduces  the  Arminian  notion  of 
justification  by  works;  for,  according  to  this,  their  own  moral 
character,  and  those  things  by  which  they  are  less  sinful,  do 
recommend  them  to  God's  special  favor,  and  are  the  reason 
and  ground  of  their  obtaining  mercy  rather  than  others.  But 
the  sinner  is  certainly  justifiable  by  that  which  recommends 
him,  and  is  the  ground  and  reason  of  his  finding  mercy  rather 
than  another,  though  it  be  but  a  negative  righteousness,  and 
less  sinfulness.  And  if  this  is  of  such  avail  with  God,  how 
much  will  positive  virtue  and  goodness  avail  to  recommend? 
And  it  follows  from  this  that  man  is  not  in  such  a  lost,  help- 
less, depraved  state  as  Calvinists  have  generally  represented 
him  to  be,  but  has  those  good  principles,  in  the  exercise  of 
which  he  may  do  his  duty,  and  distinguish  himself,  so  as  to 
become  one  towards  whom  God's  mercy  more  readily  flows 
out  than  towards  another. 

Mr.  M.  has  appeared  greatly  alarmed  at  my  espousing  what 
he  says  is  the  Arminian  sense  of  a  single  text.  He  might 
reasonably  be  much  more  alarmed,  if  he  should  see  his  own 
performance  in  a  true  light,  and  find  that  the  most  that  he  had 
said  is  in  support  of  that  cause.  If  he  shall  not  be  made  sen- 
sible of  this,  we  may  not  expect  to  hear  from  him  much  more 
of  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  Calvinism. 

VI.  Mr.  M.  has,  by  this  performance,  pleased  and  strength- 
ened all  those  who  are  fixed  upon  a  self-righteous  bottom,  who 
have  never  seen  their  own  true  guilt  and  vileness,  and  are 
thinking  themselves  better  than  others,  especially  those  whose 
external  moral  conduct  is  not  so  regular  and  good  as  their  own. 


SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.    M.'s    INQUIRY.      487 

We  have  reason  to  think  there  are  many  such  professing 
Christians.  This  may  be  the  case,  whatever  sect  or  party 
they  belong  to,  and  let  the  principles  they  espouse,  or  profes- 
sion they  make,  be  what  they  will.  They  do  at  bottom  think 
themselves  better  than  others,  on  some  account  or  other,  how- 
ever insensible  they  may  be  of  it  themselves,  and  have  ways 
to  hide  it  from  their  own  eyes  or  from  others.  No  wonder  if 
such  are  well  pleased  with  Mr.  M.'s  book,  and  zealously 
espouse  his  cause ;  for  what  he  has  said  is  agreeable  to  the 
disposition  and  feelings  of  their  hearts,  and  to  their  experi- 
ences. But  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  true  Christian, 
or  the  unregenerate  under  genuine  convictions,  can  approve 
of  the  leading  sentiments  in  this  performance.  Indeed,  Mr. 
M.  has  granted  that  the  latter  cannot,  or  is  not  like  to  do  it ; 
for  he  is  ready  to  look  on  himself  as  a  greater  sinner  than 
heretofore,  and  there  is  no  other  way  for  him  to  think  himself 
to  grow  better  and  less  sinful  but  to  lose  his  convictions,  and 
relapse  into  his  former  delusions ;  so  no  other  way  to  reconcile 
him  to  Mr.  M.'s  book,  unless  it  be  by  his  becoming  a  true 
convert,  and  embracing  the  gospel.  But  will  this  do  it?  He 
now  has  his  eyes  opened,  in  a  sense  and  degree  in  which  they 
were  not  before  under  the  deepest  and  most  clear  convictions 
in  an  unregenerate  state,  to  behold  the  astonishing  worthiness 
and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  practised  the  most  amazing 
condescension  and  goodness  towards  him,  and  always  stood 
at  his  door  and  knocked,  and  freely  offered  himself  to  him ; 
and  he  beholds  with  wonder  and  astonishment  the  wisdom 
and  glory  of  the  gospel,  and  the  greatness  and  excellence  of 
the  salvation  which  is  by  Christ;  all  which  he  has  opposed, 
rejected,  and  despised,  under  all  the  scenes  of  awakening,  con- 
victions, and  distress  which  he  has  passed  through,  and  in 
this  view  now  abhors  himself,  and  repents  in  dust  and  ashes 
at  the  feet  of  Christ.  And  will  he,  in  these  views,  look  back 
on  that  horrid  scene  of  quarrelling  with  God,  and  resolute,  fLxed 
opposition  of  heart  to  the  person  who  now  appears  so  glorious 
in  his  eyes,  and  astonishingly  good  and  kind,  in  which  he  re- 
sisted and  strove  with  all  his  might  against  the  enlightening, 
awakening  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  I  say,  will  he 
now  think  he  was  through  all  this  growing  less  sinful  than  he 
was  in  a  state  of  security,  and  doing  his  duty,  though  not  from 
the  highest  principles,  yet  on  the  good  principles  of  nature ; 
and  that,  by  thus  growing  better,  he  obtained  God's  favorable 
notice  and  approbation,  and  made  approaches  to  the  state  and 
temper  of  a  good  man,  and  so  got  more  and  more  into  the 
way  of  mercy,  until  he  arrived  to  thorough  conversion  ?  No, 
surely.     He  will  view  himself  in  a  light  directly  contrary  to 


488       SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.    M.'s    INQUIRY. 

this,  to  a  degree  not  easily  expressed.     How,  then,  can  he  ap- 
prove of  Mr.  M.'s  book  ? 

I  can  easily  see  how  such  a  one  as  our  divine  Teacher 
characterizes  in  the  Pharisee  should  think  the  awakened,  con- 
vinced sinner  is  become  less  sinful  than  he  was  before,  and 
that  God  is  more  ready  and  inclined  to  show  mercy  to  him 
on  this  account,  and  that  he  will  look  on  himself  much  better 
than  any  open  profligate  whatsoever,  and  swell  in  his  own 
thought  of  himself,  and  in  his  confidence  of  acceptance  with 
God  on  this  account.  But  I  am  quite  mistaken  in  my  notion 
of  a  true  Christian,  if  he  is  ready  to  look  on  an  impenitent 
rejecter  of  Christ,  under  genuine  convictions,  as  growing  bet- 
ter, or  on  himself  as  on  the  whole  a  less  sinner  than  the  most 
secure,  deluded,  and  openly  vicious  sinner  that  he  is  acquaint- 
ed with ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  prove  that  he  is  in  fact  so.  Consid- 
ering his  superior  light  and  advantages,  and  the  great  and  dis- 
tinguishing obhgations  he  is  laid  under  by  God's  goodness  to 
him,  and  considering  the  poor  returns  he  makes,  the  weak 
and  low  degree  of  right  exercises  of  heart,  and  the  great  and 
dreadful  degree  of  opposite  exertions  and  exercises,  and  the 
unspeakable  degree  of  sinful  deficiency  in  all  his  right  and 
holy  exercises,  in  which  he  falls  so  vastly  short  of  the  perfect 
rule  of  his  duty,  —  I  say,  if  we  take  into  view  all  this,  perhaps 
it  will  be  by  no  means  clear  that  he  is,  on  the  whole,  less 
guilty  and  vile  than  he  was  in  a  state  of  unregeneracy ;  but, 
be  this  as  it  will,  it  is  hard  to  conceive  how  he,  in  the  affecting 
view  of  the  dreadful  degree  and  amazing  aggravations  of  his 
own  sins  of  omission  and  commission,  should  be  ready  to 
think  himself  a  less  sinner  than  others,  or  than  he  once  was. 
Therefore,  he  is  in  no  danger  of  using  the  language  which  the 
Pharisee  did  before  God,  —  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not 
as  other  men  are,  or  even  as  this  publican."  At  the  same 
time,  I  see  not  why  all  who  understandingly  approve  of  Mr. 
M.'s  book  should  not  use  this  very  language,  and  why  this 
must  not  be  the  language  of  their  hearts,  whatsoever  words 
they  use. 

If  any  professing  Christian  is  disposed  to  look  on  himself  a 
less  sinner,  less  guilty  and  vile  in  God's  sight,  than  he  was 
in  a  state  of  security  in  his  youth,  and  that  he  has  been 
growing  a  less  sinner  ever  since  he  was  first  awakened,  and 
looks  round  on  profligate  sinners  as,  on  the  whole,  much  more 
vile  than  himself,  and  approaches  to  God  with  this  view  of 
himself,  as  being  on  this  account  more  in  the  way  of  God's 
mercy,  and  a  more  fit  and  proper  object  of  it,  —  I  say,  if  he 
views  himself  in  this  light,  and  has  answerable  exercises  of 
heart,  (which  is,  indeed,  agreeably  to  the  spirit  of  Mr.  M.'s 


SHOWING    THE    EVIL    TENDENCY    OF    MR.  M.'s    INQUIRY.      489 

whole  book,)  he  is,  I  think,  a  strange  sort  of  Christian,  even  as 
strange  a  one  as  was  the  Pharisee  when  he  went  up  to  the 
temple  to  pray. 

VII.  Mr.  M.'s  book  is  suited  to  please  all  those  who  think 
themselves  good  Christians  and  are  exeusing  themselves  in 
their  deficiencies  and  want  of  the  exercises  of  love  to  God  and 
every  Christian  grace,  from  their  utter  inability  and  want  of 
power  to  exercise  and  perform  these  things,  and  tends  greatly 
to  support  and  strengthen  them  in  this  dangerous,  wicked 
way. 

There  are  many,  we  have  reason  to  think,  of  this  sort.  The 
doctrine  of  man's  inability  to  do  any  thing  spiritually  good  and 
holy  of  himself,  they  imbibe  as  a  certain  and  important  truth, 
and,  as  they  hold  it,  is  very  agreeable  to  their  corrupt  hearts ; 
for  they,  at  bottom,  think  they  are  under  an  inability  or  want 
of  power  to  be  holy,  which  does  really  excuse  them  for  not 
living  in  the  constant  exercise  of  faith  and  love  to  God.  So 
that  the  doctrine,  as  they  hold  it,  is  not  true,  and  is  as  agreea- 
ble to  the  corrupt  heart  of  man  as  any  that  was  ever  invented. 
Hence  it  undoubtedly  is  that  many  are  such  zealous  defenders 
of  it,  and  have  it  so  much  in  their  mouths  that  man  can  do 
nothing  of  himself;  and  when  this  doctrine  is  set  in  a  true, 
scriptural  light,  and  it  is  insisted  upon  that  man  is  under  no 
inability  to  any  good  exercise  but  what  consists  in  the  per- 
verseness  and  wickedness  of  his  heart,  for  which  he  has  no 
manner,  no  degree  of  excuse ;  that  he  has  full  power  and  ability 
to  do  every  thing  that  God  commands ;  to  embrace  the  gospel, 
and  be  perfectly  holy,  were  it  not  for  his  indisposition  of  heart 
and  unwillingness  to  do  it ;  and  that  the  whole  difficulty  lies 
here,  and  is  just  the  same  as  in  any  other  case  where  a  person 
is  backward  and  unwilling  to  do  what  is  proposed  to  him,  only 
as  it  may  be  greater  in  degree,  more  perfect  and  fixed,  and, 
therefore,  that  this  inability,  and  inexcusable,  voluntary,  aggra- 
vated wickedness  are  one  and  the  same  thing,  and  the  more 
of  this  sort  of  inability  there  is  the  more  vile  is  the  person, 
and  so  much  more  guilty  and  inexcusable,  —  I  say,  when  they 
hear  this  they  are  greatly  displeased  and  alarmed,  and  cry  out 
of  it  as  Arminianism,  or  a  very  bad  and  dangerous  doctrine, 
because  it  deprives  them  of  their  sweet  resting-place  and  ref- 
uge to  which  they  have  been  used  to  flee  and  get  ease  to  their 
consciences,  and  avail  themselves  of  an  excuse,  s(?  as  not  to 
feel  themselves  guilty  for  that  which  is  indeed  their  greatest 
sin,  and  the  chief  of  all  their  wickedness. 

Such  persons  as  these,  instead  of  confessing  their  sins,  are 
hiding  them  from  their  own  eyes,  and  excusing  themselves  in 
that  for  which  they  ought  to  be  greatly  ashamed  and  blush 


490  MR.  M.'S    METAPHYSICAL    REASONING    CONSIDERED. 

before  God;  so  have  never  been  in  any  good  measure  con- 
vinced of  sin,  but  are  really  justifying  themselves  before  God 
in  their  greatest  wickedness  ;  and  they  are  of  a  spirit  and  tem- 
per as  contrary  to  true  Christianity  as  can  well  be  imagined  ; 
and  the  doctrine  of  man's  impotency,  as  they  hold  it,  is  really 
as  contrary  to  the  truth,  and  as  agreeable  and  pleasing  to  cor- 
rupt nature,  as  are  any  of  the  Arminian  doctrines  which  assert 
man's  self-sufficiency  to  all  that  is  required  of  him,  and  more 
so  in  some  respects. 

All  such  will,  no  doubt,  like  Mr.  M.'s  book,  and  be  agreeably 
supported  and  strengthened  by  it.  But  this  is  only  to  confirm 
them  in  a  wicked  course,  highly  dishonorable  to  Christ  and  the 
gospel ;  in  a  delusion  which,  if  persisted  in,  will  prove  ruinous 
to  them,  whatever  great  experiences  and  remarkable  discoveries 
and  comforts  they  may  boast  of. 


SECTION   VI. 

In  which  Mr.  Mills's  speaking  against  metaphysical  Reasoning 
and  Arguments  is  briefly  considered. 

Mr.  M.  has  not  expressly  asserted  that  any  of  my  reasoning 
in  support  of  what  he  opposes  i^  metaphysical,  much  less  has 
he  attempted  to  point  out  any  particular  instances  of  meta- 
physical reasoning  in  any  passage  of  mine  upon  which  he 
remarks.  However,  he  often  speaks  of  metaphysics,  meta- 
physical subtilties,  abstruse  metaphysical  reasoning,  etc.,  with 
disapprobation,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  will  lead  the  reader 
to  think  he  has  to  deal  with  an  antagonist  who  is  very  meta- 
physical. Now,  metaphysical  reasoning  is  the  same,  in  his 
account,  with  abstruse,  unintelligible,  fallacious,  and  deceitful 
reasoning,  on  which  there  is  no  dependence,  and  ought  to  be 
wholly  disregarded  and  avoided.  The  most  remarkable  pas- 
sages of  his  on  this  head  are  the  following :  "  Here,  removing 
as  far  as  possible  from  all  abstruse  metaphysical  reasoning 
and  far-fetched  consequences,  at  least  doubtful  and  uncertain, 
of  which  kind  experience  teacheth  that  what  is  called  demon- 
stration in  one  age  is  rejected  in  another,  and  what  is  called 
so  by  one  man  is  of  no  validity  with  another,  and  ofttimes 
with  the  same  man  at  different  dates  of  his  life ;  let  us,  I  say, 
removing  as  far  as  possible  from  these  things,"  etc.  Again: 
"  Another  ground  of  this  mistake,  as  it  appears  to  me,  is  too 
great  a  fondness  for,  and  dependence  upon,  conclusions  come 
into,  as  the  result  of  subtile  metaphysical  reasoning,  as  though 
they  were  certain  and  might  be  depended  on,  while  nothing  is 
more  common  than  mistakes  in  these  cases." 


MR.    M.'S    METAPHYSICAL    REASONING    CONSIDERED.  491 

It  is  to  be  observed  here,  that  what  he  condemns,  and  pro- 
fesses to  keep  at  the  greatest  distance  from,  under  the  name 
of  metaphysical  reasoning;  includes  all  reasoning  that  can  be 
used  by  men ;  for  it  is  common  for  men  to  make  mistakes  in 
reasoning,  in  whatever  way  they  reason ;  and  the  best  and 
clearest  reasoning,  which  is  real  demonstration,  is  called  so  in 
one  age,  and  rejected  in  another;  and  the  most  strong  and  clear 
reasoning  will  be  allowed  to  be  so  with  one  man,  and  yet  be 
of  no  avail  with  another;  and  this  may  be  the  case  with  the 
same  man  at  different  periods  of  his  life.  Therefore,  to  keep 
at  the  greatest  possible  distance  from  all  reasoning  of  which 
these  things  may  be  predicated,  is  the  same  as  to  keep  at  the 
greatest  possible  distance  from  all  reasoning  whatever. 

Besides,  it  is  worthy  to  be  considered,  perhaps,  whether  Mr. 
M.  has  helped  himself  or  his  reader  by  all  this  caution ;  and 
whether  he  has  not,  after  all,  fallen  into  such  a  way  of  reason- 
ing, whether  it  be  called  metaphysical  or  not,  as  is  of  no  valid- 
ity with  himself  in  different  dates  of  his  life,  and  by  which 
he  has  repeatedly  reasoned  himself  into  contradictions  at  the 
same  time  of  life.  Of  this,  the  reader  who  has  attended  to 
the  foregoing  sections  will  judge.  If,  by  abstruse  metaphysi- 
cal reasoning,  be  meant  nice  distinctions  where  there  is  no 
difference,  or  using  words  without  any  distinct  and  clear 
ideas,  —  affirming  and  denying  the  same  thing  at  different 
times,  and  drawing  opposite  consequences  from  the  same 
premises,  —  mistaking  and  misrepresenting  the  thing  about 
which  the  question  is,  perhaps  Mr.  M.'s  Inquiry  is  as  remark- 
able an  instance  of  such  metaphysics  as  any  this  age  has  pro- 
duced. 

But  if  by  metaphysical  reasoning  and  arguments  is  meant 
making  critical  and  clear  distinctions  between  those  things 
which  really  differ,  and  carefully  examining  those  subjects  to 
the  bottom  which  have  been  treated  in  a  confused,  intricate 
manner,  or  have  been  thought  by  many  quite  abstruse  and 
unintelligible,  there  is  no  reason  why  any  one  should  try  to 
keep  at  a  distance  from  this,  or  avoid  it  in  any  instance ;  for 
to  do  so  is  only  to  confuse  and  bewilder  himself,  and  to  take 
a  method  to  keep  himself  in  ignorance  with  respect  to  the 
most  important  and  interesting  subjects.  And  it  will  be  evi- 
dent to  any  one  who  will  allow  himself  to  think  that  the  Holy 
Scriptures  cannot  be  in  any  good  measure  understood,  and  the 
consistency  of  one  passage  with  another  discovered,  if  such 
reasoning  as  this  is  neglected.  And  this  is,  in  effect,  laying 
aside  all  clear  reasoning  on  any  subject,  and  to  make  reason 
itself  a  very  useless  thing,  and  to  substitute  something  else  in 
the  stead  of  reason. 


492  MR.    M.'S    METAPHYSICAL    REASONING    CONSIDERED. 

Many  have  conceived  such  an  aversion  to  what  they  call 
metaphysics,  and  carefully  keep  at  such  a  distance  from  every 
thing  which  to  them  is  abstruse,  uncertain,  and  difficult  to  be 
understood,  that  they  are  never  like  to  know  any  thing  that 
requires  close  attention  of  thought  and  any  degree  of  accurate 
reasoning,  or  make  any  progress  in  the  most  useful  knowl- 
edge. And,  what  is  worse,  they  do  what  they  can  to  prevent 
others  from  entering  into  a  free,  critical,  and  painful  inquiry 
after  truth,  especially  those  who  are  in  their  youth  and  are 
coming  upon  the  stage,  by  gravely  cautioning  them  against 
meddling  with  metaphysical  subjects,  and  dark,  abstruse  mat- 
ters, and  directing  them  to  attend  only  to  the  things  that  are 
plain  and  easy,  and  require  no  metaphysical  arguments  to 
investigate  or  support  them.  Unhappy  is  the  young  student 
in  divinity  who  has  this  advice,  and  is  influenced  by  it ;  for, 
by  acting  upon  this  maxim,  and  endeavoring  to  keep  at  the 
greatest  possible  distance  from  metaphysics  in  this  sense,  he 
will  have  but  little  more  knowledge  than  what  he  has  by  tra- 
dition ;  and  this,  too,  will  chiefly  consist  in  a  set  of  orthodox 
words,  without  having  any  intelligible  meaning  to  them.  If 
close  and  accurate  reasoning  falls  into  discredit,  and  a  care  to 
make  clear  and  nice  distinctions,  and  the  utmost  pains  to  en- 
ter deep  into  important  subjects,  and  search  them  to  the  bot- 
tom, are  neglected,  the  mind  must  have  very  little  true  knowl- 
edge, and  can  come  to  no  proper  satisfaction  and  certainty 
about  any  thing  that  requires  reasoning,  and  is  under  a  neces- 
sity of  rusting  in  indolence  and  ignorance. 

It  has  been  the  way  of  almost  all  sects  and  parties,  when 
they  have  found  themselves  unable  to  support  their  cause  by 
reason,  and  have  been  opposed  and  pressed  with  reasons  and 
arguments  which  they  have  not  been  able  fairly  to  answer,  to 
cry  out  against  such  reasoning,  and  to  endeavor  to  bring  it 
into  disgrace  by  calling  it  by  some  ill  name.  Thus,  the 
Quakers,  and  almost  all  enthusiasts,  when  urged  with  most 
clear  and  demonstrative  reasons  against  many  of  their  absurd 
notions  which  they  have  not  been  able  to  answer,  have  endeav- 
ored to  support  themselves  by  calling  it  carnal  reason,  and  rep- 
resenting it  as  something  directly  contrary  to  the  Bible  and  all 
true  religion. 

And  Pelagians  and  Arminians  have  been  in  too  many  in- 
stances treated  so  by  their  opponents,  the  professed  Calvinists. 
The  former  have  gloried  in  their  reasoning  against  the  latter, 
as  unanswerable  demonstration.  The  latter,  instead  of  de- 
tecting the  weakness,  fallacy,  and  absurdity  of  the  reasoning 
of  the  former,  and  maintaining  their  cause  on  this  ground,  as 
well  they  might,  have  endeavored  to  defend  themselves  from 


MR.    M.'S    METAPHYSICAL    REASONING    CONSIDERED.  493 

this  weapon  by  bringing  it  into  disgrace,  and  rejecting  it  under 
the  name  of  carnal,  unsanctified  reason,  etc.  This  has  been 
so  far  from  humbling  or  giving  them  the  least  conviction  of 
their  errors,  that  it  has  had  a  contrary  effect,  to  a  very  great  and 
sensible  degree.  And  no  wonder ;  for  this  was  the  direct  ten- 
dency of  it,  as  it  is  an  implicit  confession  that  they  felt  them- 
selves worsted  at  reasoning. 

Some  of  the  latter,  however,  especially  of  late,  have  under- 
taken to  reason  with  the  former,  and  have  defended  the  prin- 
cipal doctrines  of  Calvinism,  and  have  been  able  to  show  that 
they  can  be  supported  by  the  strictest  reason  and  argument, 
and  are  agreeable  to  the  reason  and  common  sense  of  man- 
kind, as  well  as  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  have  detected  the 
weakness  and  fallacy  of  much  of  the  reasoning  of  the  former, 
and  have  made  it  appear  that  many  of  their  principal  tenets 
are  contrary  to  all  reason,  and  imply  the  greatest  and  most 
palpable  absurdities.  Upon  this,  the  former,  unable  to  defend 
themselves  any  longer  with  their  boasted  reason,  have  affected 
to  run  down  all  reason  and  arguments  used  against  them,  only 
by  calling  them  abstruse,  metaphysical  reasoning  and  notions. 

And  in  this  some  professed  Calvinists  are  joining  with  them 
to  keep  up  the  cry  of  metaphysics^  either  because  they  are  too 
indolent  and  inattentive  to  attend  to  close  and  accurate  rea- 
soning, or  find  some  of  their  own  tenets  in  which  they  are  in- 
consistent with  themselves  confuted  by  arguments  which 
they  are  by  no  means  able  to  answer.  And  thus  Sandeman 
and  his  followers,  sensible  that  they  cannot  so  well  defend 
their  scheme  of  religion  by  reason,  and  confute  what  is  urged 
against  them  from  this  quarter,  are  well  on  their  guard  against 
any  reasoning,  especially  that  which  they  cannot  answer,  and 
endeavor  to  keep  themselves  in  countenance  by  exploding  it 
under  the  name  of  vain  phi/osophi/  and  carnal  reason. 

It  is  allowed  that  reason  may  be  abused  and  perverted  to 
bad  purposes,  as  well  as  any  thing  else ;  and  men  may  reason 
very  plausibly,  and  with  the  pretence  and  appearance  of  great 
exactness  and  accuracy  and  clear  demonstration,  and  yet  their 
arguments  be,  at  bottom,  very  weak,  sophistical,  and  absurd. 
In  this  case,  it  becomes  the  friends  of  truth  to  detect  and  show 
the  weakness,  fallacy,  and  absurdity  of  the  reasoning,  instead 
of  rejecting  it  all  only  by  calling  it  abstruse  metaphysical  rea- 
soning;;  for  the  best  and  clearest  reasoning  may  be  called  by 
such  names,  as  well  as  any  thing  else,  and  often  has  been. 
And  when  any  one  takes  the  latter  method,  he  will  not  be 
wronged,  I  conclude,  if  we  determine  that  he  does  it  purely 
because  he  is  not  able  to  answer  the  argument,  and  finds 
himself  worsted  at  reasoning. 
VOL.  III.  4;^ 


494  MR.    M.'S    METAPHYSICAL    REASONING    CONSIDERED. 

The  cry  against  metaphysics  has,  of  late,  been  increasing,  by 
which  those  who  make  it  would  condemn  and  prejudice  peo- 
ple against  every  thing  in  divinity  which  they  either  do  not 
understand,  or  dislike,  and  yet  are  unable  to  show  it  to  be 
contrary  to  Scripture  or  reason.  Yea,  some  speak  against 
teaching  and  vindicating  those  truths  and  doctrines  which 
they  acknowledge  to  be  agreeable  to  Scripture,  and  contained 
in  it,  merely  because  they  are,  they  say,  metaphysical  niceties, 
and  so  abstruse  and  ditHcult  to  be  understood  that  it  is  much 
best  to  say  nothing  about  them,  and  not  trouble  people  with 
things  which  they  never  can  understand. 

It  may  be  easily  accounted  for  if  this  outcry  is  made  by  those 
who  would  prevent  attention  to  doctrines  which  they  dislike 
but  cannot  confute,  or  by  lazy,  superficial  thinkers,  who  are 
not  willing  to  be  at  the  pains  to  think  closely  upon  any  sub- 
ject, and  at  the  same  time  have  such  an  opinion  of  their  own 
knowledge  and  penetration  as  to  conclude  that  what  they  do 
not  understand  no  one  else  does,  or  ever  can.  But  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  say  why  any  others  should  join  with  them,  and  it  is  a 
pity  that  they  should  be  influenced  by  them. 

Every  truth  in  the  Bible  is  dark  and  abstruse  to  all  those 
who  do  not  understand  it.  And  though  some  doctrines  are 
more  easily  understood  than  others,  yet  none  can  be  well  and 
clearly  understood  without  thought  and  attention  of  mind; 
and  some  of  the  most  important  doctrines  never  will  be  under- 
stood by  lazy,  superficial,  inaccurate  thinkers.  The  Bible  was 
never  designed  to  be  understood  by  those  who  will  not  be  all 
attention  to  it,  and  study  it  with  that  exact  and  accurate 
thought  and  reasoning  by  which  they  may  distinguish  the 
things  that  differ.  He  only  who  will  thus  "  cry  after  knowl- 
edge and  lift  up  his  voice  for  understanding,  seek  for  her  as 
for  silver,  and  search  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures,"  shall  under- 
stand what  are  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  find  the 
knowledge  of  God.  So  far,  therefore,  as  the  cry  of  metaphys- 
ics prevails,  and  people  are  hereby  held  back  from  thinking  for 
themselves,  and  are  prejudiced  against  every  thing  which  they 
now  do  not  understand,  and  against  all  attempts  to  explain 
and  vindicate  any  truth  contained  in  the  Bible,  because  at 
first  thought  it  is  dark  and  abstruse  to  them  and  they  do  not 
understand  it,  just  so  far  the  Bible  is  locked  up  from  them,  as 
really  as  it  is  from  the  common  people  in  the  church  of  Rome. 
And  it  is,  perhaps,  worthy  of  particular  notice,  that  the  objec- 
tions made  by  Papists  against  the  Bible's  being  read  by  com- 
mon people  are  nearly  the  same  with  those  which  are  urged 
by  those  who  are  for  excluding  all  metaphysical  reasoning 
from  matters  of  religion,  viz.,  that  they  will  not  understand  it; 


CONCLUSION.  495 

being  very  incompetent  judges  of  these  things,  they  will  only 
puzzle  and  confuse  their  own  minds,  or  they  will  reason  them- 
selves into  error,  think  differently  from  one  another,  and  so  get 
into  hurtful  and  endless  disputes. 


CONCLUSION. 

The  reader  who  has  been  at  the  pains  carefully  to  peruse 
the  whole  of  the  foregoing  treatise  will  find  the  unregenerate 
sinner  set  in  a  dreadful  and  very  shocking  light.  He  is  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,  (Eph.  ii,  1 ;)  an  entire  enemy  to  God 
in  his  mind  by  wicked  affections  and  works  ;  and  all  he  does  is 
sin,  even  of  the  nature  of  opposition  and  enmity  against  God. 
(Rom.  viii.  7.  Col.  i.  21.)  And  he  is  wholly  inexcusable  and 
perfectly  to  blame  for  every  minute's  continuance  in  this  state, 
for  every  wrong  exercise  of  heart,  and  for  not  repenting  and 
believing  the  gospel.  And  all  means  used  with  him,  all  the 
light  and  advantages  he  has,  and  all  his  awakenings  and  con- 
victions of  conscience  serve  to  aggravate  and  increase  his 
guilt  and  vileness,  and  all  his  strivings  and  prayers  are  very 
sinful  and  vile,  provoking  and  abominable  in  God's  sight.  He 
is  every  hour  sinking  deeper  into  guilt,  and  after  his  hard  and 
impenitent  heart  treasuring  up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath 
and  the  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God.  (Rom. 
ii.  5.)      And  this  is  the  Scripture  account  of  the  matter. 

Upon  this  view  of  the  matter,  the  question  will  naturally 
arise.  What  shall  he  do  ?  If  one  should  be  told  that  he  may 
find  this  question  asked  more  than  once  in  the  Bible,  and  im- 
mediately answered  by  inspired  men,  should  we  not  expect  he 
would  eagerly  search  to  find  what  the  answer  is,  and  rest  sat- 
isfied in  it?  The  answer  is,  "  Repent,  and  be  baptized."  ^Acts 
ii.  38.)  "Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Acts  xvi.  31.) 
This  divinely-inspired  answer  to  this  important  question  is 
plain,  and  easy  to  be  understood.  This  is  the  awakened,  con- 
vinced sinner's  next  and  immediate  duty  ;  and  not  to  do  this 
immediately,  but  to  do  something  else  instead  of  it,  is  to  rebel 
against  Christ,  which  rebellion  is  aggravated  and  criminal  in 
proportion  to  his  degree  of  light  and  conviction. 

It  is  his  indispensable  duty  immediately  to  take  all  that 
blame  to  himself  which  belongs  to  him,  and  to  justify  God 
and  his  law  which  condemns  him,  and  heartily  approve  of  it; 
entirely  to  give  up  all  his  old  objections  which  his  heart  has 
made  against  God  and  his  ways,  as  wholly  groundless  and 
infinitely  criminal;  and  heartily  to  renounce  all  his  pleas  in 
his  own  favor,  whereby  he  has  justified  himself,  and  by  which 


496  CONCLUSION. 

he  has  been  opposing  God  and  quarrelling  with  him,  and  on 
which  he  has  really  been  placing  his  whole  dependence,  which, 
had  they  been  right,  would  have  wholly  excused  him,  and  cast 
all  the  blame  on  God  and  his  law ;  —  I  say,  it  is  his  immediate 
duty  to  give  up  all  these  objections  and  pleas  with  his  whole 
heart,  as  being  infinitely  criminal,  and  to  feel  and  acknowledge 
that  he  has  done  nothing  but  treasure  up  wrath,  and  that  he 
is  most  justly  condemned  to  eternal  destruction. 

And  as  there  is  no  hope  in  the  case  of  such  a  sinner  but 
what  arises  from  ihe  truth  of  the  gospel,  even  the  free  and  sov- 
ereign grace  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  therein  revealed,  —  and  as 
the  greatest  sinner  is  as  freely  invited  as  the  least  to  come  to 
Christ,  and  receive  pardon  and  salvation  without  money  and 
without  price,  —  it  is  the  sinner's  duty,  without  delay,  to  drop  all 
his  prejudices  and  disaffection  to  Christ  and  the  gospel  which 
have  heretofore  blinded  his  eyes  and  hid  the  all-convincing  evi- 
dence of  its  truth  and  glory  from  his  heart,  and  to  admit  the 
evidence  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  the  gospel,  and  believe 
with  all  his  heart  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and 
that  God  has  raised  him  from  the  dead,  with  a  hearty  appro- 
bation of  his  character,  and  submission  to  him  and  trust  in 
him  as  his  Lord  and  Savior,  his  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King, 
being  heartily  devoted  to  his  service,  his  interest,  and  glory. 

All  this,  I  say,  is  the  sinner's  immediate,  indispensable  duty, 
which  is  to  "repent  and  believe  the  gospel."  To  this  he  is, 
therefore,  to  be  exhorted  and  urged  by  all  proper  motives,  and 
all  the  instruction  given  him  ought  to  be  with  a  view  to  this ; 
and  unless  he  complies  with  this,  and  repents  and  turns  to 
God,  all  means  and  advantages,  all  light  and  conviction,  all 
his  exercises,  strivings,  and  exertions  will  serve  to  sink  him 
deeper  into  deserved  perdition.  So  long  as  the  sinner  believes 
this,  and  has  his  attention  kept  up  to  it,  in  a  view  and  sense 
of  the  dreadfulness  of  damnation,  he  will  be  pained  at  heart, 
in  a  view  of  his  dreadful  case,  and  will  find  no  ease  till  his 
heart  gives  up  every  point  of  controversy  between  him  and  his 
Maker,  and  he  heartily  embraces  the  gospel  ;  and  to  exhort 
him,  and  set  him  to  do  any  thing  short  of  this  as  his  duty,  in 
doing  which  he  will  become  less  sinful  and  abate  the  divine 
displeasure  against  him,  and  be  waiting  on  God,  etc.,  is  to 
divert  him  from  that  truth  which  is  of  the  highest  importance 
to  him  to  be  attended  to,  and  to  give  him  that  ease  and  rest 
which  must  be  taken  from  him,  or  he  will  perish  forever. 

If  we  will  look  into  the  Bible  and  carefully  examine  that, 
we  shall  find  that  sinners  are  nowhere  exhorted  to  any  thing 
short  of  repentance  and  turning  from  sin  to  God,  or  to  any 
thing  which  does  not  imply  this.     This  is  what  Moses  and  the 


CONCLUSION.  497 

prophets  exhort  to ;  and  Christ  and  his  apostles  inculcate  this 
on  sinners  as  their  next  and  immediate  duty,  and  exhort  to 
nothing  short  of  this.  How,  then,  can  any  who  have  the 
Bible  in  their  hands  be  at  a  loss  how  to  address  sinners,  and 
not  know  what  exhortations  are  to  be  given  to  them  ? 

Some  perhaps  may  think  that,  by  dropping  all  exhortations 
to  sinners  to  some  doings  and  duty  short  of  repentance  and 
embracing  the  gospel,  we  condemn  all  the  revivals  of  religion 
and  supposed  conversions  that  have  taken  place  in  former 
times  in  New  England  or  elsewhere,  as  they  suppose  these 
have  taken  place  under  the  preaching  which  has  inculcated 
unregenerate  duties,  and  this  is  the  only  preaching  which  has 
been  successful. 

Answer.  If  the  matter  is  well  examined  into,  it  will,  doubt- 
less, be  found  that,  whenever  there  has  been  any  remarkable 
revival  of  religion  which  has  been  attended  with  such  appear- 
ances and  visible  effects  as  to  give  reason  to  believe  it  was  in 
any  measure  genuine,  it  has  been  under  the  instruction  and 
preaching  which  has  principally  insisted  upon  the  guilty,  lost 
state  of  the  sinner,  his  utter  inexcusableness  in  rejecting  Christ 
and  the  gospel,  the  great  and  aggravated  wickedness  of  all  his 
exercises  and  doings  while  he  continues  in  impenitence  and 
unbelief,  the  sufficiency  and  willingness  of  Christ  to  save  all 
that  come  to  him ;  and  the  exhortations  which  have  been 
principally  insisted  upon  have  been  to  come  to  Christ,  and 
embrace  the  gospel.  And  under  such  preaching,  and  in  the 
view  of  these  truths,  sinners  have  been  awakened  and  hope- 
fully converted.  Therefore,  at  such  times  especially,  the  com- 
plaint has  been  wont  to  be  made  which  is  made  by  many 
now,  viz.,  that  sinners  were  called  upon  and  most  earnestly 
exhorted  to  repent  and  believe,  but  were  not  told  how  they 
should  do  this,  by  being  directed  to  a  set  of  duties  short  of 
faith  by  which  they  should  obtain  it. 

And  if,  at  such  times,  there  has  been  a  mixture  of  preaching 
different  from  this,  and  contrary  to  it,  and  there  have  been 
exhortations  to  unregenerate  duties,  there  is  not  the  least  evi- 
dence that  this  has  had  a  good  tendency ;  but  we  have  reason 
to  conclude  that  it  has  done  hurt  rather  than  good,  so  far  3  a 
it  had  any  influence. 
42* 


THE    IMPORTANCE    AND    NECESSITY 

OF  CHRISTIANS   CONSIDERING 

JESUS     CHRIST 

IN  THE  EXTENT  OF  HIS  HIGH  AND  GLORIOUS  CHARACTER. 


A    SERMON, 

FREACHED  AT  THE  SOUTH  CHURCH  IN  BOSTON, 
1768. 


THE 


IMPORTANCE   AND   NECESSITY 


OF    CONSIDERING 


THE  EXALTED  CHARACTER  OF  CHRIST. 


"Wherefore,   holy   brethren,  partakers   of  the   heavenly   calling,  consider  the 
Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus.  —  Heb.  iii.  1. 

The  author  of  this  epistle  has  his  chief  attention  to  Jesus 
Christ  the  Mediator,  and  considers  and  exhibits  his  character 
in  all  its  importance  and  grandeur,  as  the  great,  and  in  a  sense 
the  only,  object  of  the  Christian's  faith  and  hope.  He  here 
represents  him  to  be  God  and  man,  and  particularly  speaks 
of  his  incarnation  and  condescending  union  with  his  people; 
his  humiliation  and  sufferings  in  their  behalf,  in  which  he  be- 
came a  sacrifice  and  made  full  atonement  for  sin,  of  which  all 
the  Jewish  sacrifices  were  types  and  emblems.  But  he  first 
brings  into  view  his  infinitely  high,  grand,  and  honorable 
character,  as  what  gives  dignity  and  worth  to  his  whole  per- 
son and  all  his  works,  and  spreads  a  lustre  and  glory  over  all, 
and  without  which  nothing  he  had  to  say  of  him  as  Mediator 
and  High  Priest  could  be  understood.  He  considers  him  as 
having  a  divine  nature  and  character,  or  the  very  nature  and 
character  of  God  himself,  so  shining  in  the  bright  glory  of 
divinity,  as  one  who  has  made  all  worlds,  and  constantly  up- 
holds all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power ;  who  will  take  to 
pieces  and  destroy  the  visible  world,  when  he  has  by  it  an- 
swered the  end  for  which  he  made  it  at  first.  (Chap.  i.  2,  3, 10- 
12.)  He  speaks  of  him  as  the  sole  heir  and  possessor  of  all 
things,  (verse  2,)  and  so  much  greater  than  the  angels,  and 
superior  to  them,  who  are  the  greatest  and  most  noble  of  all 
mere  creatures,  that  they  are  commanded  to  pay  him  the  most 
humble  obeisance  and  honor,  and  worship  him  as  their  Lord, 
they  being  all  his  servants,  and  wholly  devoted  to  his  use. 
(Verses  4-7.)     He  here  represents  him  as  exalted  to  the  top, 


502  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

the  head  of  the  universe,  and  reigning  on  the  throne  of  God  ; 
yea,  as  reigning  King  on  his  throne  forever.  (Verse  8.) 

In  short,  he  ascribes  to  him  the  worlis,  and  gives  him  the 
titles,  honors,  and  character  which  belong  exclusively  to  the 
one  only  true  God ;  and  applies  to  him  those  words  in  the 
Book  of  Psalms  which  are  addressed  to  the  supreme  God,  the 
glorious  Jehovah. 

This  is  the  august,  wonderful,  infinitely  grand  and  glorious 
personage  spoken  of  in  the  text,  called  the  Apostle  and  High 
Priest  of  the  Christian's  profession,  who  is  represented  as  most 
worthy  of  the  constant  and  earnest  attention  of  all  Christians, 
whom  they  are,  therefore,  called  upon  attentively  to  consider. 

These  words  naturally  lead  us  to  inquire  what  is  implied  in 
the  exhortation  and  command  here  given  to  Christians  to  con- 
sider Christ  Jesus  ;  of  what  use  and  importance  it  is  to  all 
Christians  thus  to  consider  Christ ;  and  then  make  those  re- 
marks and  reflections  the  subject  will  naturally  point  out. 

To  consider  Christ  Jesus,  is  to  attend  to  his  person,  charac- 
ter, and  works  with  a  degree  of  true  taste  and  discerning,  with 
constancy  and  engagedness  of  mind. 

I  say,  this  implies  a  degree  of  true  discerning  and  under- 
standing with  respect  to  the  character  of  Christ;  for  where 
there  is  nothing  of  this,  Christ  is  not  considered  at  all.  If  his 
true  character  is  not  understood  or  known  in  any  degree,  then 
he  is  not  the  object  of  the  thoughts  and  attention  of  the 
mind,  but  something  else  which  is  different  from  it ;  for  that 
is  never  the  object  of  a  person's  thoughts  and  consideration 
of  which  he  has  no  true  idea  and  conception  at  all.  Two 
persons  may  have  entirely  different  and  opposite  notions  of 
Christ  Jesus ;  those  of  one  may  be  agreeable  to  the  truth,  by 
which  Christ's  true  and  real  character  is  extant  in  his  mind ; 
those  of  the  other  may  be  essentially  and  wholly  wrong  and 
false  ;  yet  they  may  use  the  same  name  to  express  their  differ- 
ent and  opposite  ideas  and  notions,  and  ascribe  them  to 
the  same  person,  whom  they  agree  to  call  Jesus  Christ.  In 
this  case,  whatever  thoughts  and  exercises  the  latter  has  about 
what  he  calls  Christ,  it  is  certain  he  does  not  truly  consider 
this  person,  but  something  else ;  and  his  views  and  exercises 
may  not  be  properly  called  Christian,  for  they  are  really 
directly  the  reverse.  Unholy  persons,  therefore,  whose  hearts 
are  in  direct  and  perfect  opposition  to  the  excellent  and  glo- 
rious character  of  Christ  Jesus,  do  not  consider  him.  •  His 
character,  and  so  the  whole  gospel,  is  hid  from  their  minds,  as 
they  are  wholly  without  that  taste  and  discerning  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  which  Christ  is  known  and  considered.  They  are, 
therefore,  represented  in  Scripture  as  ignorant  of  God  and  the 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  503 

gospel.  (John  xvii.  3.  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4.  1  John 
iv.  8.)  The  holy  only  have  a  heart  formed  to  that  taste  and 
discerning  by  which  they  understand  the  character  of  which 
we  are  speaking.  Such  are  the  persons  called  upon  in  the 
text  to  consider  Christ  Jesus  — "  holy  brethren,  partakers  of 
the  heavenly  calling." 

Nor  can  they  be  properly  said  to  consider  Christ  Jesus  who 
leave  out  of  their  view  the  most  essential  and  important  part 
of  his  character,  and  in  all  their  thoughts  of  him  sink  him  down 
infinitely  lower,  and  make  him  infinitely  less,  than  he  really  is. 
To  consider  Christ  Jesus,  is  to  understand  and  keep  in  view 
that  in  his  person  and  character  which  infinitely  distinguishes 
him  from  all  others,  and  in  which  his  true  excellence  and  glory 
and  sufficiency  as  High  Priest,  as  Mediator,  and  the  Savior 
of  sinners,  chiefly  consist.  In  a  word,  he  who  does  not  con- 
sider this  great  High  Priest  in  all  the  height,  grandeur,  and 
glory  of  his  character  in  which  he  is  exhibited  in  the  context, 
does  not  comply  with  the  exhortation  and  command  in  the 
text. 

This  consideration  also  implies  a  steady,  engaged  attention 
of  heart  to  this  object,  by  which  Christ  Jesus  may  be,  as  it 
were,  always  present  to  the  mind,  and  it  may  be  hereby  en- 
larged, and  take  in  more  and  more  of  this  grand  and  glorious 
object,  and  so  "grovv^  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  and  Savior  Jesns  Christ." 

How  useful,  important,  and  even  necessary  it  is  for  Chris- 
tians thus  to  consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  their  pro- 
fession, Christ  Jesus,  will  appear  by  attending  to  the  following 
particulars :  — 

1.  The  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  considered  in  the  extent, 
greatness,  and  glory  of  his  character,  comprises  the  whole  of 
Christian  knowledge. 

He  who  knows  nothing  of  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ 
certainly  has  no  degree  of  Christian  knowledge,  and  really 
knows  nothing  as  he  ought  to  know;  and  the  knowledge  of 
this  character  implies  all  needful  knowledge.  In  the  knowl- 
edge of  Jesus  Christ  is  implied  and  comprised  the  highest  and 
most  clear  knowledge  of  God,  of  the  divine  character  and  per- 
fections, and  the  most  important  and  glorious  works  of  God. 
God,  in  all  the  glory  of  his  character,  is  manifested  and  re- 
vealed in  and  by  Jesus  Christ,  so  that  they  who  see  him  see 
God.'  (John  i.  18;  xii.  45;  xiv.  9.)  The  moral  character  and 
glory  of  God  shine  with  the  brightest  lustre  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ.  (2  Cor.  iv.  6.)  He  who  knows  Christ  knows 
the  truths  and  doctrines  of  Christianity ;  he  understands  the 
precepts  and  duties  of  it ;  he  knows  where  his  true  interest 


504  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

lies ;  what  is  true  enjoyment  and  happiness,  and  tlie  way  in 
which  the  children  of  men  may  obtain  it.  In  a  word,  he  is  at 
the  fountain  head  of  knowledge  and  wisdom  ;  and  he  only 
needs  to  follow  the  clew  he  has  got  hold  of,  and  get  perfectly 
acquainted  with  this  object,  in  order  to  be  perfect  in  knowl- 
edge and  holiness.  Therefore,  St.  Paul  turned  all  his  atten- 
tion to  this  great  High  Priest,  and  desired  and  "determined 
not  to  know  any  thing  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified,  in 
whom  (he  says)  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge."  (1  Cor.  ii.  2.  Col.  ii.  3.)  And  hence  it  is  of  the 
highest  importance  to  every  Christian  that  he  should  fix  and 
keep  his  attention  on  Christ  Jesus,  and  constantly  make  him 
the  object  of  his  consideration  and  study,  that  hereby  he  may 
"increase  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  his  will,  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understand- 
ing."    This  leads  me  to  observe,  — 

2.  Jesus  Christ  is  an  unbounded  and  infinite  object  of 
knowledge ;  so  that  there  is  foundation  and  room  for  constant 
and  increasing  progress  in  the  highest  and  best  knowledge,  by 
attending  to  and  considering  him. 

Some  objects  may  be  soon  perfectly  understood,  and  all  is 
known  that  can  be  known  of  them ;  the  theme  is  fully  ex- 
hausted, and  there  is  nothing  further  to  engage  the  attention 
of  the  mind.  But  it  is  infinitely  otherwise  with  respect  to  the 
knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  so  great  and  glorious  a 
personage,  and  his  works  are  so  grand  and  wonderful,  and  of 
such  infinite  and  amazing  influence  and  consequence,  that  a 
finite  mind  may  be  all  attention  to  him,  and  expatiate  and 
enlarge  in  views  of  him,  without  ever  coming  to  an  end  or 
seeing  all  that  belongs  to  him.  He  is  so  great,  and  so  much 
is  comprehended  in  him,  that,  however  enlarged  and  grand 
ideas  the  Christian  has  of  him  already,  they  may,  by  further 
consideration  and  study,  be  still  increased,  and  swift  advances 
made  without  end.  Yea,  the  more  the  Christian  knows  al- 
ready of  Christ,  the  better  foundation  and  the  greater  advan- 
tage he  has  to  know  yet  more,  and  make  still  swifter  progress 
in  knowledge  and  wisdom.  It  is,  therefore,  in  this  view  most 
.reasonable  and  important  that  he  sliould  be  all  attention  to 
Jesus  Christ.     Moreover, — 

3.  All  Christian  holiness  and  true  happiness  consist',  sum- 
marily, in  beholding  and  considering  Jesus  Christ  in  the  high 
and  glorious  character  he  sustains. 

Eternal  life,  i.  e.,  all  Christian  holiness  and  enjoyment,  is 
spoken  of  l>y  our  divine  'J'eacher  as  consisting  wholly  in  this. 
"  And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  (John  xvii. 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  505 

3.)  The  only  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ  are  not  here  dis- 
tinguished as  two  distinct  and  separate  beings  ;  for,  as  has 
been  just  observed,  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  comprises 
the  knowledge  of  the  only  true  God.  Therefore,  St.  John 
says  of  Jesus  Christ,  "  This  is  the  true  God,,  and  eternal  life." 
(1  John  V.  20.)  Hence  Christ  asks  for  the  redeemed,  as  that 
in  which  their  happiness  will  consist,  that  they  may  be  where 
he  is,  and  behold  him  in  the  glory  of  his  mediatorial  character. 
His  words  are  remarkable :  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  also 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they 
may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me."  (John  xvii. 
24.)  Jesus  Christ  is,  and  will  always  be,  the  grand  medium 
of  all  divine  communications  of  knowledge,  holiness,  and  en- 
joyment to  the  creature,  especially  the  redeemed.  He  is,  in 
this  respect,  "  the  bread  of  life,"  on  whom  all  depend  for  enjoy- 
ment and  life.  And  the  more  Christians  in  this  world  behold 
the  glory  of  Christ,  and  constantly  attend  to  and  consider  him, 
the  more  holy  and  happy  they  are.  For  he  is  their  only  sup- 
port and  comfort,  and  on  him  they  hang  all  their  hopes  ;  and 
beholding  in  him,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  they  are 
changed  into  the  same  image,  in  according  and  conforming 
to  his  character  in  the  exercises  of  their  hearts.  Of  what  im- 
portance is  it,  then,  that  Christians  should  always  behold  Jesus 
Christ,  and  be  engaged  in  attention  to  his  high  and  glorious 
character ! 

4.  The  importance  and  necessity  of  the  Christian's  atten- 
tively considering  Jesus  Christ  in  all  the  greatness  and  glory 
of  his  character  will  further  appear,  if  we  consider  that  this 
character  is  the  only  ground  of  his  pardon  and  acceptance 
with  God,  and  is  that  on  which  all  reasonable  and  well- 
grounded  hope  of  pardon  is  placed. 

Christ's  ability  and  sufficiency  to  make  atonement  for  sin 
and  obtain  eternal  salvation  for  sinners  so  far  consists  in  his 
greatness  and  dignity,  or  the  excellence  and  worthiness  of  his 
person  and  character,  that,  was  it  not  for  this,  he  could  have 
made  no  atonement  at  all.  Was  he  not  a  person  of  infinite 
dignity  and  worthiness,  and  so  higher,  infinitely  higher,  than 
,the  heavens,  even  a  divine  person  and  truly  God,  he  would  be 
infinitely  far  from  being  able  to  make  atonement  for  the  least 
sin,  as  this  is  truly  an  infinite  evil,  carrying  infinite  malignity 
and  guilt  in  its  very  nature.*     Had  he  not  been  God,  and  so 

*  The  infinite  evil  of  sin  may  be  proved  not  onlj'  from  the  infinite  great- 
ness, perfection,  and  excellence  of  God,  against  whom  it  is  committed,  which 
lay  the  creature  under  infinite  obligation  to  him,  as  the  obligation  to  love  and 
obey  is  great  in  proportion  to  the  greatness,  worthiness,  and  authority  of  the 
lawgiver,  and  the  crime   of  disobedience  is   always   equal  to   the   obligation 

VOL.  III.  43 


506  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

a  person  of  infinite  dignity  and  worth,  his  offering  to  interpose 
in  the  behalf  of  sinners,  and  attempting  to  obtain  deliverance 
and  eternal  favor  for  them,  by  taking  the  curse  on  himself, 
making  atonement,  and  obeying  the  divine  law,  would  have 
been  so  far  from  availing  in  behalf  of  sinners,  that  it  would  have 
been  itself  a  most  daring  crime,  a  proposal  and  attempt  most 
dishonorable  to  God  and  his  law,  an  act  of  high  rebellion  against 
God.  Therefore,  instead  of  being  any  advantage  to  the  sinner, 
he  would  by  such  an  undertaking,  or  the  least  inclination  to 
do  it,  become  a  rebel  himself,  a  sinner  of  the  first  magnitude. 
If  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  however  great,  worthy,  and  nu- 
merous they  are,  while  yet  they  are  no  more  than  creatures, 
should  unite  to  interpose  in  the  behalf  of  one  sinner,  who  had 
been  guilty  of  but  one  sin,  and  that  the  least  that  is  possible, 
and  offer  their  worthiness,  yea,  their  whole  eternal  interest  and 
happiness,  and  to  subject  themselves  to  perfect,  eternal  misery 
for  his  sake,  that  he  might,  out  of  respect  to  this,  be  pardoned 
and  received  to  the  rewards  of  eternal  life,  —  I  say,  should  all 
the  angels  in  heaven  thus  interpose,  the  proposal  and  offer 
would  not  only  be  rejected,  but  would  itself  be  an  act  of  high 
rebellion,  and  carry  in  it  the  most  abominable  contempt  of 
God  and  his  law,  and  a  virtual  justifying  the  sinner  and  taking 
his  part  against  God;  so  would  bring  them  all  under  the 
curse,  and  sink  them  into  hell,  without  helping  the  sinner  at 
all;  for  such  an  offer  and  attempt  would  be  so  far  from  honor- 
ing God  and  his  law,  and  an  act  of  love  and  friendship  to 
him,  that  it  would  carry  in  it  a  denial  of  God's  infinite  great- 
ness and  worthiness,  and  so  be  the  highest  affront  to  the 
divine  Majesty. 

violated  thereby,  —  I  say,  the  infinite  evil  of  sin  does  not  only  appear  from  this 
view  of  the  matter,  but  also  from  the  malignant  nature  and  tendency  of  sin. 

Every  transgression  of  God's  law  is  an  act  of  perfect  enmity  to  universal 
being  ;  it  is  against  God  and  the  creation,  and  tends  to  the  complete  and  eternal 
ruin  of  the  whole  ;  so  that,  if  there  was  nothing  to  counteract  and  restrain  its 
influence  and  tendency,  it  would  certainly  issue  in  this.  It  would  destroy  the 
universe,  and  bring  the  whole,  God  and  the  creature,  to  a  state  infinitely  worse 
than  non-existence.  Thus  sin  is,  in  its  own  nature,  pregnant  with  infinite  mis- 
chief, and  tends  to  the  total  ruin  of  universal  being,  to  destroy  all  the  good  of 
the  universe,  and  introduce  infinite,  eternal  evil.  The  tendency  is  so  direct 
and  strong  that  this  would  be  the  certain  issue  of  it,  was  it  not  prevented  by^ 
infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness. 

If,  then,  the  crime  of  any  transgression  is  great  in  proportion  to  the  malignity 
of  it  and  the  greatness  of  the  evU  it  tends  to,  —  which  I  think  none  can  deny, 
—  it  is  hence  certain  that  every  sin  against  God  is  infinitely  criminal  in  his 
sight.  How  fit  and  necessary  is  it,  then,  that  the  sinner  should  be  threatened 
•with  eternal  destruction  !  How  necessary  that  the  atonement  which  ransoms 
from  this  infinite  evil  should  be  something  infinitely  great !  And  is  not  a 
mere  creature,  any  finite  being,  infinitely  unequal  to  this  ?  A  desire  that  sin 
should  be  pardoned  on  the  account  of  what  such  a  one  can  do  or  suffer,  or  even 
a  thought  in  favor  of  it,  carries  in  it  enmity  to  being  in  general,  which  is  enmity 
against  God. 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER   OF    CHRIST.  507 

Therefore,  was  not  Christ  infinitely  higher  and  greater  than 
all  the  angels  in  heaven,  and  did  he  not  exceed  them  infinitely 
in  excellence  and  worth,  he  coTild  not  be  a  High  Priest  in 
whom  sinners  might  reasonably  put  any  trust  for  pardon  and 
acceptance  with  God.  Yea,  on  such  a  supposition,  trusting 
in  him  would  not  only  be  unsafe  and  dangerous,  but  direct 
rebellion  against  God,  and  infinitely  criminal.* 

The  true  Christian's  hope  and  trust  in  Christ  for  pardon  and 
salvation  first  began  when  he  first  began  to  see  and  consider 
him  in  his  true  character,  and  this  great  High  Priest  appeared 
to  him  in  an  infinitely  grand  and  honorable  light  —  in  the  light 
in  which  he  is  set  in  the  first  fourteen  verses  of  the  first  chap- 
ter of  John,  and  as  he  is  represented  in  the  chapters  preceding 
our  text;  even  the  true  God,  who  has  made  and  does  uphold 
all  things,  and  who  in  the  fulness  of  time  was  incarnate,  and 
became  a  man  ;  and  to  make  full  atonement  for  sin,  and  obtain 
favor  and  salvation  for  sinners,  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a 
servant,  and  was  obedient  unto  death.  In  this  view  of  Jesus 
Christ,  I  say,  the  true  Christian's  hope  and  trust  in  him  first 
began ;  and  it  never  afterwards  is  exercised  and  flourishes  in 
any  other  way  but  in  considering  Christ  in  this  his  true  char- 
acter, as  the  great  High  Priest ;  and  his  hope  and  confidence 
in  him  for  pardon  and  acceptance  is  always  as  is  his  view  and 
sense  of  Christ's  dignity  and  excellence. 

Well,  then,  may  Christians  be  directed  and  exhorted  always 
to  attend  to  this  high  and  glorious  character,  and  keep  it  in 
view,  so  as  never  to  lose  sight  of  their  great  High  Priest, 
Christ  Jesus ;  for  so  far  as  he  is  out  of  view  they  must  cease 
to  trust  in  him  for  pardon  and  acceptance  before  God,  and  all 
true  ground  of  hope  will  be  out  of  sight. 

5.  The  true  Christian  hopes  for  redemption  from  the  power 
of  sin  only  in  the  view  of  Christ  in  his  high  and  exalted 
character. 

When  a  person  sees  what  sin  is,  what  fast  hold  it  has  of 
him,  how  deep  and  strongly  it  is  rooted  in  his  heart,  how 
powerful  and  various  are  the  workings  of  it,  how  grievous  and 
deadly  are  the  disorders  and  wounds  of  his  sinful  heart,  utterly 

*  What,  then,  shall  vre  say  of  those  who  profess  to  trust  in  a  mere  creature 
for  all  this,  which  is  the  case  of  all  who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ  ?  But  the 
case  of  such  will  be  more  particularly  attended  to  in  the  sequel. 

And  what  shall  be  said  of  those  who  trust  in  their  own  righteousness  to 
recommend  them  to  God,  under  whatever  profession  this  is  done?  This  is 
daring  presumption  and  high-handed  wickedness,  being  a  direct  opposition  to 
the  divine  character  and  God's  holy  law.  In  this  view,  it  appears  that  all  the 
good  works  of  such,  in  which  they  trust  for  infinitely  more  than  they  might 
reasonably  do  were  they  perfectly  holy,  are  heaven-daring  sins,  the  most 
abominable  rebellion  against  God,  and  direct  opposition  to  Jesus  Christ  and 
the  gospel. 


508  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

incurable  by  any  finite  wisdom  and  power, —  I  say,  when  a 
person  becomes  acquainted  with  his  state  in  this  respect,  he 
finds  he  wants  a  Redeemer  and  Savior  infinitely  powerful, 
wise,  and  good,  and  that  any  other  would  be  infinitely  in- 
sufficient for  him.  He,  therefore,  could  have  no  hope  of 
redemption  from  sin  by  Christ,  did  he  not  view  him  as  in- 
finitely greater  and  more  sufficient  than  any  mere  creature, 
even  infinitely  wise,  powerful,  and  kind.  But  when  he  beholds 
and  considers  Christ  in  the  height  of  his  character,  as  being 
thus  infinitely  wise,  powerful,  and  good,  with  whom  nothing 
is  impossible,  he  with  confidence  and  joy  commits  his  dis- 
ordered, sinful,  wretched  soul  into  his  hands,  assured  that  he 
is  able  to  cure  and  sanctify  his  heart,  and  make  him  perfectly 
holy  in  the  most  kind,  wisest,  and  best  way,  though  it  is  in- 
finitely beyond  him  to  see  how  it  can  be  done. 

Many  a  person,  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  sin  and  of  the 
degree  of  extent  and  power  sin  had  in  his  heart,  has  seen  no 
need  that  he  stood  in  of  an  infinite  Redeemer ;  yea,  has  stupidly 
and  foolishly  thought  he  had  a  sufficiency  of  his  own  to  re- 
cover himself  from  sin  to  holiness,  and  has  trusted  wholly  in 
his  own  heart  for  it.  But  not  so  the  true  Christian.  He  finds 
he  wants  a  Redeemer  to  deliver  him  from  sin  and  bring  him 
to  perfect  holiness  who  is  higher  than  the  heavens,  has  creating 
power,  and  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself;  and  in 
order  to  keep  up  his  hope  and  courage,  he  must  constantly 
have  in  view,  and  attentively  consider,  such  an  infinitely  great 
and  mighty  Redeemer. 

It  does,  therefore,  from  hence  also  appear  how  important 
and  necessary  it  is  that  Christians  should  consider  and  con- 
stantly keep  in  view  their  Redeemer  and  Savior,  in  all  the 
extent  and  grandeur  of  his  person  and  character. 

6.  As  Christians  are  to  ask  for  all  they  want  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  it  is  of  importance,  and  even  necessary,  that  they 
should  well  understand  and  keep  in  view  the  character  of  him 
in  whose  name  they  ask. 

Prayer  is  a  great  and  constant  duty  of  a  Christian.  It  is 
that  by  which  he  lives ;  and  he  receives  all  from  God  in  the 
way  of  prayer.  If  he  does  not  ask,  he  will  not  receive.  Christ 
has  directed  and  commanded  all  his  disciples  to  ask  in  his 
name ;  and  nothing  is  to  be  obtained  by  them  in  any  other 
way  of  praying.  Yea,  for  a  sinful  creature  to  pray  in  any  other 
way  or  name  is  most  presumptuous  arrogance  and  impiety, 
and  a  direct  affi-ont  to  the  most  high  Majesty  of  heaven  and 
earth.  But  Christ  has  promised  that  whatsoever  is  asked  in 
his  name  shall  be  given.  But  to  ask  in  the  name  of  Christ 
is  to  depend  on  his  worthiness  alone,  as  that  on  account  of 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  509 

which  we  shall  be  accepted  and  heard.  Therefore,  asking  in 
his  name  supposes  and  implies  a  view  and  sense  of  heart  of 
his  greatness  and  worthiness.  So  far  as  the  infinitely  excel- 
lent and  worthy  character  of  Christ  is  out  of  sight  and  disre- 
garded by  any  one,  just  so  far  he  is  without  a  true  spirit  of 
prayer,  and  does  not  ask  in  Christ's  name.  And  on  the  other 
hand,  if  this  great  High  Priest  is  rightly  considered  in  all  the 
grandeur  and  worthiness  of  his  person  and  character,  the 
Christian  is  enabled  and  encouraged  to  ask  in  his  name,  and 
comes  with  freedom  and  boldness  to  the  throne  of  grace. 

Thus  important  and  necessary  is  it  that  Christians  should 
always  keep  in  view  and  well  consider  the  great  High  Priest 
of  their  profession,  as  it  is  in  this  way  only  that  they  ask  in 
his  name,  and  are  accepted  and  heard  in  their  prayers  and 
offerings. 

7.  It  belongs  to  the  character  of  Christians,  "whatsoever 
they  do,  in  word  or  in  deed,  to  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  (Col.  iii.  17.)  But  this  is  to  do  all  they  do  in  a  view 
and  sense  of  his  true  character,  and  as  a  hearty  acknowledg- 
ment of  it.  Hence  it  appears  that  Christians  do  in  no  case 
exercise  themselves  and  act  agreeably  to  their  profession,  un- 
less they  have  in  view  and  rightly  consider  the  character  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

What  now  remains  to  be  attended  to  is  the  improvement 
of  this  subject  in  a  few  reflections  which  are  suggested  by 
what  has  been  said. 

1.  How  important  is  it  that  Christ  should  be  preached  and 
constantly  exhibited  to  view  in  all  the  grandeur  and  glory 
of  his  character,  in  the  public  instructions  which  Christians 
sit  under! 

That  which  Christians  ought  chiefly  to  attend  to,  and  which 
is  highly  useful  and  most  necessary  to  be  always  considered 
by  them,  ought  to  be  constantly  set  before  them  and  proposed 
to  their  consideration  by  public  teachers.  To  preach  the  gos- 
pel, is  to  preach  Christ ;  to  exhibit  and  display  his  true  charac- 
ter; and  that  preaching  which  is  not  adapted  to  this  end,  and 
has  no  reference  to  him,  is  not  preaching  the  gospel,  nor  is  it 
likely  to  be  of  any  great  advantage  to  Christians. 

Many  professed  preachers  of  the  gospel  have  been  greatly 
deficient  here.  Many  leave  Christ  very  much,  or  altogether, 
out  of  their  preaching ;  so  most  or  all  they  say  is  not  the  gos- 
pel, but  something  else,  which,  though  it  may  be  applauded 
by  many,  is  really  very  low,  insipid,  and  mean,  in  comparison 
with  the  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the 
power  of  God  to  the  true  Christian  ;  and  there  have  been  many 
who,  when  they  have  spoken  of  Christ,  have  left  out  the  most 
43* 


510  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

essential  part  of  his  character,  and  never  bring  it  into  view  in 
all  they  say  of  him.  They  often  use  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
have  much  to  say  about  him ;  but  all  they  have  said  of  him 
is  either  not  true,  so  gives  him  a  wrong  and  false  character, 
or,  if  true,  it  falls  short  of  his  whole  character ;  yea,  leaves  the 
most  essential  part  of  it,  and  what  may  be  justly  considered  as 
comprising  all  its  glory,  wholly  out,  unthought  of,  and  neg- 
lected. If  they  do  not  expressly  deny  the  infinite  greatness, 
the  divine  splendor  and  glory,  of  Christ's  person  and  character, 
which  is  essential  to  his  Godhead,  they  never,  or  rarely,  say 
any  thing  about  it,  or  that  which  implies  it,  so  as  to  bring  it 
into  view  and  hold  it  up  to  be  attentively  considered. 

However  the  multitude  may  admire  some  such  preachers,  it  is 
certain  the  true  Christian  will  not  be  fed,  but  famish  and  starve, 
under  such  preaching  as  this ;  while  that  which  is  the  proper 
support,  food,  and  life  of  his  soul,  even  Christ  in  his  true  and 
glorious  character,  is  not  set  before  him. 

What,  then,  shall  we  say  of  those  who  expressly  deny  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  and  represent  him  as  no  more  than  a  mere 
creature  ?  If  they  do  not  preach  Christ  who  silently  pass  over 
his  divine  dignity  and  glory,  —  infinitely  the  greatest  and  most 
essential  part  of  his  character,  and  without  which  there  is 
nothing  in  his  person  and  character  that  can  be  the  reasonable 
ground  of  hope,  support,  and  life  to  the  true  Christian,  —  must 
not  they  who  expressly  deny  that  he  is  the  true  God,  and  con- 
sequently hold  that  he  is  only  a  mere  creature,  be  justly  looked 
upon  and  treated  as  preaching  against  Christ,  and  perverting 
and  overthrowing  the  whole  gospel  ?  Tliey  may  speak  in 
strong  terms,  and  high  and  pompous  strains,  of  the  dignity  and 
excellence  of  Christ ;  of  free  grace  and  salvation  by  him ;  of 
atonement  by  his  blood ;  of  the  high  esteem  and  love  all 
Christians  ought  to  exercise  towards  him  ;  of  the  importance 
of  faith  and  trust  in  him,  etc. ;  but  when  it  is  considered  that, 
whatever  pompous  words  they  use,  they  are  applied  to  one 
infinitely  below  God,  being  but  a  mere  creature,  all  they  say 
on  this  head  appears  to  be  flat  and  low,  and  is  really  nothing 
but  unmeaning  jargon,  which  is  infinitely  dishonorable  to 
Christ,  and  leaves  the  Christian  without  any  true  ground  of 
hope  and  comfort.  It  is  infinitely  dishonorable  to  God  to  sup- 
pose that  a  mere  creature,  be  he  the  greatest  that  ever  God 
made,  or  that  he  can  make,  —  I  say,  that  a  mere  creature  should 
make  atonement  for  sin ;  such  atonement  that  God  will,  out 
of  respect  to  that,  pardon  the  sinner;  and  that  he  should  pay 
such  obedience,  and  his  name,  his  person,  and  character  should 
be  so  acceptable  and  worthy  in  God's  sight  as  that,  from  re- 
gard and  love  to  him,  a  guilty  wretch  should  be  received  to 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  511 

the  highest  favors.  I  say,  such  a  notion  is  infinitely  dishon- 
orable to  God,  the  Lawgiver,  as  it  is  a  denial  of  the  infinite 
evil  of  sjn,  and  consequently  of  his  infinite  excellence,  dignity, 
and  worthiness.  This  is  also  infinitely  dishonorable  to  the  Me- 
diator, and,  in  effect,  robs  him  of  all  his  glory,  and.  degrades 
him  infinitely  more  than  any  mere  creature  can  be  degraded 
and  dishonored  on  any  possible  supposition  whatsoever. 

And  this  robs  the  true  Christian  of  all  hope  ;  for  on  this 
supposition  he  is  left  without  any  mediator  that  he  can  trust 
in.  He,  in  a  view  and  sense  of  the  infinite  worthiness  and 
glory  of  the  most  high  God  ;  of  the  reasonableness  and  excel- 
lence of  the  divine  law,  and,  consequently,  of  the  infinite  crira- 
inalness  and  malignity  of  sin,  which  brings  into  view  his  own 
infinite  odiousness  and  ill  desert,  —  he  in  this  view,  I  say, 
feels  that  no  person  can  make  atonement  for  him  but  one  of 
infinite  dignity  and  worth,  who  has  something  infinitely  great 
to  offer.  And  did  he  not  see  and  believe  in  such  a  one,  he 
must  sink  into  absolute  despair,  and  could  not  reasonably 
desire  that  any  mercy  should  be  showed  to  him.  He,  there- 
fore, who  denies  the  divinity  of  Christ,  does  what  he  can  to 
rob  the  Christian  of  all  his  treasure  —  of  all  his  hopes  —  of  all 
his  salvation.  And  the  reason  why  he  himself  wants  no 
greater  mediator  and  savior  than  a  mere  creature,  and  calls 
that  an  atonement  for  sin  which  such  a  one  has  made  and 
trusts  in  it,  —  I  say,  the  reason  of  this  is,  his  blindness  and  in- 
sensibility with  respect  to  his  own  character,  even  his  infinite 
guilt  and  vileness,  which  is  grounded  in  his  shocking  insensi- 
bility of  the  glory  of  the  divine  character,  and  enmity  to  it. 

This  view  of  the  matter  will  afford  us,  I  conceive,  a  plain 
and  easy  answer  to  a  question  which  has  been  sometimes  put, 
viz.,  whether  they  who  believe  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  could  not  trust  in  him  for  pardon  and  salvation  did  they 
not  consider  him  to  be  truly  God  as  well  as  man,  may  and 
ought  to  have  charity  for  those,  and  look  on  them  as  good 
Christians,  who  expressly  deny  this  doctrine,  and  represent 
those  as  real  idolaters  who  pay  any  regards  and  honors  to  him 
which  may  not  be  given  to  a  mere  creature. 

These  persons  have,  in  truth,  infinitely  different  ideas  and 
thoughts  of  Jesus  Christ,  and,  consequently,  must  differ  in  the 
leading  and  essential  doctrines  of  Christianity ;  so  that  they 
do  not  all  know  and  acknowledge  the  true  and  only  Savior, 
or  believe  in  the  same  person  and  character.  If  he  who  be- 
lieves in  Jesus  Christ  as  a  divine  person,  as  truly  God,  and 
places  all  his  hopes  of  salvation  by  him  on  this  foundation,  is 
right, — which  he  must  think  himself  to  be,  —  then  he  who  denies 
this  article  is  wrong ;  and  so  wrong,  that  he  does,  in  the  view 


512  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

of  the  other,  leave  out  of  his  thoughts  and  religion  infinitely 
the  greatest  and  most  glorious  part  of  the  character  of  the 
Mediator,  even  so  as  quite  to  spoil  it  and  render  it  worthless ; 
so  does  not  consider,  believe,  and  trust  in  the  same  person 
and  character,  which  is  the  object  of  his  faith,  but  one  in- 
finitely different.  How  can  these  two  walk  together,  who  are 
so  far  from  being  agreed  that  they  oppose  each  other  most 
directly  in  the  highest  and  most  leading  article  of  Christianity, 
in  their  infinitely  different  and  opposite  notions  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  author  of  it,  and  which  really  comprises  the  whole  ? 
The  former  looks  on  the  other  as  robbing  Christ  of  his  chief 
glory,  and  denying  that  to  belong  to  him  which  is  the  only 
ground  of  faith  and  trust  in  him.  How,  then,  can  the  pro- 
fessed faith  of  the  latter  in  one  who,  in  the  view  of  the  former, 
can  be  no  more  a  savior  of  sinners  than  Mahomet  himself,  or 
any  of  the  imaginary  deities  of  the  heathen,  recommend  him 
to  his  charity  any  more  than  if  he  made  no  profession  at  all  ? 
Yea,  does  not  his  profession  lie  against  him,  seeing  it  is  most 
dishonorable  to  Christ,  and  even  a  high  degree  of  blasphemy 
against  him,  and  is  a  most  glaring  evidence  of  his  ignorance 
of  God  and  of  himself,  yea,  of  his  stupidity,  pride,  and  en- 
mity to  God,  that  he  can  trust  to  a  mere  creature  as  a  suf- 
ficient savior  for  him,  who  can  make  a  proper  and  full  atone- 
ment for  his  sin,  and  has  worthiness  enough  to  recommend 
him  to  God  ?  Surely  such  a  one  (if  his  heart  is  answerable 
to  his  profession)  does  not  know  what  sin  is  ;  is  quite  insen- 
sible of  his  own  unw^orthiness  and  guilt;  is  conceited  and 
proud  w^ith  respect  to  his  own  character ;  and  has  the  most 
dishonorable,  contemptuous  thoughts  of  God. 

In  a  word,  if  Christ,  the  Redeemer  and  Savior  of  sinners,  is 
God,  —  and  if  he  w^as  not  so,  he  w^ould  be  infinitely  unable  to 
atone  for  the  least  sin,  or  save  one  sinner,  —  then  he  who  ac- 
knowledges no  other  Christ  and  savior  but  a  mere  creature 
changes  the  glory  of  the  only  true  God  and  Savior  into  a  cor- 
ruptil:)le,  weak,  helpless  man,  and  puts  his  trust  in  this  crea- 
ture of  his  own  imagination  for  that  w^hich  a  divine  person,  a 
God  only,  can  do ;  so  is  giving  that  honor  to  the  creature 
which  belongs  to  God  alone,  and  is  really  a  stupid,  wncked 
idolater,  as  really  so,  and  doubtless  much  more  criminally 
than  they  w-ho  w^orship  and  trust  in  gods  that  can  neither 
hear,  nor  see,  nor  go. 

And  must  he  be  esteemed  a  pious  man  and  a  good  Chris- 
tian, while,  according  to  his  profession,  he  is  guilty  of  all  this 
pride,  and  contempt  of  God  and  the  Redeemer,  and  lives  in 
the  practice  of  the  most  abominable  and  aggravated  idolatry  ? 
If  such  may  pass  for  good  men,  friends  to  God  and  his  law, 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  513 

and  to  Jesus  Christ,  as  well  may  all  the  Popish  and  heathen 
idolaters  that  have  been,  or  now  are,  in  the  world. 

I  know  some  who  would  be  thought  to  believe  the  divinity 
of  Christ,  or,  at  least,  do  not  deny  this  doctrine,  have  declared 
their  charity  for  those  who  expressly  deny  it,  and  have  been 
forward  and  zealous  to  rank  some  of  them  among  the  number 
of  eminently  holy  men  and  good  Christians.  But  this  is  not 
only  very  absurd  and  shocking,  but  really  carries  with  it  no 
small  degree  of  impiety  and  profaneness.  It  seems  to  be 
trifling  with  Christianity  at  a  great  rate.  Surely  Christianity 
is  not  worth  much,  if  it  is  no  matter  of  importance  whether 
the  Author  of  it,  and  who  is  the  revealed  Savior  for  sinners  to 
trust  in,  be  a  God,  or  a  mere  creature,  so  that  they  may  be 
equally  good  Christians,  whatever  is  their  belief  with  respect 
to  Jesus  Christ.*  If  it  is  no  matter  what  they  think  of  Christ, 
but  may  differ  infmitely  in  their  sentiments  of  his  person  and 
character,  then  it  is  certainly  no  matter  whether  they  have 
any  thoughts  about  Christ  at  all,  or  any  ideas  of  him,  or  belief 
in  him ;  and  the  Deist,  who  rejects  Christ's  whole  character, 
may  be  as  good  a  man,  and  as  certainly  happy  forever,  as  the 
best  Christian,  who  has  the  most  just  idea  of  Christ,  and  is  a 
true  believer  in  him.  It  would,  therefore,  be  no  wonder  at  all 
if  they  who  are  so  forward  and  zealous  to  dub  Arians  good 
Christians,  and  canonize  them  as  eminent  saints,  should  extend 
their  charity  further,  even  to  professed  Deists,  who  blaspheme 
the  name  of  Christ,  and  should  call  upon  them  and  professed 


*  I  desire  it  may  be  considered,  whether  the  ordaining  councils,  who  neglect 
to  examine  candidates  for  the  ministry  with  respect  to  their  religious  senti- 
ments, and  they  who  zealously  oppose  such  examinations,  do  not,  by  this  con- 
duct, openlj'  declare  that  it  is  with  them  no  matter  of  importance  what  men 
believe,  what  their  sentiments  are,  and  what  doctrines  they  hold  with  respect 
to  Jesus  Christ,  or  what  thoughts  they  have  of  his  character  and  religion ; 
that  they  may  be  "  apt  to  teach,"  and  "  hold  fast  the  faithful  word,"  so  as  to 
"  be  able,  by  sound  doctrine,  both  to  exhort  and  convince  the  gainsayers," 
whatever  sense  they  put  upon  the  words  in  the  Bible,  or  though  they  have  no 
understanding  of  them  at  all.  And  is  not  this,  in  effect,  openly  to  declare 
that  the  truths  of  the  gospel  are  of  no  importance,  and  that  Christianity  is 
really  but  a  trilling  affair  ? 

The  conduct  of  these  gentlemen  is  really  surprising,  and  none  need  to  be  at 
a  loss  v.hat  will  be  the  fate  of  Christianity,  so  far  as  their  influence  reaches. 
All  the  distinguishing,  important  doctrines  of  it  will  be  neglected ;  and  instead 
of  preaching  the  gospel,  sermons  will  be  either  insipid  dissertations  upon  some- 
thing else,  or  filled  with  stupid  inconsistence  ;  else  be  only  florid  harangues, 
without  any  meaning ;  unless,  perhaps,  when  times  and  circumstances  will 
bear  it,  another  system  of  doctrines  will  be  preached  up,  which  at  present  are 
somewhat  unpopular,  therefore  cannot  be  with  safety  expressly  and  openly 
espoused.  For  the  sake  of  which,  that  they  may  be  privily  introduced,  and 
from  a  desire  and  design  to  extirpate  the  more  commonly  received,  popular 
doctrines,  many  think  they  have  good  reason  to  conclude  this  method  with 
respect  to  candidates  is  gone  into. 


514  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

Christians  (as  a  noted  writer  has,  indeed,  done  already*)  to 
mutual  forbearance  and  charity ;  for,  though  they  differ  so 
much  about  the  character  of  Christ,  this  is  but  a  trifling  affair, 
while  they  are  agreed  in  all  the  most  important  articles  of 
religion. 

If  Arians  are  to  be  esteemed  good  Christians  by  those 
whose  thoughts  of  Christ  are  infinitely  different  from  theirs, 
why  may  not  the  Mahometans  also  be  ranked  among  truly 
pious  and  good  men,  in  the  sure  way  to  eternal  life  ?  They 
have  not  the  good  luck,  indeed,  of  being  called  Christians, 
but  they  acknowledge  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  true  Prophet,  sent 
of  God ;  so  are,  in  a  sense,  believers  in  him.  They  may,  per- 
haps, have  as  high  notions  of  the  character  of  Christ  as  many 
professed  Christians  who  deny  his  divinity ;  though,  by  the 
unhappy  prejudices  of  education,  they  set  Mahomet  above 
him,  as  being  a  greater  person.  Shall  this  mistake  damn 
them  ?  Surely  no,  if  the  errors  and  blasphemies  the  Arians 
are  guilty  of  relating  to  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  clear  sunshine  of 
divine  revelation,  shall  not  be  fatal  to  them.f 

In  short,  these  charitable  persons  are  either  themselves 
Arians,  and  do  not  really  believe  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
but  are,  for  certain  reasons,  unwilling  to  let  their  sentiments 
on  this  head  be  known,  so  are  industriously  concealing  them ; 
or  if,  through  the  force  of  education,  or  on  some  other  ground, 
they  assent  to  this  doctrine,  they  do  not  understand  the  true 
reason  and  import  of  it ;  so  have  never  seen  their  need  of  such 
a  Savior ;  consequently,  have  never  yet  considered  the  Apostle 
and  High  Priest  of  their  profession  as  all  true  Christians  do. 
In  this  view,  their  extensive  charity,  upon  which  they  value 
themselves,  and  of  which  they  boast,  is  so  far  from  being  in 
their  favor  as  an  evidence  of  the  greatness  of  their  minds,  or 
the  goodness  of  their  hearts,  that  it  is  rather  a  very  clear  and 
striking  evidence  that  they  have  never  yet  understood  the  true 


♦  Chubb.     See  his  Tracts. 

t  I  know  this  will  be  thought  by  some  exceedingly  uncharitable,  harsh,  and 
cruel.  They  will  say,  "  It  is  intolerable,  and  argues  a  vast  degree  of  arrogance 
and  pride,  as  well  as  ignorance  and  a  base  contractedness  of  mind,  to  doom  all 
those  to  destruction  who  have  not  been  able  to  see  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true 
God,  and  equal  with  the  Father.  This  is  a  very  disputable  point,  and  many 
great,  and  to  all  appearance  good,  men  have  taken  the  negative  side." 

Answer.  All  this  may  as  truly,  and  with  as  much  propriety,  be  said  of  professed 
Deists.  It  is  a  very  disputable  point,  whether  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  sent  of 
God,  or  was  a  wicked  impostor  ;  that  is,  it  has  been  greatly  disputed,  as  much, 
perhaps,  as  any  one  point  that  respects  Christianity.  And  many  who  are  ac- 
knowledged to  be  great  men,  and  some,  at  least,  whose  moral  conduct  has  been 
regular  and  unexceptionable,  have  not  been  able  to  see  the  evidence  of  his 
divine  mission,  and  have  improved  all  their  powers  and  advantages  in  oppo- 
fiition  to  Christianity. 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  515 

nature  and  genius  of  genuine  Christianity ;  that  they  do  not 
know  Christ ;  so  have  not  received  the  witness  that  God  has 
given  concerning  him,  and  truly  believed  on  his  name.* 

2.  This  subject  naturally  introduces  a  short,  but  most  in- 
teresting and  important  question,  which  Jesus  Christ  himself 
once  put  to  those  to  whom  he  was  speaking.  It  is  this  :  What 
think  ye  of  Christ? 

We  may  consider  this  question  as  now  urged  upon  us  all. 
What  views  and  apprehensions  have  we  of  Jesus  Christ? 
How,  and  in  what  a  light,  do  we  consider  this  Apostle  and 
great  High  Priest  of  our  profession  ?  Upon  this,  our  charac- 
ter and  our  eternal  state  depend.  We  are  true  Christians  or 
not,  according  as  our  thoughts  and  views  of  Christ  are ;  a  true 
answer  to  this  question,  therefore,  will  determine  our  character 
as  Christians,  and  upon  this  our  eternal  state  will  turn.  If 
we  know  Christ,  and  have  right  views  and  thoughts  of  him, 
we  are  then  his  friends  indeed,  and  shall  dwell  with  him  for- 
ever. But  if  his  true  character  is  not  understood  by  us,  and 
our  views  and  thoughts  of  him  are  essentially  wrong,  and  we 

*  Objection.  We  are  told  that  he  who  has  not  charity  is  nothing.  Charity 
is  the  ornament  and  glory  of  a  Christian  ;  and  where  this  is  not,  there  is  no  re- 
ligion. Is  it  not  astonishing,  then,  that  any  should  be  condemned  for  their 
charity  ?  —  that  this  should  be  reckoned  against  them,  as  an  argument  that  thej- 
who  exercise  it  in  the  utmost  stretch  of  it  are  no  Christians  ? 

Answer.  In  siich  a  way  of  talk  as  this  the  word  charity  is  greatly  abused, 
and  perverted  from  its  true  meaning,  at  least  the  Scripture  sense  of  it.  Charity 
is  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  which  is  the  whole  that  the  divine  law  re- 
quires ;  and,  therefore,  comprises  all  true  holiness.  This  love  to  God  and  man 
has  no  tendency  to  lead  the  person  who  exercises  it  to  think  all  are  good  men 
and  true  Christians  who  profess  Christianity  ;  much  less  does  it  consist  in  this. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  it  gives  a  degree  of  true  discerning  in  spiritual  things 
which  others  have  not ;  and  leads  the  mind  to  such  attention  to  the  divine 
character,  and  tills  the  heart  of  the  true  Christian  with  such  a  tenderness  and 
jealousy  for  the  honor  of  this  character,  that  he  more  readily  discerns  and  ten- 
derly feels  what  is  opposition  to  it.  And  he  will  be  ready  to  hate  those  who, 
in  their  words  and  profession,  appear  to  hate  God,  and  look  on  them  as  enemies 
to  God  and  to  himself  who  rise  up  against  God,  (Ps.  cxxxix.  21,  22,)  whatever 
their  external  conduct  may  otherwise  be  ;  for  God  may  be  as  directly  and  visi- 
bly opposed  in  profession  and  words  as  in  conduct.  And  to  have  no  discern- 
ing in  this  case,  but  to  embrace  those  as  good  Christians  who  openly  oj^pose 
and  speak  against  Christ,  is  so  far  from  being  an  exercise  of  charity,  that  it  is  a 
glaring  evidence  of  their  want  of  true  love  to  Christ. 

St.  Paul,  in  the  exercise  of  all  this  charity,  pronounced  those  accursed  who 
preach  another  gospel ;  and  told  the  Galatians  that  a  mistake  about  the  ground 
of  the  sinner's  acceptance  with  God  was  fatal.  (Gal.  i.  8,  9  ;  ii.  21  ;  v.  2.)  And 
St.  John,  while  he  is  in  the  warmest  manner  recommending  charity  or  love, 
declares  that  they  who  hold  not  the  truth  concerning  Christ  had  no  interest 
in  God's  favor,  and  orders  Christians  to  reject  them.  (2  John  9,  10.) 

Many  speak  of  charity  as  if  it  wholly  consisted  in  a  readiness  to  think  every 
one  a  true  Christian.  And  the  more  unlike  a  Christian  any  one  appears,  speaks, 
and  acts,  the  higher  degree  of  charity  is  required  to  believe  he  is  a  good  Chris- 
tian. And  he  is  the  best  man  who  can  e.xorcise  the  greatest  stretch  of  charity 
towards  them  who,  in  this  sense,  have  the  most  need  of  it. 


516  THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST. 

continue  in  this  error  and  darkness  until  death,  we  shall  be 
excluded  his  presence,  and  dwell  in  darkness  forever.  How 
greatly,  then,  does  this  question  concern  us  all !  We  may  well 
think  of  it  with  solemn  attention  and  self-application.  And 
let  it  not  be  put  off  now  without  an  answer.  Suffer  me,  then, 
to  urge  this  question  upon  this  auditory,  by  descending  to  a 
few  partiimlars. 

Have  you  well  considered  how  ^reat  a  High  Priest  Christ 
is  ?  that  though  he  was  in  the  world  a  mean,  despised  man,  he 
is  the  Maker  and  Lord  of  all  things,  has  infinite  dignity  and 
worthiness,  is  infinite  in  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  ;  is  a 
Priest  on  a  throne,  having  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  and 
all  things  in  his  hands?  (Zech.  vi.  13.  Matt,  xxviii.  18.) 
Have  you  been  fully  convinced  that  such  a  High  Priest  be- 
came you,  who  is  higher  than  the  heavens ;  and  that  no  other 
is  sufficient  to  make  atonement  and  reconciliation  for  the  sins 
of  men  ? 

Have  you  rightly  considered  Christ's  infinite  excellence  and 
worthiness  ?  In  the  view  of  this,  have  your  hearts  been  at- 
tracted to  him  in  the  exercise  of  the  highest  esteem  and  love? 
And  in  a  sense  of  your  own  infinite  unworthiness  and  guilt,  — 
which  is  in  the  most  striking  manner  declared  in  all  he  has 
done  and  suffered,  —  and  in  a  view  of  his  infinite  excellence 
and  worthiness,  of  his  boundless  merit  and  righteousness,  do 
you  trust  in  him  alone  for  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God  ? 
Is  his  merit  and  worthiness  the  only  thing  you  trust  in  to  rec- 
ommend you  to  God?  and  with  respect  to  this  do  you  make 
mention  of  his  name  alone,  placing  all  your  hopes  on  him, 
and  asking  all  you  want  in  his  name,  so  making  him  alone 
your  gi-eat  High  Priest  ? 

What  do  you  think  of  the  knowledge  of  .Jesus  Christ? 
Does  this  appear  to  be  happiness  and  life,  in  comparison  with 
which  you  count  all  other  attainments  as  worthless  and  noth- 
ing? (See  Phil.  iii.  8.)  Do  you  find  you  can  have  no  peace, 
comfort,  and  joy  but  in  a  view  and  sense  of  the  character  of 
Christ?  that,  so  far  as  he  is  out  of  sight,  darkness  and  death 
spread  over  your  soul  ?  that  your  heart  is  warrned,  refreshed, 
and  invigorated  only  in  the  light  and  shining  of  this  Sun  of 
Righteousness  ? 

Do  you  trust  in  Christ  alone  as  your  Redeemer  from  the 
power  of  sin  and  Satan  ?  In  a  sense  of  the  dreadful  disorders 
of  your  soul  by  sin,  how  defiled  and  ruined  you  are  by  it,  do 
you  hope  in  him  alone  as  your  Sanctifier? 

Do  you  long  and  seek  after  conformity  to  Christ  in  the 
temper  of  your  minds,  and  in  your  conduct,  as  the  greatest 
privilege  ?  and  is  the  happiness  and  heaven  you  are  desiring, 


THE    EXALTED    CHARACTER    OF    CHRIST.  517 

that  which  shall  consist  in  being  where  he  is,  and  beholding 
his  glory  ? 

3.  What  has  been  said  may  be  improved  as  an  excitement 
to  all  professing  Christians  to  hearken  to  the  exhortation  in 
the  text,  and  attentively  consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest 
of  their  profession,  Christ  Jesus. 

Your  Christianity,  your  comfort,  and  happiness  all  lie  in 
this.  In  his  light  alone  can  you  see  and  enjoy  light,  even  the 
light  of  life.  Would  you  make  progress  in  knowledge  and 
holiness,  and  be  wise  unto  salvation,  you  must  sit  constantly  at 
the  feet  of  this  great  Apostle  and  divine  Prophet,  who  teaches 
not  as  man  teaches.  If  this  Sun  of  Righteousness  has  risen 
upon  you,  and  you  have  ever  beheld  his  glory,  by  constantly 
attending  to  his  person  and  character,  "ye  shall  go  forth  and 
grow  up  as  calves  in  the  stall ;  and  your  path  shall  be  as  the 
shining  light,  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day."     (Mai.  iv.  2.     Pr.  iv.  18.) 

Jesus  Christ  is  an  object  so  vastly  extensive  and  infinitely 
great  that  he  cannot  be  attended  to  too  much  and  too  long. 
No  matter  how  soon  and  early  in  life  persons  begin  to  consid- 
er Christ  in  earnest.  The  theme  is  boundless,  the  subject  in- 
exhaustible. Here,  then,  is  a  foundation  laid  for  the  most 
attentive  and  engaged  inquiries  and  highest  and  growing  en- 
tertainment of  the  redeemed  forever  in  heaven,  "  where  there 
is  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it ;  for 
the  glory  of  God  does  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof."     (Rev.  xii.  23.) 

I  shall  close  in  the  words  of  St.  Peter,  with  which  he  con- 
cludes his  second  epistle  :  "  Ye,  therefore,  beloved,  seeing  ye 
knew  these  things  before,  beware  lest  ye  also,  being  led  away 
with  the  error  of  the  wicked,  fall  from  your  own  steadfast- 
ness. But  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
and  Savior  Jesus  Christ.  To  him  be  glory  both  now  and 
forever.     Amen." 

VOL.  in.  44 


TWO    SERMONS. 

I. 

ON  THE  NECESSITY  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  THE  LAW  OF  GOD, 
IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN. 


II. 

A  PARTICULAR  AND  CRITICAL  INQUIRY  INTO  THE  CAUSE,  NATURE, 
AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 


SERMON    I. 


THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD'S  LAW  NECESSARY 
IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN. 


I  had  not  knoAvn  sin  but  by  the  law.  —  Rom.  vii.  7. 

There  is  no  need  of  entering  into  a  critical  consideration 
of  the  context,  in  order  to  our  seeing  what  is  the  truth  here 
asserted  by  St.  Paul,  to  which  I  propose  to  lead  the  attention 
of  this  auditory  in  my  present  discourse.  St.  Paul  here  tells 
us  how  he  came  to  the  knowledge  of  sin,  viz.,  by  the  law ;  i.  e., 
by  the  knowledge  of  the  law,  and  that  there  was  no  other 
possible  way  or  medium  whereby  he  could  get  the  knowledge 
of  sin ;  and  what  Paul  asserts  of  himself  here  may  with  equal 
truth  be  affirmed  of  all  other  persons.  There  is  no  other  pos- 
sible way  for  them  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  sin  but  by 
the  law ;  therefore,  the  plain  and  important  truth  contained  in 
these  words  is,  the  knowledge  of  GocVs  laiv  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  order  to  the  knoivledg-e  of  sin. 

In  discoursing  on  this  proposition,  I  propose  to  consider 
what  we  are  to  understand  by  the  law;  why,  and  in  what 
sense,  the  knowledge  of  this  law  is  necessary  in  order  to  the 
knowledge  of  sin  ;  and  then  close  with  some  remarks  which 
will  be  naturally  suggested  by  the  view  we  shall  have  of 
the  subject. 

Of  the  law,  by  which  is  the  knowledge  of  sin,  the  following 
general  definition  may  be  given  :  — 

It  is  the  eternal  rule  of  righteousness,  which  is  essential  to 
the  being  and  glory  of  God's  moral  government  and  kingdom, 
and  is  in  a  sense  the  foundation  of  it,  pointing  out  and  de- 
claring the  duty  of  rational  creatures,  or  moral  agents,  as  what 
is  fit  and  proper  to  be  required  of  them,  and  containing  the 
rule  of  God's  conduct  towards  them,  as  their  moral  Governor. 

The  proposition  in  our  text,  at  first  view,  shows  us  the  im- 
portance of  the  inquiry  we  have  now  entered  upon.  If  the 
knowledge  of  sin  is  to  be  attair*ec?  :r.  no  way  but  by  the  knowl- 
44* 


522  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOd's    LAW    NECESSARY 

edge  of  God's  law,  then  it  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  us 
that  we  should  not  make  a  mistake  here,  but  clearly  under- 
stand what  the  law  is.  I  may,  therefore,  depend  upon  the 
serious  and  close  attention  of  all  here  present  while  I  am 
attempting  to  throw  light  on  this  subject,  and  illustrate  the 
foregoing  general  definition  of  laws  by  some  particular  ob- 
servations. 

And  here  let  it  be  observed,  that  this  law  respects  all  the 
powers  and  faculties  of  creatures  considered  as  moral  agents, 
and  all  their  exercises  and  conduct,  both  internal,  even  all  the 
thoughts  and  motions  of  their  hearts,  and  external,  in  their 
outward  conduct  and  behavior.  In  a  word,  it  respects  the 
heart,  or  will,  in  all  its  motions  and  exercises ;  and  it  is  the  rule 
of  every  moral  agent  in  all  places  and  at  all  times,  not  leaving 
him  at  liberty  to  act  without  regard  to  this  law  in  any  one  in- 
stance, so  long  as  he  exists  a  moral  agent. 

And  this  is  a  most  perfect  rule,  neither  too  strict  nor  too 
lax;  not  requiring  too  much  or  too  little  in  any  instance;  but 
points  out  and  prescribes  what  is  exactly  and  perfectly  fit  and 
right  in  all  cases.  So  that  every  voluntary  exercise  of  the 
creature  is  either  in  perfect  conformity  to  it,  and  so  is  perfectly 
right,  or,  as  far  as  it  is  not  so,  is  wrong,  and  a  violation  of  it. 
There  are,  therefore,  in  truth,  no  exercises  or  conduct  of  the 
moral  agent  which  are  indifierent,  neither  right  nor  wrong, 
because  they  all  are  to  be  measured  by  this  rule,  and  so  far  as 
they  are  conformed  to  it  they  are  right;  and  just  as  far  as  they 
are  not  so,  they  are  wrong  and  corrupt  —  there  being  no  medi- 
um in  the  case  between  right  and  wrong,  virtue  and  sin. 

Moreover,  let  it  be  particularly  observed  that  this  rule  is 
the  law  of  God.  It  is  the  voice  of  God  to  his  creatures ;  his 
command,  and  the  rule  which  he  himself  has  set  up ;  and, 
therefore,  it  is  clothed  with  his  authority, 

A  law  always  supposes  a  legislator,  and  that  he  has  right 
and  authority  to  make  such  a  law  and  issue  such  commands; 
and  the  law  is  attended  or  clothed  with  the  whole  of  his  au- 
thority, all  his  right  and  power  to  dictate  and  command.  So 
that  any  law  is  binding  and  has  force  just  in  proportion  to  the 
degree  of  authority  the  legislator  has  over  those  to  whom  he 
gives  law,  and  the  right  he  has  to  command.  Where  there  is 
no  authority,  there  is  no  right  to  dictate  or  command  any 
thing;  and  whatever  is  in  such  a  case  declared  or  proposed  by 
one  being  to  others,  it  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  law,  but  is 
only  an  exhortation  or  entreaty,  which  an  equal  or  inferior,  who 
has  no  sort  or  degree  of  authority  over  another,  may  use  and 
practise  as  well  as  any  one  else. 

The  law  of  God  is,  therefore,  clothed  with  infinite  authority, 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.         523 

even  all  the  authority  he  has  over  his  creatures  to  dictate  and 
command.  It  may  be  truly  and  safely  said  that  God  cannot 
make  a  law  which  shall  be  attended  with  less  authority,  less 
than  even  all  the  authority  he  has,  as  it  is  impossible  he  should 
be  divested  of  it,  or  lay  it  aside  in  any  instance,  or  in  the  least 
degree ;  and  that  this  authority  is  infinite,  or  beyond  all  bounds 
or  limits,  is  most  demonstrably  certain.  God  is  infinite  in  his 
being  and  greatness,  in  his  excellence  and  worthiness,  in  his 
superiority  to  the  creature,  and  so  in  his  right  to  dispose  of 
and  dictate  to  him.  If  that  which  gives  him  authority,  or  that 
wherein  his  authority  consists,  is  infinite,  then  the  authority 
itself  is  infinite ;  that  is,  it  is  so  great  that  it  is  beyond  all 
limits,  and  is  infinitely  more  and  greater  than  the  authority 
of  any  finite  being  can  possibly  be. 

And  hence  the  law  of  God  becomes  infinitely  binding,  and 
the  violation  of  this  law  in  the  least  instance  may  truly  be  said 
on  this  account,  and  in  this  view,  to  be  infinitely  wrong,  and 
so  the  crime  of  it  to  be  infinitely  great.  For  the  transgression 
of  any  rule  or  law  must  be  more  or  less  criminal  according  as 
the  authority  of  the  legislator  is  greater  or  less,  because  the 
obligation  to  obey  it  must  bear  a  proportion  to  this ;  and  the 
crime  of  every  transgression  is  greater  or  less,  in  proportion  to 
the  degree  of  obligation  the  sinner  is  under  to  the  contrary.  If 
any  being  has  ten  degrees  of  authority  over  another  to  com- 
mand and  give  law  to  him,  and  no  more,  then  he  to  whom  the 
command  is  given  is  under  ten  degrees  of  obligation  to  obey, 
and  his  refusal  to  do  it  will  have  ten  degrees  of  criminalness  in 
it  and  no  more;  and  if  he  is  under  law  to  another  being  who 
has  a  hundred  or  a  thousand  degrees  of  authority  over  him, 
but  yet  a  limited  authority,  he  is  under  ten  or  a  hundred  times 
greater  obligation  to  obey  him  than  he  is  to  obey  the  other ; 
so  his  crime  in  not  obeying  will  be  ten  or  a  hundred  times 
greater  than  in  the  other  case,  though  it  will  yet  be  a  limited 
or  finite  crime.  But  if  another  being  gives  law  to  him  who 
has  authority  beyond  all  possible  degrees  or  limits,  i.  e.,  truly 
infinite  authority,  his  crime  in  disobeying,  in  this  case,  will 
also  exceed  all  degrees  or  limits,  and  be  really  and  properly 
infinite. 

This  law  of  which  I  am  speaking  consists  in  two  main 
branches ;  one  points  out  our  duty  to  God,  and  the  other  our 
duty  to  our  fellow-creatures  and  to  ourselves.  This  is  all  con- 
tained and  expressed  in  the  law  of  the  ten  commandments, 
published  to  the  children  of  Israel  by  God  from  Mount  Sinai, 
and  afterwards  wrote  by  God  himself  on  two  tables  of  stone, 
and  laid  up  in  the  ark,  which  was  placed  in  the  holy  of  holies, 
under  the  mercy  seat  or  propitiatory.     The  first  four  of  these 


524  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY 

express  our  duty  to  God ;  the  last  six  our  duty  to  our  fellow- 
creatures.  And  this  law  is  all  summed  up  in  the  most  com- 
prehensive manner,  by  our  divine  Teacher,  in  the  following 
words :  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  And  thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  (Matt.  xxii.  37-39.)  The  law 
of  God,  then,  requires  nothing  but  love  —  love  exercised  in  a 
perfect  manner  and  degree,  and  expressed  in  all  possible 
proper  ways.  In  this  the  whole  of  the  duty  and  obedience  of 
moral  agents  consists. 

Let  it  be  further  observed,  that  a  penalty  is  annexed  to  this 
law,  which  consists  in  a  threatening  to  the  disobedient.  This 
is  essential  to  a  law.  Whatever  rule  or  directory  is  proposed 
and  set  up  without  any  threatening  to  him  who  disregards  it, 
so  that  he  exposes  himself  to  no  more  evil  of  any  kind  by 
transgressing  it  than  by  the  most  strict  observance  of  it,  cannot 
have  the  nature  and  force  of  a  law.  It  has  been  just  observed 
that  authority  is  essential  to  law,  so  that  where  there  is  no  au- 
thority there  can  be  no  law ;  and  that  the  law  must  be  clothed 
and  enforced  with  all  the  authority  of  the  legislator.  Now, 
this  authority  is  exercised  and  expressed  in  the  threatening  to 
the  disobedient,  and  cannot  possibly  be  expressed  in  any  thing 
else,  or  in  any  other  way.  That  rule  which  carries  not  in  it 
a  threatening  to  the  transgressor  is  attended  or  clothed  with 
no  authority  at  all ;  no  authority  is  expressed  or  exercised ;  and, 
therefore,  it  has  not,  it  cannot  have,  the  nature  and  force  of 
a  law. 

And  this  penalty  or  the  evil  threatened  must  be  exactly 
answerable  to  the  authority  of  the  lawgiver  and  the  just  desert 
of  the  transgressor.  The  authority  of  a  law  lies  wholly  in  the 
threatening,  or  appears  and  is  expressed  only  in  that,  as  has 
been  just  observed;  and  it  is  in  this  that  the  authority  of  the 
lawgiver  is  exhibited.  Therefore,  the  greater  and  more  sacred 
the  authority  of  the  legislator  is,  the  greater  and  more  dreadful 
must  be  the  punishment  threatened;  and  this  will  proportion 
the  punishment  of  the  crime  ;  for,  as  has  been  shown,  the  crime 
of  the  transgressor  of  a  law  is  greater  or  less  according  to  the 
degree  of  dignity  and  autliority  of  the  lawgiver.  IC  a  legisla- 
tor should  annex  a  threatening  to  his  law  which  is  not  answer- 
able to  his  sacred  authority  and  worthiness  to  be  obeyed,  and 
so  not  equal  to  the  crime  of  disobedience,  he  would  so  far  lay 
aside  or  divest  himself  of  his  own  proper  character  by  not 
asserting  and  acting  up  to  it;  and  the  law  would  be  so  far  un- 
becoming of  him,  and  not  agreeable  to  the  truth  and  reason 
of  things,  and  so  not  perfectly  right  and  excellent.  It  is,  there- 
fore, certain  that,  whenever  a  legislator  will  assert  and  maintain 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.        525 

his  proper  character  and  authority,  he  must  threaten  disobedi- 
ence to  his  command  with  a  punishment  exactly  answerable 
to  his  character  and  authority,  so  that  this  shall  be  properly 
and  fully  expressed  in  the  threatening.  Neither  a  greater  nor 
a  less  punishment  must  be  threatened ;  for  to  threaten  and  in- 
flict a  greater  punishment  would  be  unjust  and  tyrannical,  and 
to  threaten  and  inflict  a  less  would  be  injurious  to  his  own 
character,  contrary  to  the  reason  and  nature  of  things,  and 
many  ways  hurtful  to  the  subject. 

Therefore,  the  penalty  of  the  law  of  God  must  be  infinite ; 
the  punishment  threatened  to  the  sinner  must  be  an  finfinite 
evil,  something  infinitely  great  and  dreadful,  as  the  dignity, 
majesty,  and  authority  of  the  lawgiver  are  infinite.  Any  thing 
less  than  this  would  be  infinitely  too  little  for  the  most  high 
God  to  threaten,  infinitely  too  mean  and  low  for  him  ;  for,  to 
threaten  sin  against  himself  with  a  finite  evil  only,  would  be, 
in  effect,  to  dethrone  himself,  and  renounce  his  proper  charac- 
ter and  authority  more,  yea,  infinitely  more,  than  the  greatest 
earthly  monarch  would  do  it,  with  regard  to  himself,  if  he 
should  publicly  declare  that,  however  much  his  laws  should  be 
disregarded  and  trampled  upon  by  his  subjects,  they  should  be 
exposed  to  no  evil  by  their  rebellion,  should  have  his  favor, 
and  enjoy  all  the  benefits  of  his  kingdom  to  as  great  a  degree 
as  if  they  were  perfectly  obedient.  For  such  an  earthly  mon- 
arch would,  in  the  case  proposed,  give  up  infinitely  less  than 
the  most  high  Majesty  of  heaven  and  earth  would  do,  by 
threatening  rebellion  against  his  law  with  only  a  finite  punish- 
ment ;  as  this  is  infinitely  less  than  that  which  is  necessary  in 
order  properly  to  express  and  maintain  his  own  character  and 
authority. 

On  the  whole,  it  appears,  from  what  has  been  observed,  that 
the  law  of  God  requires  perfect,  persevering  obedience,  on  pain 
of  eternal  damnation.  I  say,  "  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation ; " 
for,  as  the  punishment  is  an  infinite  evil,  it  must  be  eternal,  as 
an  infinite  evil  cannot  be  inflicted  on  a  finite  subject  in  any 
limited  or  finite  duration.  No  less  than  this  is  comprised  in 
the  curse  of  God  which  is  denounced  against  every  one  who 
does  not  persevere  in  perfect  conformity  to  his  law.  "  For  it 
is  written,"  says  St.  Paul,  speaking  of  this  law,  "  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  (Gal.  iii.  10.)  This  pun- 
ishment, this  infinitely  dreadful  evil,  and  not  separation  of 
soul  and  body,  or  annihilation,  is  intended  by  the  death  which 
St.  Paul  says  is  the  wages  of  sin,  (Rom.  vi.  23,)  and  is  the 
same  that  was  threatened  to  our  first  parents,  if  they  should 
transgress  God's  law.  (Gen.  ii.  17.)     This  is  the  proper  death 


526  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY 

of  a  moral  agent,  even  a  separation  from  all  good  unto  all 
evil,  and  that  forever.  For  it  is  not  consistent  with  the  being 
of  moral  government  that  the  subjects  of  it  should  ever  cease 
to  be.  This  I  think  may  easily  be  proved ;  but  I  have  not 
time  for  it  now. 

I  proceed  to  observe,  that  as  this  law  is  founded  in  the 
reason  and  nature  of  things,  is  the  most  exact  and  perfect 
expression  of  the  perfections  and  glorious  character  of  the 
supreme  Disposer  of  all  things  and  moral  Governor  of  the 
world,  and  is  perfectly,  and,  as  I  may  say,  infinitely  right,  so 
it  must  take  place  in  its  full  force  and  extent,  with  regard  to 
every  creature  in  the  universe  that  is  capable  of  being  under 
law  and  moral  government.  We  may  be  sure  God  will  not 
release  any  moral  agent  from  his  obligations  to  this  law,  as  it 
is  most  certain  he  cannot  do  it  consistent  with  his  character 
as  moral  Governor  of  the  world.  This  law,  therefore,  stands 
firm  as  mountains  of  brass,  as  the  pillars  of  heaven.  It  stands 
forever  the  same  most  perfect  and  glorious  law,  sure  and  un- 
shaken as  the  kingdom  of  God  itself,  and  will  no  sooner  be 
removed ;  for  to  remove  or  disannul  this,  is  to  destroy  God's 
moral  kingdom.  It  is  easier  for  heaven  and  earth  to  pass  or 
be  dissolved  than  one  tittle  of  this  law  to  fail.  (Luke  xvi.  17.) 
The  righteousness  of  it  is  everlasting,  and  God  hath  founded 
it  forever.  (Ps.  cxix.  144,  152.)  This  law  cannot  be  repealed, 
set  aside,  or  abated ;  not  the  precepts  of  it,  for  nothing  is  re- 
quired but  what  is  perfectly  proper  and  right ;  nor  the  penalty, 
for  this  is  an  essential  part  of  the  law,  and  is  perfectly  equal 
and  right;  and  to  set  this  aside,  in  whole  or  in  part,  is  just  so 
far  to  destroy  the  law,  and  even  to  contradict  and  efface  the 
divine  character,  as  has  been  shown. 

Jesus  Christ  did  not,  therefore,  come  into  this  world  and 
assume  the  character  of  Mediator  in  order  to  get  this  law  re- 
pealed or  abated,  as  many  have  very  absurdly  and  wickedly 
believed  and  taught.  So  far  from  this  was  his  design,  that  he 
came  to  "  magnify  the  law  and  make  it  honorable,"  agreeably 
to  the  ancient  predictions  concerning  him.  And  in  this  his 
merit  and  righteousness  consist,  by  which  sinners  obtain  par- 
don and  salvation  through  him.  He  warned  all  against  such 
a  notion  as  this  when  he  first  entered  on  his  public  ministry. 
"  Think  not,"  says  he,  "  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or 
the  prophets  ;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil."  The 
law  was,  indeed,  in  the  way  of  the  sinner's  salvation,  and  this 
was  the  ground  of  the  necessity  of  the  incarnation,  sufferings, 
and  obedience  of  the  Son  of  God.  But  this  was  not  to  take 
the  law  out  of  the  way,  by  setting  it  aside ;  but  to  fulfil  it,  to 
obey  it,  and  suffer  the  penalty  of  it  instead  of  the  sinner,  so 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.        527 

that  the  law  might  be  as  much  regarded  and  honored  as  if 
the  curse  had  fallen  on  the  sinner ;  and  that  God,  the  supreme 
Lawgiver,  might  be  just,  just  to  his  own  character  and  law,  and 
yet  justify  the  ungodly,'the  infinitely  guilty  and  ill-deserving 
sinner  who  believeth  in  Jesus. 

The  unbeliever,  the  Christless  sinner,  is  as  much  under  the 
law  and  curse  as  if  Christ  had  not  come  into  the  world,  and 
there  had  been  no  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  He  who 
believeth  not  in  Christ,  is  not  so  united  to  him,  and  is  not  in 
him,  as  that  his  merit  and  righteousness,  which  consist  in 
what  he  did  and  suffered  to  maintain  and  honor  the  law,  may 
be  properly  imputed  to  him,  or  reckoned  to  his  account;  he  is 
under  condemnation,  and  the  wrath  of  God  and  curse  of  his 
law  are  as  much  upon  him  as  if  there  had  been  no  Savior. 
(John  iii.  18,  36.) 

And  believers  in  Christ,  or  true  Christians,  are  as  much 
under  the  law,  as  a  rule,  as  ever  they  were;  and  under  as 
great  obligations  to  a  perfect  conformity  to  it  as  any  others, 
or  as  they  ever  were.  And  every  thing  in  them  which  is  short 
of  perfect  holiness,  or  perfect  obedience  to  this  law,  considered 
in  its  utmost  strictness,  is  perfectly  inexcusable,  and  as  crim-^ 
inal  in  them  as  if  they  were  not  believers  in  Christ ;  yea,  much 
more  so,  for  the  superior  discerning,  light,  and  advantages 
they  have,  and  the  peculiar  favors  and  privileges  bestowed  on 
them,  do  vastly  increase  their  obligations  to  perfect  holiness, 
and  so  render  every  degree  of  opposition,  or  want  of  perfect 
conformity  to  the  law  of  God,  immensely  more  criminal  than 
they  are  in  others.  The  law,  considered  in  its  greatest  strict- 
ness, as  requiring  absolute  perfection,  is  as  much  a  rule  to 
them  as  ever,  and  is  the  only  rule  or  law  they  are  under ;  and 
Christ  did  not  design  to  deliver  them  from  obligations  to  per- 
fect obedience  to  this  law,  but,  as  has  just  been  observed,  is 
the  occasion  of  greatly  increasing  them  by  what  he  has  done 
for  them.  Christ  has,  indeed,  made  atonement  for  all  their 
sins  against  this  law  which  they  have  committed,  or  ever  shall 
commit ;  and  so  has  delivered  them  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  himself  made  a  curse  for  them  ;  so  that  they  are, 
in  this  sense,  "not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  (Rom. 
vi.  15.)  They  are  not  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  nor  exposed 
to  the  infinitely  dreadful  punishment  threatened;  but  they  are 
completely  delivered  from  this  by  a  free  pardon.  But  this  has 
not  taken  off  their  obligations  to  obey  this  law;  so  far  from  it, 
that  it  has  greatly  increased  them.  Jesus  Christ  is  not  dis- 
posed to  bring  the  law  down  to  them,  or  release  them  from 
obligations  to  obey  it;  but  designs,  and  is  engaged,  to  deliver 
them  from  all  sin,  and  bring  them  to  a  perfect  conformity  to 


528  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOd's    LAW    NECESSARY 

this  law,  as  that  in  which  their  redemption  and  happiness  will 
very  much  consist. 

Let  us  now  consider  why,  and  in  what  sense,  the  knowl- 
edge of  this  law  of  God  is  necessary  in  order  to  the  knowledge 
of  sin. 

And  here  the  matter  is  so  plain  that  there  is  need  of  but 
little  to  be  said  in  order  to  make  it  sufficiently  evident.  If 
this  law  is  the  rule  of  man's  conduct,  of  all  his  exercises  and 
behavior,  so  that  he  is  sinful,  or  not,  just  in  proportion  as  he 
conforms  to  this  law,  or  does  not,  thezi  he  cannot  possibly 
judge  of  his  own  character,  and  determine  whether  he  is  a 
sinner  or  not,  if  he  is  perfectly  ignorant  of  this  law ;  and  he 
must  be  ignorant  of  his  own  sinfulness,  however  great  a  sinner 
he  is,  just  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  his  ignorance  of  the 
law  he  is  under.  Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law;  there- 
fore, where  there  is  no  law,  there  is  no  sin ;  and  he  who  has 
no  idea,  no  apprehension  or  knowledge  of  law,  has  no  idea  of 
sin,  and  it  is  impossible  he  should ;  and  every  person's  notion 
of  sin  will  be  according  to  his  notion  of  the  law.  If  he  thinks 
God's  law  requires  that  which  it  does  not,  he  will  jvidge  that 
,to  be  sin  which  in  truth  is  not  so.  If  he  thinks  the  law  he 
is  under  does  not  require  what  it  really  does,  he  will  look  upon 
that  to  be  no  sin  which  in  truth  is  so ;  and  so  far  as  he  sees 
not  the  ground  and  reasonableness  of  the  law,  he  will  be  igno- 
rant of  the  crime  or  real  sinfulness  there  is  in  transgressing  it. 
If  he  is  ignorant  of  the  excellence,  worthiness,  and  authority 
of  the  lawgiver,  and  so  sees  not  the  excellence  and  glory  of  the 
law,  he  must  be  blind  to  the  true  turpitude  and  odiousness  of 
sin,  and  can  have  no  true  idea  of  it. 

For  the  more  clear  illustration  of  this  point,  it  may  be  ob- 
served, that  there  is  a  threefold  knowledge  of  the  law,  and  an 
answerable  different  knowledge  of  sin. 

There  is  what  may  be  called  a  speculative  knowledge  of  the 
law,  which  is  attended  with  an  answerable  knowledge  of  sin. 
Men  may  have,  in  a  great  measure,  right  speculations  with  re- 
spect to  the  law  of  God  and  sin.  They  may  reason  and  judge 
right  about  the  strictness,  extent,  and  reasonableness  of  God's 
law,  the  obligation  they  are  under  to  obedience,  their  total  de- 
pravity, and  destitution  of  conformity  to  this  law,  and  the  infi- 
nite evil  or  crime  there  is  in  all  sin,  etc.,  —  I  say,  men  may  enter 
far  into  speculations  on  these  things,  and  reason  clearly  and 
very  well  upon  them,  and  yet  their  hearts  not  be  at  all  affected 
with  them.  They  may  feel  themselves  so  uninterested  in  the 
matter  as  to  give  themselves  no  trouble  about  it  in  this  view, 
but  live  at  ease,  and,  with  the  greatest  carelessness  and  stupid- 
ity, run  on  in  sin  with  greediness.  The  many  sad  examples 
of  this  render  what  is  here  asserted  indisputable. 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEBGE  OF  SIN.         529 

There  is  a  further  knowledge  of  the  law  of  God,  and  so  of 
sin,  which  unregenerate  persons  may  have,  by  having  their 
consciences  awakened  up  to  attend  to  these  things  in  some 
measure  as  realities,  and  with  particular  application  to  them- 
selves. They  now  find  themselves  greatly  interested  in  this 
matter.  They  feel  themselves  condemned  by  the  law,  and 
under  the  curse  of  God,  against  whom  they  have  always  re- 
belled, and  have  such  a  view  and  sense  of  the  greatness,  majes- 
ty, and  power  of  God,  and  the  dreadfulness  of  his  anger,  and 
their  constant  exposedness  to  be  cast  into  hell,  as  to  fill  them 
with  sore  distress,  even  to  amazement  and  horror.  And  this 
becomes  their  great  and  only  concern,  by  night  and  by  day, 
how  they  shall  escape  the  wrath  that  is  to  come. 

But  there  is  another  and  quite  different  kind  of  knowledge 
of  God's  law  and  of  sin,  which  is  peculiar  to  the  regenerate. 
They  discern  and  have  a  sense  of  heart  of  the  superlative 
excellence  and  glory  of  the  divine  character,  by  which  he  is  infi- 
nitely distinguished  from  all  other  beings,  and  feel  the  obliga- 
tions they  and  all  creatures  are  under  to  love  him  perfectly 
with  all  their  hearts  forever.  They,  therefore,  see  the  reason- 
ableness, extent,  and  excellence  of  the  law  of  God  in  such  a 
manner  and  degree  as  implies  a  hearty  approbation  and  love 
of  it,  and  say  in  their  hearts,  "  The  law  is  holy,  just,  and  good." 
They  hence  see  what  sin  is.  It  appears  to  them  infinitely  odi- 
ous and  ill  deserving,  as  it  is  a  contradiction  to  the  divine 
character  and  law,  and  heartily  hate  and  abhor  it,  as  what 
justly  deserves   God's  displeasure  and  wrath  forever. 

Whatever  knowledge  of  the  law  and  of  sin  the  unregenerate 
have,  it  does  not  imply  in  it  any  true  sight  and  sense  of  the 
amiableness  and  excellence  of  God's  law,  or  of  the  real  hate- 
fulness  of  sin ;  for  they  do  neither  love  the  law  nor  hate  sin, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  they  approve  of  sin  in  their  hearts,  and 
love  it,  and  heartily  oppose  and  hate  God's  law ;  and  as  they 
are  blind  to  this  most  important  and  essential  article,  they  may 
be  truly  said  not  to  have  the  knowledge  of  God,  his  law,  or  of 
sin.  Therefore,  the  Scripture  represents  them  as  not  knowing 
God  and  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  (John  iv.  8.  1  Cor. 
ii.  14.)  The  regenerate  only  have  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
law  of  God  and  of  sin ;  and  it  is  in  the  light  of  God's  holy 
law  that  they  see  sin  to  be  what  it  is.  They  can,  therefore, 
all  say  with  St.  Paul  in  our  text,  "  I  had  not  known  sin  but  by 
the  law." 

I  proceed  to  make  some  useful  remarks  and  reflections,  which 
the  subject  we  have  been  attending  to  naturally  suggests :  — 

I.    Great  mistakes  and  wrong  notions  about  the   law  are 
very  hurtful  and  fatal  mistakes.     They  who  have  quite  wrong. 
VOL..  III.  45 


530  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOd's    LAAV    NECESSARY 

ideas  of  the  law  of  God  will  have  equally  wrong  ideas  of  their 
own  character  as  sinners,  and,  consequently,  wrong  ideas  of  the 
character  of  the  Mediator  and  the  grace  revealed  in  the  gospel. 
The  gospel  has  such  respect  to  the  law  of  God,  and  the  latter 
is  so  much  the  reason  and  ground  of  the  former,  and  so  essen- 
tial to  the  wisdom  and  glory  of  it,  that  it  cannot  be  under- 
stood by  him  who  is  ignorant  of  the  law ;  and,  consequently, 
our  idea  and  apprehension  of  the  gospel  will  be  erroneous  and 
wrong  just  so  far  as  we  have  wrong  notions  of  God's  law. 
The  character  of  a  Mediator  is  necessary,  excellent,  and  glori- 
ous only  in  this  view  and  on  this  supposition,  that  the  law  of 
God,  which  requires  perfect  persevering  obedience,  on  pain  of 
eternal  damnation,  is  unchangeably  right,  just,  excellent,  and 
glorious,  and,  consequently,  sin  infinitely  criminal  and  odious; 
for  the  most  essential  part  of  the  character  of  the  Mediator  con- 
sists in  his  honoring  this  law,  and  making  atonement  for  sin. 
He,  therefore,  who  does  not  believe  there  is  any  such  law,  or 
does  not  view  it  in  this  light,  and  so  does  not  see  sin  in  its 
true  demerit  and  hatefulness,  cannot  possibly  understand  the 
gos})el,  but  must  be  blind  to  the  true  wisdom  and  glory  of  it. 
This  has  been,  and  now  is,  the  sad  case  of  multitudes  under 
the  gospel.  They  hope  and  expect  to  be  saved  by  Christ; 
they  speak  much  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  and  the  wonderful 
mercy  of  God  to  sinners ;  but  they  at  the  same  time  are  igno- 
rant of  the  divine  law,  and  never  were  reconciled  to  it  as  ho][y, 
just,  and  good ;  so  never  saw  sin  in  its  true  odiousness  and  ill 
desert.  Let  such  rise  as  high  as  they  will  in  their  admiration 
of  gospel  grace,  and,  though  they  are  affected  even  to  raptures, 
they  are  wholly  ignorant  of  the  true  grace  of  God,  of  their 
need  of  a  Mediator,  and  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  him.  So 
important  are  the  right  notions  of  the  law.  He  who  fails  here 
must  be  in  darkness  with  respect  to  the  whole  system  of  re- 
ligious truth ;  the  true  gospel  will  be  hid  from  him ;  and  to 
him  Christ  crucified  will  be  nothing  but  a  stumbling-block, 
and  the  most  perfect  foolishness.  There  are  many  who  speak 
out  and  say,  "  We  do  not  believe  there  is  now  any  such  law 
binding  on  men  which  requires  perfect  obedience  on  pain  of 
eternal  damnation.  This  law  is  wholly  set  aside  by  the  gos- 
pel, and  we  never  were  under  it,  nor  indeed  would  it  be  just 
in  God  to  hold  us  to  it.  Christ  —  blessed  be  his  name!  —  has 
introduced  a  more  mild  dispensation,  so  that  we  are  now  not 
under  law,  but  under  grace."  But,  pray,  what  grace  is  there 
in  abolishing  and  freeing  you  from  a  law  which  you  never 
could  be  justly  under,  and  which,  therefore,  ought  in  justice- to 
be  set  aside  ?  And  what  need  of  a  Mediator  to  die,  to  deliver 
you  from  this  law  and  introduce  a  more  mild  dispensation  ? 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.         531 

Must  there  be  so  costly  a  sacrifice  to  induce  the  great  Law- 
giver to  give  up  that  which  he  could  not  justly  insist  upon,  it 
being  in  itself  unreasonable  ?  But  if  it  is  in  itself  reasonable, 
being  founded  in  the  reason  and  nature  of  things,  it  cannot 
be  given  up  and  abolished  on  any  consideration  whatsoever. 
Surely  such,  however  they  may  "  desire  to  be  teachers  of  the 
law,  understand  neither  what  they  say,  nor  whereof  they 
affirm."  (1  Tim.  i.  7.)  When  will  such  horrible  jargon  and 
blasphemy  be  banished  from  the  Christian  world  ?  How  far 
are  such  from  knowing  their  own  character  as  sinners,  and  the 
true  grace  of  the  gospel  whereby  the  sinner  is  saved! 

And  suffer  me  to  add  here,  a  hearty  submission  to,  and  acqui- 
escence and  delight  in,  the  law  of  God,  rightly  understood,  and 
so  a  true  hatred  of  sin,  must  take  place  in  order  to  any  degree 
of  true  approbation  of  the  gospel  and  faith  and  trust  in  Christ. 
For  so  far  as  we  are  from  approving  of  the  law  of  God  in  our 
hearts,  and  a  sense  of  the  hatefulness  and  ill  desert  of  sin,  just 
so  far  shall  we  always  be  from  being  pleased  with  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ,  rightly  understood,  in  which  the  law  is  set  up 
and  honored  as  most  excellent  and  glorious,  and  sin  is  con- 
demned in  the  highest  possible  degree,  and  its  infinite  odi- 
ousness  and  ill  desert  set  in  the  most  clear  and  striking  light 
imaginable.  Indeed,  this  approbation  and  sense  of  heart  is 
implied  in  a  true  idea  and  knowledge  of  the  law  in  its  excel- 
lence and  glory,  and  of  sin  in  its  true  odiousness  and  ill  de- 
sert ;  for  the  very  idea  of  beauty  and  excellence  consists  in  a 
sense  of  heart,  and  is  itself  a  pleasedness  with  that  beauty  and 
dehght  in  it;  and  there  can  be  no  distinction  between  seeing 
the  true  hatefulness  of  an  object  and  hating  it.*       * 

Hence  it  appears  of  great  importance  that  the  law  should 
be  preached  up,  and  kept  in  view,  as  this  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  order  to  give  a  right  idea  of  the  gospel.  Many  public 
teachers    and    professed   preachers  of  the  gospel  grossly  fail 

*  Thus  evident  is  it  that  the  sinner  who  comes  to  Christ  for  salvation  comes 
as  a  true  penitent,  and  that  repentance,  which  most  essentially  consists  in  a 
sense  of  heart  of  the  true  odiousness  and  iU  desert  of  sin,  is  not  only  implied  in 
faith  in  Christ,  but  is  necessary  in  order  to  this  faith ;  and  the  former  takes 
place  before  the  latter,  as  there  must  be  the  knowledge  and  approbation  of  the 
divine  character  and  law,  and  a  sight  and  sense  of  the  ill  desert  of  sin,  before 
there  can  be  any  true  knowledge  of  tlie  Mediator  and  faith  in  him.  Thus  it  is 
only  the  humble,  contrite,  broken-hearted  penitent  who  is  revived  and  com- 
forted by  Christ,  as  none  but  such  ever  did,  or  ever  will,  know  his  true  character, 
or  are  prepared  to  receive  with  approbation  and  joy  the  good  news  lie  pro- 
claims. This  is  so  plain  and  demonstrable  that  it  may  be  reasonably  concluded 
that  many  who  have  objected  against  the  notion  that  repentance  towards  God 
is  antecedent  to  faith  in  Christ,  and  before  it,  as  being  heretical  and  absxird, 
have  done  it  through  some  misunderstanding  of  the  matter. 

There  are  those  who  zealously  contend  that  a  sight  and  belief  of  the  grace 
of  G-od  through  Christ,  and  a  view  of  God  as  reconciled  to  the  sinner  by  him, 


532-  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY 

here.  They  never,  in  all  they  say,  bring  the  law  of  God  into 
view,  but  always  keep  it  out  of  sight.  And  it  is  not  uncom- 
mon for  them  to  say  many  things  which  are  directly,  or,  in 
fair  construction,  in  opposition  to  God's  law,  rightly  under- 
stood. They  who  are  so  unhappy  as  to  sit  under  such  teach- 
ers never  will  have  the  true  knowledge  of  sin,  or  understand 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  if  they  learn  no  more  than  what  they  are 
taught  by  them.  Whatever  they  may  say  in  favor  of  the 
gospel,  and  however  much  they  may  seem  to  magnify  the 
grace  of  God,  using  many  high-sounding  phrases  and  pathetic 
expressions,  they  are,  in  truth,  words  without  a  meaning,  and 
convey  no  proper  idea  of  the  true  grace  of  God ;  and  the  real 
gospel  of  Christ  is  overlooked  and  neglected.  It  is  impossible 
there  should  be  any  solid  superstructure  on  the  sandy  founda- 
tion on  which  they  build.* 

II.  The  foundation  of  all  the  great  and  hurtful  errors,  with 
respect  to  the  gospel,  which  take  place  in  the  Christian  world, 
is  ignorance  of  God's  law,  and  mistakes  about  it.  If  all  were 
agreed  and  right  in  their  sentiments  about  the  law  of  God, 
and  would  be  consistent  with  themselves,  they  would  soon  be 
agreed  in  all  the  important  truths  of  Christianity,  and  an  end 
would  be  put  to  most  of  our  disputes  about  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel.  This  remark  may  be  illustrated  by  instancing  a 
few  particulars. 

If  all  men  commence  moral  agents  under  this  law,  which 
requires  perfect,  persevering  obedience,  on  pain  of  eternal  de- 
struction, and  all  do  certainly  and  infallibly  transgress  this  law 
as  soon  as  they  become  moral  agents,  and  fall  under  the  curse 
of  it,  —  so  ^are  eternally  undone,  unless  they  are  delivered  by 
undeserved  sovereign  grace,  and  all  the  children  of  Adam  have 
been,  are,  or  will  be,  in  this  state, —  then  all  came  into  the  world 
in  as  miserable  a  state  and  condition,  and  their  existence  is  as 
infallibly  connected  with  eternal  ruin,  as  if  they  had  fallen  in 

is  the  first  and  only  thing  that  begets  love  to  God  and  his  law,  and  repentance 
of  sin,  and  that  it  is  impossible  that  the  sinner  should  be  reconciled  to  God 
and  the  divine  law  in  any  other  view.  I  leave  the  attentive  reader  to  observe 
and  reflect  upon  the  absurdity  of  such  a  notion.  It  is  certain  to  a  demonstra- 
tion that  tlicy  who  arc  not  heartily  reconciled  to  God  and  his  law,  and  do  not 
hate  sin  and  abhor  themselves  for  it,  do  not  know,  and  are  not  reconciled,  to  the 
grace  of  God  tlirough  Christ.  Nor  can  they  attain  to  the  latter  if  not  first 
brought  to  the  former,  but  will  remain  eternal  enemies  to  both.  They,  therefore, 
■who  have  never  been  reconciled  to  God  and  his  holy  law  in  any  other  way  but 
by  first  seeing  and  believing  in  the  grace  of  God  through  Christ,  are  yet  ignorant 
of  the  true  grace  of  (jod,  and  enemies  to  it.  And  all  their  love  to  Christ,  and 
supposed  reconciliation  to  God  —  all  their  repentance,  religious  aficctions,  and 
rapturous  admiration  of  tlie  love  and  grace  of  (iod  is  nothing  but  mere  enthusi- 
astic delusion,  bottomed  on  that  selfishness  wliich  is  perfect  enmity  against  God. 
*  The  reader  may  find  this  point  more  fully  illustrated  in  Bellamy's  "  Essay 
on  the  Nature  and  Glory  of  the  Gospel,"  especially  in  the  fiist  live  sections. 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.         533 

Adam.*  And  the  easiest,  most  natural,  if  not  the  only  way 
to  account  for  this  event,  viz.,  the  unfailing  sin  and  total 
ruin  of  all  Adam's  posterity,  is,  that  it  takes  place  in  conse- 
quence of  the  first  apostasy,  by  virtue  of  a  holy  and  wise  con- 
stitution, which  connects  the  sin  and  ruin  of  all  Adam's  chil- 
dren with  the  rebellion  of  their  first  father,  he  being,  in  this, 
considered  as  their  moral  head  and  representative.  I  am  con- 
fident every  man  will  readily  see  that  this  is  plainly  the  Bible 
account  of  the  matter  who  is  fully  sensible  of  the  state  in 
which  all  mankind  are  by  nature  considered  as  under  this  law. 
And  this  is,  I  think,  confirmed  by  fact  and  universal  experi- 
ence. Where  can  the  person  be  found  who  has  right  and 
consistent  notions  of  the  divine  law,  agreeably  to  the  repre- 
sentation that  has  now  been  given  of  it,  who  is  not  full  in  the 
belief  of  the  doctrine  of  original  sin?  And  why  should  he 
not  believe  it?  What  will  he  get  by  opposing  this  doctrine? 
All  the  children  of  Adam  are  as  much  and  as  infallibly  un- 
done as  if  their  sin  and  misery  came  by  virtue  of  their  con- 
nection with  the  first  sinner.  And,  by  denying  the  doctrine 
of  original  sin,  he  is  left  without  any  satisfactory  way  of 
accounting  for  the  universal  sin  and  ruin  of  mankind,  and 
brings  on  himself  the  difficult  task  of  explaining  away  the 
most  easy  and  natural  meaning  of  these  passages  of  Scripture 
which  give  a  plain  account  of  1  his  matter. 

And  they  who  attend  to  and  believe  the  nature,  spirituality, 
and  extent  of  the  divine  law,  will  not  only  be  convinced  that 
mankind  are  all  sinners,  and  so  in  an  undone  state  by  nature, 
but  that  they  are  also  greatly  and  totally  corrupt,  being  wholly 
without  any  true  conformity  to  the  law  of  God,  and  altogether 
under  the  power  of  strong  inclinations  directly  contrary  to  it. 
When  the  law  comes,  it  is  received  and  understood  in  its  true 
import ;  the  sinfulness  of  mankind  revives  and  comes  into  view, 
and  they  appear  wholly  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins. 

The  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  Christ,  without  the 
deeds  of  the  law,  or  the  sinner's  being  pardoned  and  received 
to  favor,  not  on  the  account  of  any  virtue  or  goodness  of  his 
own,  but  wholly  out  of  respect  to  the  merit  and  worthiness 
of  Christ,  to  which  he  is  entitled  by  faith,  or  his  union  to 
Christ,  —  this  doctrine,  I  say,  is  established  by  right  notions  of 
the  law;  so  that  they  who  are  of  the  same  sentiments  with 
respect  to  the  latter  will  agree  in  the  former.  If  the  sinner  is 
under  a  law  which  considers  the  least  sin  as  an  infinite  crime, 
and,  therefore,  deserving    an  eternal   punishment,    then  it  is 

*  This  matter  is  very  particularly  considered  and  set  in  a  clear  light  by 
Edwards,  on  Original  Sui,  Part  I.  chap.  i.  sects.  1,  2,  3. 

45* 


534  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY 

impossible  for  him  who  is  guilty  of  sin  to  have  any  thing  of  his 
own  to  offer  to  God  that  shall  recommend  him  in  the  least 
degree ;  for  he,  being  infinitely  guilty  and  odious,  whatever 
virtue  and  holiness  he  may  afterwards  have,  it  can  in  no  de- 
gree countervail  his  guilt,  or  be  reckoned  in  his  favor,  any  more 
than  if  he  had  no  holiness  at  all.  If,  therefore,  he  has  pardon 
and  favor,  it  must  be  wholly  on  account  of  the  merit  and 
worthiness  of  Christ,  which  is  reckoned  to  his  account,  or 
imputed  to  him,  in  consequence  of  his  union  to  Christ  by  faith. 
This  doctrine  has  been  greatly  opposed  in  the  Christian  world, 
and  this  opposition  has  been  wholly  grounded  on  ignorance 
and  mistakes  with  respect  to  the  law  of  God.  Therefore,  St. 
Paul,  when  he  undertook  to  establish  this  truth,  "  that  a  man 
is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law,"  and  con- 
fute the  opposers  of  it,  in  his  epistles  to  the  churches  at  Rome 
and  Galatia,  does  it  chiefly  by  bringing  this  law  into  view.* 

Again  :  they  who  understand  the  law  of  God,  and  are  recon- 
ciled to  it,  must,  of  consequence,  be  reconciled  to  the  doctrine 
of  God's  decrees,  as  they  respect  the  eternal  state  of  mankind. 
For  if  all  men  are  naturally  under  a  constitution  and  law, 

*  There  are  some  who  loudly  proclaim  against  the  notion  of  the  sinner's 
exercising  any  virtue  or  real  holiness  antecedent  to  his  justification,  and  in 
order  to  it,  as  this  seems  to  them  to  be  inconsistent  with  mere  free  grace,  in  the 
pardon  and  justification  of  a  sinner,  and  lays  a  foundation  for  his  boasting ;  so 
must  be  pleasing  to  his  native  pride,  which  is  certainly  most  contrary  to  the 
gospel,  as  that  is  suited,  in  the  highest  degree,  to  exalt  free  grace  and  humble 
man.  They,  therefore,  zealously  contend  that  the  faith  wliich  justifies  has  no 
moral  goodness  in  it,  and  that  the  sinner  is  justified  antecedent  to  any  holy 
exercises  of  heart ;  and  represent  those  who  hold  that  the  sinner  must  have  a 
new  heart,  even  a  penitent,  humble  heart,  a  heart  to  love  God  and  his  law,  an- 
tecedent to  his  pardon  and  justification,  and  in  order  to  it,  as  all  this  is  im- 
phed  in  that  faith  by  which  the  sinner  is  justified,  —  they  represent  such,  I  say, 
as  legalists,  fiattering  the  pride  of  man,  and  enemies  to  the  true  grace  of  God. 

It  will  be  observed  by  the  carefvd  reader  that  I  have  here  placed  the  doc- 
trine of  the  justification  of  a  sinner  by  free  grace,  through  faith,  in  a  different 
light,  and  on  a  difi'orcnt  footing,  from  these  divines,  viz.,  on  the  infinite  evil  of 
sin,  grounded  on  the  worthiness  and  authority  of  God,  which  is  expressed  in 
the  divine  law.  In  this  view  the  sinner,  he  who  has  once  broken  the  law  of 
God,  is  so  infinitely  odious  and  ill  deserving,  that  whatever  virtue  he  exercises, 
either  before  or  after  he  has  sinned,  it  can  be  of  no  account  or  availHo  recom- 
mend him  in  the  least  degree,  or  be  reckoned  in  his  favor  any  more  than  if  he 
was  wholly  without  any  goodness.  He  is  still,  in  himself  considered,  as  guilty 
and  unworthy,  and  as  much  under  the  curse  of  the  divine  law ;  therefore,  is 
just  as  ungodly  in  the  view  of  law,  which  is  God's  view  and  judgment  of  the 
matter,  and  is  according  to  truth,  and  stands  in  as  much  need  of  free  grace  as 
if  he  was  wholly  without  any  holiness,  and  is  as  much  without  all  ground  of 
boasting  as  any  sinner  can  be.  The  plain  reason  of  this  is,  his  sin  and  guilt  are 
infinite,  and  his  virtue  finite.  Therefore,  the  latter  cannot  in  the  least  degree 
tiounterbalance  the  former ;  and  is  of  no  more  avail,  and  has  no  more  influence 
to  remove  his  guilt  and  take  off  the  curse,  tlian  nothing  at  all.  That  virtue 
which,  in  a  creature  who  has  no  sin,  would  be  acceptable  and  recommend  him 
to  the  favor  of  God,  is,  in  the  sinner,  of  no  avail  to  this,  and  renders  him  no 
more  acceptable  than  if  he  was  wholly  without  it ;  because  it  is  all  swallowed 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.        535 

according  to  which  they  are  infinitely  guilty  and  ill  deserving, 
so  that  they  may  most  justly  be  cast  into  eternal  destruction, 
and  if  any  are  saved  it  must  be  by  mere  undeserved  sovereign 
grace,  then  they  are  in  the  hands  of  a  sovereign  God,  who 
has  a  right  to  determine  whether  he  will  save  any  of  them ; 
and  if  any,  who  he  will  save,  and  who  he  will  leave  to  perish 
in  their  sin  and  ill  desert.  If  all  are  justly  under  the  curse, 
God  may  justly  leave  whom  he  will  to  perish.  His  bestowing 
undeserved  sovereign  mercy  on  some  lays  him  under  no  obli- 
gation to  others.  And  it  belongs  to  him  to  order  this  matter, 
and  make  the  distinction,  and  dispose  of  his  undeserved,  for- 
feited favors  as  he  pleases.  If  God  neither  is,  nor  can  be,  under 
any  obligation  to  sinners,  but  may  justly  cast  them  all  into  hell 
forever,  all  will  readily  grant  he  has  a  right  to  do  what  he  will 
with  his  own,  and  give  his  grace  to  whom  he  will,  while  he  with- 
holds it  from  others.  Therefore,  if  any  one  objects  against  the 
decrees  of  God,  in  his  sovereignly  determining  the  eternal  state 
of  the  children  of  men,  and  in  appointing  him  in  particular  to 
destruction,  his  objection  is  wholly  grounded  on  a  supposition 
that  he  is  not  justly  treated,  but  God  is  hard  and  cruel  in  thus 
disposing  of  him,  and  that  he  has  some  right  and  claim  to  some- 
thing better.     Whenever  he  can  be  brought  to  give  up  this  point, 

up  and  lost  in  his  infinite  guilt  and  odiousness,  being  infinitely  outweighed  by 
that,  so  that,  in  connection  and  in  comparison  with  it,  it  has  no  weight,  and 
can  be  of  no  account :  all  its  influences  are  perfectly  lost  and  destroyed  by 
his  sin. 

And  on  this  ground  only  can  the  doctrine  of  justification  and  salvation  by 
free  grace,  through  faith,  without  works,  be  established  and  vindicated,  and  all 
boasting  be  wholly  and  forever  excluded,  and  the  sinner  effectually  humbled. 
For  if  the  virtue  of  a  sinner  does  in  any  degree  recommend  him  to  God,  so 
that  he,  by  reason  of  this,  stands  in  less  need  of  free  grace  than  if  he  had  none, 
then,  whenever  he  becomes  virtuous,  whether  before  justification  or  after,  he 
has  some  ground  of  boasting,  and  has  a  worthiness  of  his  own  to  recommend 
him  to  the  divine  favor  and  rewards,  so  has  less  need  of  the  merit  and  right- 
eousness of  Christ  the  more  virtuous  lie  is.  Therefore  the  Christian,  who  aU 
acknowledge  has  some  virtue,  hath  whereof  to  glory;  has  something  of  his 
own  to  recommend  him  to  God  ;  and  the  more  he  increases  in  holiness,  the  less 
need  he  has  of  the  merit  of  Christ,  and  the  less  indebted  he  is  to  free  grace 
for  salvation. 

I  have'  often  wondered  that  they  who  make  the  objection  above  do  not  see 
"where  the  principle  they  go  upon  will  lead  them,  if  followed  in  its  genuine 
consequences.  K  the  virtue  of  a  sinner  does  in  any  degree  recommend  him 
to  favor,  and  render  him  more  worthy  of  it,  or  less  ill  deserving,  —  wliich  is  the 
maxim  they  found  their  objections  upon,  — then  sin  is  not  an  infinite  evil,  so 
docs  not  deserve  an  infinite  punishment.  And  then  there  is  no  need  of  an 
iufimte  atonement  and  infinitely  meritorious  righteousness,  in  order  to  the  par- 
don and  salvation  of  sinners,  so  no  need  that  the  Mediator  should  be  a  divine 
person ;  or,  rather,  no  need  of  any  Mediator  at  all :  so  we  are  soon  landed  in 
Deism.  Nor  can  we  stop  here  ;  for  the  denial  of  the  infinite  evil  of  sin  is,  in 
effect,  a  denial  of  the  existence  of  the  infinitely  perfect  and  glorious  God,  and 
will  therefore  carry  those  that  follow  it  in  its  true  consequences  into  all  the 
absurcities  and  horrors  of  atheism  itself. 

Thus  important  is  the  doctrine  of  the  infinite  evil  of  sin.     To  give  this  up, 


536  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOd's    LAW    NECESSARY 

and  feel  he  deserves  eternal  destruction,  all  his  objections 
against  the  divine  decrees  will  subside.  And  this  will  be  the 
case  whenever  he  submits  to  the  law  of  God,  as  holy,  just, 
and  good.  Nothing,  therefore,  is  wanting,  in  order  to  silence 
all  clamor  against  the  doctrine  of  God's  decrees,  but  to  have 
the  law  of  God  understood,  so  as  to  give  a  true  knowledge 
and  conviction  of  sin.  So  far  as  this  takes  place  every  mouth 
will  be  stopped,  God  will  be  justified,  and  righteousness 
ascribed  unto  him,  while  he  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy,  and  leaves  whom  he  will  in  their  rebellion  and  impeni- 
tence, to  sink  down  to  eternal  ruin. 

III.  We  hence  learn  why  the  Mosaic  dispensation  was  so 
contrived  in  the  whole  of  it  as  to  exhibit  the  law  of  God  in  a 
most  clear  and  striking  fight. 

It  is  said,  "  The  law  was  given  by  Moses ;  but  grace  and 
truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  (John  i.  17.)  Though  gospel 
grace,  or  the  way  of  salvation  through  a  Mediator,  was  re- 
vealed by  Moses,  yet  this  was  done  in  a  dark  and  faint  man- 
ner, by  types  and  shadows ;  the  law  in  all  its  strictness  and 
glory,  as  a  covenant  of  works,  was  held  foremost  and  exhibited 
in  the  clearest  light,  and  the  whole  of  the  revelation  given  by 
Moses  was,  on  design,  calculated  to  manifest  what  God's  law 

is  to  give  Tip  Christianity.  And  if  it  is  admitted,  the  objection  above  men- 
tioned falls  to  the  ground.  The  necessity  of  the  sinner's  exercising  virtue 
antecedent  to  his  justification,  and  in  order  to  it,  is  not  because  he  needs  any 
worthiness  of  his  own,  or  can  have  any,  but  because  by  this  alone  can  his 
heart  be  so  united  to  the  Mediator  as  to  be  the  proper  ground  of  his  being 
looked  upon  and  treated  as  so  far  one  with  him,  as  that  his  merit  and  righteous- 
ness may  be  properly  imputed  to  him,  or  reckoned  in  his  favor,  so  as  to  avail 
for  his  pardon  and  justification. 

It  is,  perhaps,  Avorthy  to  be  particularly  observed  here,  that  the  sinner's  vir- 
tuous exercises,  which  are  necessary  in  order  to  his  justification,  consist  sum- 
marily in  a  sense  of  his  own  infinite  unworthiness  and  ill  desert  in  God's  sight, 
grounded  on  a  conviction  and  sense  of  heart  of  the  excellence  and  worthiness 
of  the  divine  character  and  law,  and  of  his  need  of  the  most  free,  sovereign, 
and  infinite  grace,  in  order  to  his  pardon  and  salvation  ;  and  a  real  willingness 
to  be  thus  beholden  to  free  grace,  and  receive  all  he  wants  from  God  as  from  a 
sovereign  benefactor,  being  in  himself  infinitely  miserable,  vile,  and  ill  deserving. 

Such  feelings  as  these,  surely,  have  no  tendency  to  obscure  the  grace  of  God, 
or  make  the  sinner  senseless  of  it,  and  dispose  him  to  exalt  and  trust  in  him- 
self; for  they  consist  in  directly  the  contrary,  even  in  the  sinner's  acknowledg- 
ing and  exacting  divine  grace  and  abasing  himself.  And  the  more  fully  the 
sinner  comes  into  such  views  and  exercises,  the  more  is  God's  grace  honored 
and  exalted  by  him,  at  the  greater  distance  is  he  set  from  pride  and  boasting, 
and  the  more  is  he  humbled.  The  gospel  is  contrived  and  planned  to  abase 
man,  and  exalt  and  honor  free  and  sovereign  grace.  Therefore,  whenever  the 
sinner  understands  it,  and  submits  to  the  truth  contained  in  it,  and  has  his  * 
heart  formed,  and  exercises  himself  according  to  them,  he  is  effectually  hum- 
bled, and  free  grace  is  by  him  exalted.  And  it  is  no  matter  how  soon  he  comes 
to  these  views  and  exercises ;  for  he  never  will  be  humbled  and  disposed  to 
trust  in  and  exalt  free  grace  till  he  dies.  And  if  his  coming  to  these  exercises 
before  he  is  justified  is  inconsistent  with  free  grace  in  his  salvation,  so  is  his 
ever  exercising  virtue  as  long  as  he  exists. 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.         537 

is,  and  was,  therefore,  given  in  the  form  of  a  covenant  of 
works,  law  being  most  visible  and  the  outward  form  of  the 
whole,  and  what  of  gospel  grace  was  revealed  was  couched, 
and  as  it  were  hid,  under  this  cover  of  law,  or  a  covenant  of 
works.  On  this  account  it  may  be  called  a  legal  dispensa- 
tion ;  and  in  this  view  I  suppose  it  is  that  St.  Paul,  in  his 
epistles,  so  constantly  calls  this  revelation  and  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation the  laiv. 

It  was  of  great  importance  and  necessary  that  the  law  of 
God  should  be  thus  revealed,  in  order  to  prepare  the  way  for  a 
more  clear  and  full  revelation  of  gospel  grace  which  was  made 
by  Jesus  Christ.  Yea,  the  grace  of  the  gospel  could  not  be 
revealed  in  all  its  greatness  and  glory  in  any  other  way.  The 
law  must  be  first  extant  in  all  its  strictness,  extent,  and  glory, 
and  must  be  well  understood,  in  order  to  men's  knowing  their 
own  character  as  sinners,  and  understanding  and  embracing 
the  way  of  salvation  by  grace  through  a  Mediator. 

IV.  What  has  been  said  on  this  subject  may  help  all  who 
are  inquiring  to  determine  whether  their  religion  is  of  the  right 
kind  or  not. 

Has  it  had  its  foundation  in  the  knowledge  of  God's  law? 
Has  this  given  you  the  knowledge  and  conviction  of  your  own 
sinfulness,  and  of  the  dreadful  state  you  are  in  as  a  sinner? 
Persons  may  have  a  great  deal  of  solicitude  about  their  souls 
and  their  eternal  state,  and  have  a  great  deal  of  religion,  such 
as  it  is,  and  yet  be  quite  ignorant  of  the  law  of  God,  and  so 
have  no  true  conviction  of  sin.  This  seems  to  have  been  the 
case  with  the  young  man  who  came  to  Christ  with  this  im- 
portant question,  "  What  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit  eternal 
life  ?  "  He  appeared  to  be  greatly  engaged  about  his  eternal 
interest,  but  at  the  same  time  manifested  himself  to  be  quite 
ignorant  of  the  law  of  God,  and  so  of  his  own  true  character. 

Many  have  appeared  to  be  in  great  terrors  and  distress  about 
their  souls  and  a  future  state,  for  a  time,  who  have  had  no  true 
conviction  of  sin  by  the  law.  They  are  not  able  to  give  any 
distinct  and  intelligible  account  of  the  ground  of  their  concern. 
There  have  been  many  of  this  sort  in  times  of  great  and  gen- 
eral awakening  and  solemn  attention  to  the  things  of  religion ; 
they,  by  hearing  terrifying  preaching,  or  seeing  others  in  great 
distress  about  their  souls,  or  from  some  other  cause,  are  them- 
selves terrified  with  fears  they  shall  go  to  hell ;  but  if  they  are 
'examined,  they  cannot  give  a  rational  account  about  the  matter, 
and  all  their  apprehensions  about  sin  and  hell  seem  to  be  con- 
fused and  imaginary.  After  they  have  continued  in  these 
terrors  for  a  while  they  receive  light  and  comfort,  as  they  call 


538  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY 

it ;  and  this  is  as  confused  and  imaginary  as  their  preceding 
terrors  were.  It  is  all  without  any  true  knowledge  of  the  law, 
sin,  the  character  of  the  Mediator,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by 
him.  No  wonder  if  the  religion  which  has  such  a  foundation 
and  beginning  issues  in  mad  enthusiasm,  or  a  careless,  im- 
moral life,  or  both. 

But  let  us  proceed  in  the  inquiry. 

Has  the  law  come,  and,  in  the  light  of  this,  have  you  seen 
your  own  character,  and  been  convinced  of  sin  ?  Have  you 
been  convinced  that  you  was  nothing  but  sin,  guilt,  and  vile- 
ness  ?  that  you  are  by  nature  totally  corrupt,  and  wholly  with- 
out any  good  thing?  All  who  have  the  knowledge  of  God's 
law  fall  under  this  conviction  ;  and  they  who  never  see  them- 
selves in  this  light  may  depend  upon  it,  that  they  have  not 
been  truly  convinced  of  sin,  and  are  ignorant  of  themselves  in 
a  degree  which  is  inconsistent  with  true  religion. 

Have  you  been  brought  to  see  and  feel  yourselves  wholly  to 
blame  for  every  thing  in  you  that  is  not  perfectly  conformed 
to  God's  law,  or  for  every  thing  short  of  perfect  holiness  —  that 
you  have  no  excuse  for  not  obeying  God's  law  perfectly  Z 
And  is  it  become  easy  and  natural  for  you  to  take  all  the 
blame  to  yourselves  ?  Many  appear  not  to  be  brought  to  this, 
and  so  not  to  have  the  true  knowledge  of  their  sinfulness. 
They  say,  "  We  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves.  We  are  poor, 
weak,  impotent  creatures,  ant.  can  do  nothing  any  further  than 
God  assists  by  his  Spirit."'  And  though  this  is  in  a  sense 
true,  yet  they  evidently  speaii  of  this  as  some  excuse  to  them 
for  not  being  perfectly  holy,  or  not  living  in  a  high  degree  of 
the  exercise  of  faith  and  holiness.  Such  have  not  the  true 
knowledge  of  God's  law,  and  have  not  been  convinced  of  sin, 
as  God's  people  are.  Man  is  under  no  inability  to  come  up 
to  all  that  God's  law  requires  which,  in  any  degree,  abates  his 
obligation  to  perfect  holiness,  or  aftbrds  the  least  excuse  for 
the  want  of  it.  The  true  Christian  takes  all  the  blame  to  him- 
self for  every  thing  in  him  that  is  contrary  to  God's  law,  or 
that  is  short  of  perfect  holiness.  He  sees  and  owns  his  obli- 
gation to  be  perfectly  holy,  and  condemns  and  takes  shame  to 
himself  before  God  constantly  for  every  thing  wherein  he  falls 
short  of  coming  up  to  this  most  perfect  and  excellent  rule  ;  for 
he  always  considers  this  law  as  the  only  rule  of  his  duty. 

Has  the  law  of  God  slain  you,  so  that  you  have  found  it  to 
be  unto  death?  Have  you  found  yourselves  justly  under  the 
curse  of  this  law,  deserving  eternal  damnation  ?  Has  it  killed 
all  your  hopes  of  recommending  yourselves  to  God  in  the 
least  degree  by  any  of  your  own  virtue  and  doings,  and  cured 


IN  ORDER  TO  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  SIN.        539 

you  of  all  such  attempts?  Thus  Paul  says  it  was  with  him. 
"  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once ;  but  when  the  command- 
ment came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died."  Thus  it  is  with  every 
true  Christian. 

Do  you  like  the  law  of  God,  considered  in  all  its  strictness 
and  whole  extent,  and  love  it,  and  delight  in  it  as  holy,  just, 
and  good?  (Rom.  vii.  12,  22.)  Can  you  say,  with  the  Psalm- 
ist, "  O,  how  love  I  thy  law  I  —  it  is  my  meditation  all  the  day  ?  " 
(Ps.  cxix.  97.)  This  is  the  character  of  every  good  man  ;  "  his 
delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  in  his  law  doth  he  medi- 
tate day  and  night."  (Ps.  i.  2.)  Are  you  disposed  and  ready 
to  justify  God  in  making  and  maintaining  such  a  law  in 
the  manner  he  does  ?  Do  you  revere,  love,  and  honor  the 
character  of  the  Deity  hereby  exhibited  to  your  view  ?  And 
does  the  love  to  this  law  that  Christ  hath  manifested,  and  his 
disposition  and  zeal  to  maintain  and  honor  it,  though  it  cost 
him  his  life,  greatly  recommend  him  to  your  esteem  and  love? 
It  was  this  that  recommended  him  to  the  Father ;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten of  him,  "  Thou  hast  loved  righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity ; 
therefore  God,  even  thy  God,  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of 
gladness  above  thy  fellows."  (Heb.  i.  9.)  And  it  is  this  that 
recommends  him  to  every  true  Christian.  In  this  his  excel- 
lency chiefly  consists ;  and  in  this  consist  his  merit  and  right- 
eousness, in  which  the  believer  trusts  for  pardon  and  accept- 
ance with  God.  How  evident  and  certain  is  it,  then,  that  he 
who  does  not  understand  and  love  the  law  of  God  does  not 
see  Christ's  excellency,  nor  know  wherein  his  worthiness  and 
righteousness  consist,  so  does  not  love  him  nor  trust  in  him ! 

Do  you  long  for,  seek,  and  strive  after  conformity  to  this 
law  ?  Is  this  the  rule  you  keep  in  view  as  the  measure  of  all 
your  exercises  and  conduct,  looking  upon  yourselves  as  sinful 
so  far  as  you  are  not  conformed  to  this  most  perfect  rule  in 
heart  and  life,  not  desiring  the  law  should  be  abated  in  its 
strictness  or  brought  down  to  you  in  the  least  degree,  but 
desiring  yourselves  to  attain  to  that  perfect  holiness  which  it 
requires,  as  an  essential  part  of  that  salvation  you  trust  in 
Christ  for,  and  knowing  and  feeling  that  you  cannot  be  per- 
fectly happy  in  any  other  way,  or  in  any  attainment  short  of 
this  ?  This  is  most  certainly  true  of  every  real  Christian. 
Such  not  only  love  the  law  of  God,  and  seek  conformity  to  it 
as  the  only  rule  of  their  duty,  but  as  their  happiness ;  and  the 
heaven  they  are  seeking  for  consists  chiefly  in  this,  in  their 
view. 

Do  you  place  all  your  religious  attainments  in  conformity 
and  obedience  to  this  law  ?     Do  the  exercises  of  your  religion 


540  THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY 

consist  in  love  to  God  and  your  neighbor,  and  in  those  things 
which  are  implied  in  this  and  result  from  it?  By  this  you 
may  be  helped  to  determine  what  is  the  nature  of  your  re- 
ligion. There  are  many,  it  is  to  be  feared,  whose  religion  will 
appear  to  be  not  of  the  right  kind,  if  impartially  tried  by  this 
rule.  It  consists  either  in  self-love  or  selfishness ;  this  being 
the  spring  of  all  their  exercises  and  actions,  which  is  as  con- 
trary to  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor  as  darkness  is  to 
light,  or  as  sin  is  to  holiness ;  or  it  consists  wholly  in  some 
extraordinary  impulses  and  agitations  of  mind,  or  a  set  of  re- 
ligious exercises  and  experiences,  as  they  call  them ;  in  great 
discoveries  and  high  flights  of  affection,  joy,  etc.,  which,  when 
examined,  appear  to  have  nothing  of  love  to  God  or  to  man 
in  them,  so  have  no  real  conformity  to  God's  law,  or  any 
tendency  to  it.  When  a  person's  religious  exercises  and  ex- 
periences appear  to  be  of  this  kind,  especially  when  this  is  ap- 
parent in  the  fruit,  they  not  leading  to,  and  issuing  in,  con- 
formity to  the  law  of  God  in  life  and  conversation,  we  may 
depend  upon  it  his  religion  is  all  wrong. 

Do  you  grow  in  a  sense  of  your  own  sinfulness  ?  This  is 
always  the  case  with  true  Christians,  who  have  the  knowledge 
of  sin  by  the  law.  As  they  increase  in  a  discerning  and  sense 
of  the  excellence  and  glory  of  the  divine  character  and  law, 
they  see  more  and  more  of  their  own  true  character  as  sinners ; 
and  are  hence  led  to  see  more  of  the  depth,  strength,  and  ex- 
tent of  wickedness  in  their  hearts,  as  it  discovers  itself  in  its 
various  actings.  They  are  constantly  making  progress  in  dis- 
coveries of  this  kind,  and  growing  in  a  sense  of  the  sinfulness 
of  every  sin  —  see  more  and  more  of  its  infinite  odiousness  and 
ill  desert.  There  are  many  professing  Christians  who  talk 
and  act  as  if  they  thought  they  had  done  with  conviction  of 
sin  as  soon  as  they  became  Christians.  All  the  conviction 
of  sin  they  have  any  notion  of  is  something  which  preceded 
their  supposed  conversion ;  and  since  that  they  have  had  very 
little  sense  of  sin  or  concern  about  their  own  sinfulness.  It 
is  not  so  with  the  true  Christian.  When  he  first  commenced 
a  Christian,  he  began  to  see  his  own  sinfulness  in  a  true  light, 
and  all  that  went  before  was  a  very  deficient,  partial  convic- 
tion, and  is  nothing  compared  with  this.  And  conviction  of 
sin  has  attended  and  kept  pace  with  all  his  religious  exercises 
and  attainments.  Therefore,  while  the  hypocrite,  or  the  pro- 
fessor who  is  not  truly  converted,  is  bloated,  lifted  up,  and 
proud,  and  grows  in  a  high  esteem  of  his  own  excellence  and 
attainments,  being  ignorant  of  his  own  true  character,  the 
real  Christian,  as  he  makes    advances  in  the  knowledge  of 


IN    ORDER    TO    THE    KNOAVLEDGE    OF    SIN.  541 

God  and  his  law,  is  constantly  growing  less,  more  mean, 
odious,  and  ill  deserving  in  his  own  eyes,  and  sinking  down, 
in  a  growing  sense  of  his  own  infinite  vileness  and  ill  desert; 
viewing  himself  as  all  over  defiled  and  abominable;  con- 
demning, abasing,  and  abhorring  himself,  and  repenting  in 
dust  and  ashes. 

V.  This  may  serve  as  matter  of  awakening  and  warning  to 
impenitent,  Christless  sinners. 

The  strictness  and  extent,  the  importance,  unchangeable 
excellence  and  glory  of  the  law  you  are  under,  and  which  you 
have  broken,  and  the  infinite  dreadfulness  of  the  punishment 
included  in  the  curse  of  it,  conspire  to  admonish  you  of  the 
sad  and  dreadful  case  you  are  in.  How  many  and  how  great 
must  your  sins  be !  You  have  hitherto  done  nothing  but 
transgress  this  law  in  all  your  exercises  and  conduct.  The 
number  of  your  sins  is  so  great,  it  exceeds  all  account.  And 
how  amazingly  aggravated  are  all  your  sins,  which  have  been 
committed  under  such  light  and  the  offers  of  the  most  won- 
derful mercy !  What  amazing  wrath  and  vengeance  hang 
over  your  heads  continually !  What  astonishing  aggravated 
damnation  are  you  constantly  exposed  to  fall  into  I  And  con- 
sider the  impossibility  of  your  escaping,  in  the  way  in  which 
you  are.  The  law  of  God  will  not,  cannot,  be  set  aside;  it 
must  have  its  course,  though  you  and  thousands  more  perish 
most  dreadfully  forever. 

O,  be  entreated  to  consider  yourselves,  and  take  warning, 
and  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  There  is  but  one  possible 
way  of  escape  —  even  flying  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  Mediator,  who 
has  been  made  a  curse,  that  he  might  deliver  sinners  from  it 
who  fly  to  him  for  refuge.  He  now,  as  with  open  arms,  invites 
you  to  come  and  put  your  trust  in  him  for  pardon  and  salva- 
tion. If  you  will  hearken  to  him,  he  shall  te  made  of  God 
unto  you  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion. (1  Cor.  i.  30.)  He  will  be  "  as  a  hiding-place  from  the 
wind,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest."  (Isa.  xxxii.  2.)  Then 
may  you  say  with  confidence  and  joy,  "  In  the  Lord  have  I 
righteousness  and  strength  ; "  for  in  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed 
of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall  glory.   (Isa.  xlv.  24,  25.) 

VI.  Let  us  all  be  hence  excited  to  attend  to  and  study  the 
law  of  God  with  application  to  ourselves. 

This  is  the  law  which  is  written  on  the  heart  of  every  Chris- 
tian, in  the  knowledge  and  view  of  which  he  exercises  himself 
in  Christian  holiness.  This  is  the  rule  of  his  life,  and  in  the 
light  of  this  he  sees  his  own  natural  face,  and  is  humbled, 
and  exercises  faith  in  Christ  and  every  Christian  grace.  And 
VOL.  III.  46 


542        THE    KNOWLEDGE    OF    GOD's    LAW    NECESSARY,   ETC. 

SO  far  as  the  law  of  God  is  overlooked  and  neglected,  just  so 
far  is  all  true  Christianity  overlooked  and  lost.  Let  us,  then, 
carefully  and  constantly  look  into  this  perfect  law  of  liberty, 
and  continue  therein.  If  in  this  way  we  are  not  forgetful 
hearers  of  the  word,  but  doers  of  the  work,  we  shall  be  blessed 
in  our  deeds.  (Jam.  i.  25.) 


SERMON    II. 

THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF 
REGENERATION. 


Which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of 
man,  but  of  God.  —  John  i.  13. 

In  the  words  preceding  these,  we  are  told  in  what  way  per- 
sons become  the  sons  of  God,  viz.,  by  receiving  Christ,  or  be- 
lieving on  his  name.  It  is  by  virtue  of  their  union  of  heart  to 
Christ  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  which  consists  in  cleaving  to 
him  and  trusting  in  him,  in  the  character  of  Mediator  between 
God  and  man,  that  they  are  received  into  the  relation  of  sons, 
and  made  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  text  we  are  told  by  whom  they  who  thus  become  the 
sons  of  God  are  brought  into  this  state  of  union  to  Jesus 
Christ  and  made  to  exist  in  this  relation,  or  who  is  the  cause 
or  author  of  their  thus  receiving  Christ  or  believing  in  him,  by 
which  they  become  the  sons  of  God,which  is  here  called  a  being' 
born.  When  a  child  is  born  into  the  world,  there  is  some  cause 
of  this  production,  this  living,  perfect  child;  so,  when  any  per- 
son becomes  a  new  creature,  and  in  a  sense  enters  into  a  new 
world,  even  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  by  believing  on  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  there  is  some  agent  which  is  the  cause  of  this. 

"  God  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men,"  (Acts.  xvii. 
26 ; )  that  is,  he  hath  produced  all  nations  by  natural  descent 
from  one  man.  The  evangelist  here  tells  us  that  the  birth  he 
speaks  of  is  quite  a  difierent  thing  from  this  ;  it  is  not  pro- 
duced by  natural  generation  or  descent  from  father  to  son  ;  it 
does  not  thus  run  in  the  blood,  and  is  not  transmitted  from 
generation  to  generation  in  this  way.  Men  do  not  become  the 
sons  of  God,  they  are  not  regenerated,  and  do  not  become  be- 
lievers in  Christ  by  any  thing  derived  from  their  natural  par- 
ents, by  their  descent  from  them,  and  near  relation  to  them, 
by  which  the  blood  of  the  parents  does,  as  it  were,  run  in  their 
veins.     The  piety  or  holiness  of  the  parents  has  no  influence 


544   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

or  hand  in  this  production,  as  a  cause ;  it  does  nothing  towards 
regenerating,  or  i)roducing  faith  in  the  child.  The  child  of  the 
most  holy  parent  is  by  nature  as  corrupt  and  as  far  from  this 
birth,  and  always  will  be  so,  without  some  other  cause  or  influ- 
ence, as  are  the  children  of  the  ungodly. 

In  this  assertion  there  seems  to  be  a  particular  design  to 
contradict  and  oppose  a  then  prevailing  notion  among  the 
Jews  —  that  they  were  the  sons  of  God  by  blood,  as  they  were 
the  children  of  Abraham.  Of  this  they  boast  to  our  Savior, 
and  say  that  they  were  Abraham's  seed,  and,  therefore,  that 
God  was  their  father;  as  if  by  being  the  children  of  Abraham 
they  were  the  sons  of  God.  (John  viii.  33,  41.  Rom.  viii.  1-9. 
Gal.  V.  17.)  In  opposition  to  this  notion  of  theirs,  John  Bap- 
tist says  to  them,  "  Begin  not  to  say  within  yourselves.  We 
have  Abraham  to  our  father ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  that  God  is 
able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abraham." 
(Luke  iii.  8.   1  Cor.  ii.  14,  15.) 

Nor  of  the  ivill  of  the  flesh.  By  flesh  is  meant  man  in  his 
natural,  corrupt  state,  as  he  is  antecedent  to  regeneration. 
This  is  the  meaning  of  fle&h  as  it  is  used  in  many  places  in 
Holy  Scripture ;  which  is  evident,  among  other  things,  by  its 
being  frequently  put  in  opposition  to  the  Spirit ;  and  to  be  in 
the  flesh,  and  to  walk  after  the  flesh,  or  to  be  carnal,  is  spoken 
of  as  directly  opposite  to  being  spiritual,  having  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  and  walking  after  the  Spirit,  and  as  if  there  was  no 
medium  between  them.  (John  iii.  1,  6.)  What  is  here  as- 
serted then  is,  that  persons  are  not  regenerated  by  any  incli- 
nations, choice,  or  exertions  of  their  own,  while  they  were  in  a 
state  of  unregeneracy.  They  do  not,  by  the  exercise  of  their 
own  wills,  or  by  their  endeavors,  do  any  thing  towards  their 
being  born  again ;  nor  do  they  cooperate  in  the  least  degree 
with  the  efficient  cause.  So  far  from  this,  that  all  their  incli- 
nations, and  every  act  of  will  and  exertion  of  theirs,  is  in  direct 
opposition  to  it,  for  the  flesh  always  lusteth  against  the  Spirit. 

It  is,  indeed,  as  great  an  absurdity  as  can  be  thought  of,  to 
suppose  that  the  corrupt,  vicious  heart  does  any  thing  towards 
its  becoming  holy,  or  exercises  any  will  or  choice  that  has  the 
least  tendency  to  it ;  as  absurd  as  to  suppose  that  the  exercise 
of  perfect  selfishness  has  a  tendency  to  produce  benevolence,  or 
that  the  heart  is  made  better  and  becomes  holy  by  the  con- 
stant exercise  of  lust  and  wickedness.  For  all  the  exercises 
and  volitions  of  the  corrupt,  unregenerate  heart  are  certainly 
the  exercises  of  sin.  It  was,  nevertheless,  of  importance  that 
this  should  be  particularly  observed  by  the  evangelist,  when 
treating  of  this  matter ;  seeing,  however  plain  it  is,  and  though 
the  contrary  is  so  very  absurd,  men  are  ready  to  imagine  they 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   545 

may  be  born  again  by  the  will  of  the  flesh,  or,  at  least,  that  by 
the  exertions  of  their  own  wills  and  endeavors  they  may  do 
something  towards  it.  In  this  delusion  I  suppose  all  men 
naturally  are,  and  that  no  man  heartily  and  really  gives  up 
this  point  until  he  is  taught  of  God.  And  multitudes  of 
professing  Christians  do  persist  in  expressly  opposing  what  is 
here  asserted  all  their  days.  But  of  this  more  will  be  said, 
before  I  have  done. 

Nor  of  the  icill  of  man ;  that  is,  not  by  the  power  and  influ- 
ence of  others.  No  one  person  is  born  again  by  the  will  and 
endeavors  of  others.  However  pious  and  wise  they  are,  and 
how  much  soever  they  exert  themselves  to  bring  others  to  ho- 
liness, they  do  in  no  degree  produce  the  effect.  If  all  the 
angels  and  saints  in  heaven  and  all  the  godly  on  earth  should 
join  their  wills  and  endeavors,  and  unitedly  exert  all  their 
powers  to  regenerate  one  sinner,  they  could  not  effect  it ;  yea, 
could  do  nothing  towards  it.  It  is  an  effect  infinitely  beyond 
the  reach  of  finite  wisdom  and  power.  "  Paul  planted,  and 
ApoUos  watered ;  but  God  giveth  the  increase.  So,  then,  nei- 
ther he  that  planteth  is  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth, 
but  God  that  giveth  the  increase,"   (1  Cor.  iii.  6,  7.) 

St.  John,  having  declared  what  is  not  the  cause  of  the  new 
birth,  proceeds  to  say  in  one  word  what  it  is  —  but  of  God. 
God  is  the  only  eflicacious  agent  or  efficient  cause  in  this  affair. 
It  is  all  to  be  wholly  ascribed  to  him. 

What  I  propose  now  is,  particularly  to  inquire  into  this 
change  here  spoken  of  and  called  a  being;  born;  to  consider 
the  nature  of  it,  and  wherein  it  consists,  and  especially  how, 
and  in  what  sense,  God  is  the  author  of  it. 

And,  for  the  more  distinct  and  clear  treating  this  matter,  I 
would  observe,  that  in  this  change,  taken  in  its  full  extent, 
there  is  the  agency  both  of  God,  the  cause  and  author  of  it, 
and  of  man,  who  is  the  subject  of  the  change.  God,  by  his 
Spirit,  is  the  efficient  cause ;  by  his  agency  and  influence  the 
change  is  produced.  Man's  agency  in  the  affair  is  in  conse- 
quence of  the  divine  agency  and  influence,  and  is  an  effect 
and  fruit  of  it,  and  consists  in  those  views  and  exercises  of 
heart  in  which  the  regenerate  repent,  turn  to  God,  believe  on 
Jesus  Christ,  which  is  comprised  in  true  Christian  holiness,  or 
the  new  creature.  The  divine  agency  and  operation,  which  is 
first,  and  lays  the  foundation  for  all  right  views  and  exercises 
in  the  person  who  is  the  subject,  is  called  by  divines  regenera- 
tion. The  holy  views  and  exercises  of  the  subject,  in  which 
he  receives  Christ,  or  believes  on  his  name,  is  called  eonversion, 
and  sometimes  active  conversion,  to  distinguish  it  from  that 
46* 


546       THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION. 

previous  operation  and  change  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  which  God  is  the  only  agent,  and  man,  the  subject,  does 
not  act,  but  is  perfectly  passive. 

This  subject,  I  conceive,  cannot  be  properly  illustrated,  and 
so  as  to  be  well  understood,  without  a  distinct  and  particular 
attention  to  each  of  these  in  their  nature,  dependence,  and 
connection.     This  is,  therefore,  what  I  would  now  attempt. 

First,  then,  let  us  consider  tiie  divine  agency,  the  work  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  persons  are  regenerated  or  born 
of  God,  and  which  lays  the  only  foundation  for  conversion  or 
holy  exercises  in  the  subject. 

Concerning  this  the  following  things  may  be  observed  :  — 

I.  The  only  ground  and  reason  of  regeneration,  or  of  the 
necessity  of  the  regenerating  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  order  to  men's  converting  and  embracing  the  gospel,  is  the 
total  depravity  and  corruption  of  the  heart  of  man  in  his  nat- 
ural, fallen  state. 

By  total  corruption  of  the  heart,  I  mean  its  being  wholly 
without  any  degree  of  right  disposition  or  principles  that 
should  be  a  foundation  for  holy  exercises,  but  altogether  under 
the  dominion  of  a  contrary  disposition  and  principle;  so  that 
there  is  no  right  exercise  of  heart,  but  every  notion  or  act  of 
the  will  is  wrong,  corrupt,  and  sinful.  If  this  was  not  the 
case  with  man,  there  would  be  no  need  of  his  beginning  a 
new  kind  of  life,  of  his  being  created  anew,  and  made  quite  a 
new  creature,  by  having  a  new  principle  implanted  in  order  to 
his  salvation  ;  there  would  be  no  necessity  of  that  work  of 
regeneration  of  which  I  am  now  speaking  in  order  to  man's 
believing  on  Jesus  Christ.  Was  not  man  wholly  corrupt,  he 
would  naturally,  as  I  may  say,  believe  on  Christ,  without  any 
new,  special  operation  on  his  heart  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
would  need  nothing  but  to  have  the  disposition  and  princi- 
ples which  are  naturally  in  his  heart  strengthened  and  in- 
creased by  exercise,  in  order  to  his  salvation.  But  if  this  is 
really  the  case  with  man,  —  if  he  is  so  far  sunk  into  corruption 
that  he  has  not  naturally  the  least  degree  of  disposition  to 
that  which  is  good,  but  his  heart  is  wholly  and  perfectly  oppo- 
site to  it,  —  then  no  possible  means  and  external  applications 
will  be  sullicient  to  bring  him  to  the  least  degree  of  right  dis- 
position and  exercise,  or  do  any  thing  towards  it.  This  can 
be  eifected  only  by  the  power  and  Spirit  of  God,  which  at  first 
created  all  things  out  of  nothing,  and  implanted  a  right  dispo- 
sition in  man  when  he  was  first  made.  It  is  as  absurd  to 
suppose  that  in  this  case  right  disposition  and  exercises  do 
take  place  in  the  heart  without  the  all-creating  influence  of 


THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION.       547 

the  Spirit  of  God,  as  it  is  to  suppose  that  the  whole  world 
came  into  existence  without  creating  power,  or  from  no  cause 
at  all.* 

Therefore,  since  the  ground  of  the  necessity  of  the  regenerat- 
ing influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the  perfect  corruption 
and  wickedness  of  the  heart  of  man,  he  is  wholly  to  blame  for 
being  and  continuing  uiu'egenerate,  or  for  that  in  which  unre- 
generacy  consists.  If  mankind  are  under  any  law  at  all,  and 
are  in  the  least  to  blame  for  any  things,  they  are  required  to 
love  God  with  all  their  hearts,  and  their  neighbor  as  them- 
selves ;  and  are  wholly  to  blame  for  every  degree  in  which 
they  come  short  of  this,  for  every  defect  in  their  hearts  of  this 
kind,  and  for  every  degree  of  contrary  disposition.  Therefore, 
to  be  perfectly  indisposed  to  that  which  God's  law  requires, 

*  As  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  as  I  am  about  to  explain  it,  has  its  foun- 
dation in  the  total  depravity  and  corruption  of  man  in  his  fallen,  unrenewed 
state,  and  seeing  many  things  that  will  be  said  suppose  this  to  be  a  truth,  it 
may  be  proper  in  a  marginal  note  to  produce  some  of  the  evidence  there  is 
of  tliis,  ■\^■hich  was  omitted  in  the  sermon,  as  time  would  not  allow  of  a  particular 
attention  to  it. 

As  true  holiness  consists  summarily  in  disinterested,  kind  affection  to  other 
beings,  God  and  the  creature,  or  in  true  love  and  benevolence  to  being  in  gen- 
eral, 60  sinfulness  or  corruption  of  heart  summarily  consists  in  the  want  of 
benevolence,  and  that  which  is  directly  opposite  to  this,  to  wit,  selfishness,  or, 
as  it  is  sometimes  called,  seJf-^love  ;  by  which  a  person  regards  and  seeks  his  own 
private,  separate  interest,  without  any  true  disinterested  regard  to  others.  This 
selfishness  is  the  root  and  essence  of  every  thing  sinful  and  wrong  in  the  heart ; 
therefore,  to  be  wholly  without  disinterested  affection  or  benevolence  to  others, 
and  perfectly  selfish,  or  altogether  under  the  government  of  self-love,  in  every 
exercise  and  action,  is  to  be  wholly  corrupt. 

According  to  this  state  of  the  case,  it  appears  that  many  who  oppose  the  doc- 
trine of  the  total  depravity  of  man,  and  insist  that  all  men  are  virtuous  in  some 
degree,  do,  at  the  same  time,  really  grant  the  thing  they  seem  to  oppose,  and 
even  all  they  contend  for  whom  they  mean  to  confute,  for  they  allow  that  self- 
love  is  the  highest  principle  from  which  men  naturally  act;  and  all  the  virtue 
they  contend  for  consists  in  selfishness,  and  is,  therefore,  nothing  but  sin.  So 
that,  at  bottom,  the  whole  dispute  is  about  the  nature  of  virtue  or  holiness,  and 
in  what  it  consists ;  and  this  state  of  the  case  will  go  a  great  way  in  deter- 
mining the  question,  whether  men  are  by  nature  wholly  corrupt  or  not.  For 
every  one  who  is  much  acquainted  with  mankind,  and  is  a  careful  observer,  will 
find  abundance  of  evidence  that  they  are  at  least  —  the  most  of  them  — •  wholly 
selfish  in  their  views  and  conduct. 

But  I  have  room  only  to  hint  these  things  here.  If  the  reader  is  desirous  to 
go  into  a  more  particular  and  thorough  examination  of  this  matter,  I  recom- 
mend to  him  a  "  Dissertation  on  the  Nature  of  True  Virtue,"  by  the  late  Presi- 
dent Edwards. 

There  is,  in  itself,  no  more  absurdity  or  difficulty  in  supposing  that  man  is 
wholly  corrupt,  than  that  he  is  corrupt  in  any  degree.  If  his  heart  may  be  at 
aU  depraved,  even  in  the  least  degree,  it  may  as  well,  and  as  consistent  with  the 
reason  and  nature  of  things,  be  wholly  depraved,  and  yet  man  be  a  perfectly 
free  agent,  and  as  much  the  subject  of  exhortations  and  commands,  and  of  blame 
for  every  thing  wrong  and  corrupt  in  him,  as  if  his  corruption  was  less  in  de- 
gree. This  is  so  plain  at  first  thought,  that  I  think  it  needless  to  enter  into  a  par- 
ticular proof  of  it.  I  mention  this  here,  however,  because  many  have  seemed 
to  suppose  that  the  doctrine  of  man's  total  depravity  is  inconsistent  with  his 


548   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

and  wholly  inclined  to  that  which  is  contrary  to  it,  is  alto- 
gether and  most  perfectly  inexcusable,  and  man  is  wholly  to 
blame  for  all  this,  and  criminal  in  proportion  to  the  degree  in 
which  it  takes  place,  if  there  is  any  such  thing  as  criminalness 
or  blame  in  the  universe.  I  desire  this  may  be  particularly  ob- 
served and  borne  in  mind  through  all  the  following  discourse ; 
for  many,  I  perceive,  are  apt  to  make  a  mistake  here,  by  which 
this  matter  is  often  set  in  a  wrong  and  most  absurd  light.  It  is 
common  for  persons  '^ho  believe  they  must  be  born  again  in 
order  to  be  saved  to  think  themselves  not  at  all  to  blame  that 
their  hearts  are  not  holy,  or  for  that  in  which  their  unregener- 
acy  consists ;  "  for,"  say  they,  "  we  cannot  change  our  own 
hearts  ;  this  is  the  work  of  God."  And  it  is  has  been  common 
to  represent  man's  depravity  and  moral  irapotency  in  such  a 

being  a  free  moral  agent,  and  wholly  to  blame  for  not  being  perfectly  holy,  or 
not  coming  up  to  all  that  God's  law  requires,  and  have  opposed  the  doctrine  on 
this  supposition.  But  how  men  of  any  thought  and  attention  shoiild  go  into 
such  a  mistake  is  really  surprising.  If  any  one  will  prove  that  total  depravity 
is  inconsistent  Avith  liberty,  or  to  blame  for  not  being  perfectly  holy,  it  may  be 
also  proved  that  every  degree  of  depravity  takes  away  just  such  a  degree  of 
liberty,  and  is,  so  far  as  it  takes  place,  perfectly  excusable  and  inconsistent  with 
blame ;  and,  consequently,  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  crime  or  blame- 
worthiness in  nature,  it  being  in  itself  a  contradiction ;  and  that  a  man  cannot 
be  reasonably  commanded  or  exhorted  to  do  that  which  he  is  not  at  the  same 
time  wilUng  to  do. 

Tliough  tliere  are  many  things  which  appear  in  fact  and  experience  M'hich 
render  it  probable,  and  even  put  it  beyond  all  reasonable  doubt,  that  all  men  are 
bj'  nature  wholly  corrupt,  yet  the  certain  evidence  and  proof  of  this  is  only  in 
divine  revelation ;  therefore,  omitting  every  other  probable  argument,  I  shall 
consider  what  evidence  we  have  of  this  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  This  may  be 
done  by  the  following  observations  :  — 

1.  The  Scripture  teaches  us  that  all  holiness,  even  every  degree  of  it,  is  from 
God,  as  the  Author  of  it ;  that  it  is  the  effect  and  gift  of  his  grace,  and  produced 
in  man  by  his  Spirit.  It  hence  foUows  that  man  has  naturally  no  degree  of 
tliat  which  is  right  and  good  in  his  heart,  but  is  wholly  corrupt. 

All  the  promises  and  predictions  in  the  Bible  of  virtue  and  holiness,  as  what 
shall  take  place  among  men,  and  which  God  will  cause  to  take  place,  and  all 
the  prayers  put  up  to  God  for  holiness,  and  acknowledgments  and  jiraises  given 
to  God  for  every  degree  of  right,  disposition,  and  exercise,  are  so  manj'  ac- 
knowledgments and  declarations  that  all  virtue  and  goodness  in  man  is  from 
God,  and  that  men  left  to  themselves,  and  as  they  naturally  are,  are  wholly 
without  it.  It  seems  needless  to  refer  to  particular  passages  of  tliis  kind ;  the 
Bible  is  full  of  them,  from  beginning  to  end.  In  the  Holy  Scriptures,  God  is 
every  Avhcre  represented  as  much  the  Author  of  all  virtue  in  men  as  of  anji~ 
thing  whatsoever ;  ami  this  is  constantly  spoken  of  as  his  free  and  gracious  gift 
to  man.  The  undeniable  consequence  from  this  is,  that  man  is  naturally  wholly 
without  it.     But,  not  to  dwell  on  this,  I  proceed  to  say,  — 

There  are  many  passages  of  Scripture  which  expressly  ascribe  all  moral  good 
that  is  in  man  to  God,  as  the  Author  and  Giver  of  it,  whenever  it  takes  place,  as 
something  more  than  what  is  natural  to  man.  I  shall  here  only  mention  a  few 
of  this  kind.  God  speaks  of  himself  as  caiising  men  to  walk  in  his  ways  (i.  e., 
to  exorci->e  and  practise  holiness)  l)y  subduing  and  taking  away  a  rebellious 
temper,  and  giving  them  a  new  and  opposite  disposition,  and  putting  his  Spirit 
in  them.  "  A  new  heart  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  Spirit  will  I  put  Avithin 
you ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  1  will  give  you 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   549 

light  as  to  be  inconsistent  with  his  being  directly  to  blame  for 
not  being  holy,  or  not  believing  on  Christ,  etc. ;  and,  conse- 
quently, they  have  rejsresented  the  whole  duty  of  the  unregen- 
erate  to  consist  in  those  endeavors  and  doings  which  are 
antecedent  to  regeneration,  and  do  not  imply  any  real  holiness 
or  conformity  to  the  law  of  God. 

The  absurdity  of  this  appears  so  clearly,  even  in  stating  the 
matter,  that  it  seems  needless  further  to  expose  it.  This  is  to 
turn  the  tables  indeed,  and  to  make  man's  duty  wholly  to  lie 
not  in  obedience  to  God's  law,  but  in  something  which  is 
consistent  with  perfect  obedience ;  and  his  sin  to  consist,  not 
in  want  of  love  to  God  and  opposition  of  heart  to  him,  but  in 
something  else  ;  so  that  a  person  may  be  perfectly  sinless  — 
yea,  really  and  perfectly  holy,  for  he  does  the  whole  of  his 

a  heart  of  fiesh  ;  and  I  ■will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  ■^'^alk 
in  my  statutes."  (Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27.)  And  God  speaks  of  love  to  him,  in 
which  all  virtue  summarily  consists,  as  the  effect  of  his  operation  on  the  he.irt, 
which  is  called  circumcising  the  heart  to  love  him,  which  before  was  directly 
contrary  to  this.  (Deut.  xxx.  6.)  A  heart  to  know  God,  which  is  a  virtuous, 
holy  heart,  is  spoken  of  as  the  gift  of  God,  and  is  what  men  are  naturally  without. 
"  And  I  will  give  them  a  heart  to  know  me  that  I  am  the  Lord ;  and  they  shall  be 
my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God."  (Jer.  xxiv.  7.)  An  incUnation  of  heart  to 
walk  in  God's  ways  is  spoken  of  as  the  gift  of  God,  and  what  men  are  naturally 
without,  by  Solomon  in  his  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple  :  "  That  he 
may  incline  our  hearts  unto  him,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,"  etc.  (1  Kings  viii. 
58.)  St.  Paul  says,  "  It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth, 
but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy."  (Rom.  ix.  16.)  That  is,  if  any  one  is  well 
inclined,  wills  and  chooses  that  which  is  right,  and  works  that  which  is  good, 
by  which  he  obtains  salvation,  this  is  not  from  any  thing  in  him  naturally,  but 
is  to  be  wholly  ascribed  to  the  grace  of  God,  who  has  inclined  his  heart,  and 
worked  in  him  thus  to  wUl  and  do.  And  this  is  exactly  parallePwith  the  fol- 
lowing words :  "  It  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do."  (Phil. 
ii.  13.)  Here  all  holiness  in  men  is  ascribed  to  the  powerful  operation  of  God 
working  in  them,  which  lays  the  foundation,  and  is  the  cause,  of  all  these  exer- 
cises of  will  in  which  holiness  consists  ;  therefore,  they  in  whom  God  does  not 
thus  work  are  wholly  corrupt,  have  no  degree  of  right  disposition  and  will. 
AU  goodness  in  man  is  ascribed  to  God,  as  the  Author  of  it,  in  the  strongest 
terms,  by  St.  Paul :  "  Who,  then,  is  Paul,  or  who  is  ApoUos,  but  ministers  by 
whom  ye  have  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave  to  every  man  ?  I  have  planted, 
ApoUos  watered,  but  God  giveth  the  increase.  So,  then,  neither  is  he  that 
planteth  any  thing,  nor  he  that  watereth,  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase." 
(1  Cor.  iii.  5-7.)  The  increase  which  God  is  here  said  to  give  is  holiness,  or 
that  faith  by  which  they  believed,  even  as  God  gave  to  every  man.  Agreeably 
to  this  he  says  to  the  believers  at  Corinth,  "  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from 
another  ?  And  what  hast  thou  which  thou  hast  not  received  ?  "  (1  Cor.  iv.  7.) 
And  he  says  of  himself,  "  But  by  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am ;  and  his 
grace  which  was  bestowed  on  me  was  not  in  vain  ;  but  I  labored  more  abun- 
dantly than  they  all ;  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me." 
(1  Cor.  XV.  10.)  Here  the  apostle  ascribes  all  his  holiness  to  God,  as  the  Author 
of  it,  by  which  he  was  made  to  differ  from  Saul  the  persecutor.  And  in  his 
epistle  to  the  Ephcsians  (chap.  ii.  1-10)  they  are  represented  to  be,  in  common 
with  all  mankind,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ;  that  is,  destitute  of  all  goodness, 
and  Avholly  corrupt.  And  the  life  they  had  received  in  their  recovery  to  holi- 
ness is  ascribed  to  God,  and  their  faith  is  said  to  be  his  gift ;  in  order  to  which 
thev  were  made  new  creatures  by  God,  being  created  in  Christ  Jesus.     This 


OOO   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

duty  —  without  a  spark  of  true  holiness,  or  the  least  degree  of 
real  conformity  to  the  law  of  God. 

I  would  forewarn  my  hearers,  that  I  am  about  to  teach  no 
regeneration  but  what  consists  in  the  removal  of  that  from 
man's  heart  for  which  he  is  altogether  to  blame  and  criminal 
for  having  it  there,  and  the  implantation  of  the  principles  of 
that  life  and  holiness  which  man  is  always  under  infinite 
obligations  to  have  and  exercise  at  all  times.  And  the  more 
need  men  stand  in  of  this  regeneration  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
the  more  criminal  and  blameworthy  they  are.  I  proceed  to 
observe,  — 

11.  This  regeneration  of  which  I  am  speaking  consists  in  a 
change  of  the  will  or  heart.  The  truth  of  this  observation 
appears  from  the  foregoing,  as  it  is  a  plain  consequence  from 

•whole  passage,  taken  together,  sets  this  matter  in  the  strongest  light,  and  as- 
serts that  all  Christian  virtue  and  every  right  disposition  is  from  God,  -which 
he  works  in  them  by  his  power,  and  which  is  directly  opposite  to  every  thing 
that  is  in  them  by  nature,  eX^en  as  opposite  as  life  is  to  death.  The  same  thing 
is  again  asserted  by  St.  Paul :  "  And  you,  being  dead  in  your  sins,  and  the 
uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him."  (Col. 
ii.  13.) 

2.  That  men  are  naturally  destitute  of  every  degree  of  that  which  has  the 
nature  of  true  hoUness  is  most  evident  from  Scripture,  in  that  the  promises  of 
salvation  are  every  where  made  to  them  who  exercise  the  least  degree  of  this, 
or  of  that  which  is  opposite  to  sin ;  and  such  hare  the  character  of  good  and 
holy  persons,  in  distinction  from  others.  Now,  if  the  least  degree  of  goodness 
entitles  a  man  to  salvation,  and  denominates  him  a  good  man,  then  all  men  are, 
naturally,  wholly  without  any  degree  of  this,  and  so  wholly  corrupt ;  for  all 
men  are  represented  as  naturally  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  and  wholly  desti- 
tute of  that  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  their  salvation. 

It  is  necdleil  to  refer  to  particular  passages  of  Scripture  in  proof  of  this  ob- 
servation. Every  one  who  is  in  any  measure  acquainted  with  his  Bible  must 
know  that  good  men  are  there  characterized  by  the  kind  of  their  exercises,  and 
not  by  the  degree  ;  so  that  he  who  has  the  least  degree  of  that  kind  is  hereby  dis- 
tinguished from  the  wicked,  and  the  promises  of  God's  favor  and  eternal  life  are 
made  to  him.  Thus,  he  that  loves  God  or  his  neighbor,  he  who  has  the  least 
degree  of  this  kind,  is  distinguished  from  the  wicked  as  a  good  man,  and  is 
entitled  to  all  the  divine  promises.  And  the  promises  of  the  gospel  are  made 
to  faith,  repentance,  etc.,  not  to  any  particular  degree  of  these  ;  therefore,  to  the 
last  degree.  And  the  least  degree  of  respect  and  love  to  Jesus  Christ,  even 
tliat  which  will  intiuence  a  person  to  give  so  much  as  a  cup  of  water  for  his 
sake  and  out  of  respect  to  him,  has  the  promise  of  eternal  life.  Yea,  if  a  man 
docs  so  much  as  truly  desire  salvation,  so  as  heartily  to  ask  for  it,  he  has  the 
promise  of  it. 

Now,  if  all  men  were  not  by  nature  wholly  corrupt,  but  have  a  degree  of 
real  goodness,  or  any  thing  of  that  kind,  the  matter  could  not  be  so  stated  in 
the  Bible  as  it  is.  The  promises  must  have  been  made,  not  to  the  least  degree 
of  goodness,  or  to  him  who  has  any  thing  of  this  kind,  but  to  those  who  rise  to 
a  curtain  pitch  or  degree  of  goodness ;  and  this  must  have  been  marked  out 
and  distinguished  I'roui  all  the  lower  degrees  of  this  kind  which  all  men  have, 
and  which  they  may  have,  and  yet  perish. 

We  may  hence  conclude  with  great  certainty,  therefore,  that  all  men  are 
naturally  without  any  degree  of  that  in  which  true  holmess  consists,  and  have 
not  the  least  true  respect  to  Jesus  CUirist,  and  are  wholly  without  any  true  de- 
sires of  him,  or  salvation  by  him ;  yea,  are  real  enemies  to  him  and  all  true 
hohness. 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   551 

it.  If  the  depravity  and  corruption  of  the  heart  is  the  only- 
ground  of  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  then  regeneration 
consists  in  removing  this  depravity,  and  introducing  opposite 
principles,  and  so  laying  a  foundation  for  holy  exercises.  But 
depravity  or  sin  lies  wholly  in  the  heart,  and  not  in  the  intel- 
lect or  faculty  of  understanding,  considered  as  distinct  from 
the  will,  and  not  including  that.  So  far  as  the  will  is  renewed 
or  set  right,  the  whole  mind  is  right ;  for  sin  and  holiness  lie 
wholly  in  this.  If  moral  depravity  does  not  lie  in,  or  properly 
belong  to,  the  faculty  of  the  understanding  or  the  intellect,  as 
distinguished  from  the  will,  or  heart,  then  that  operation  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  this  is  in  some  measure  removed 
and  moral  rectitude  introduced,  does  not  immediately  respect 
the    understanding,  but   the  will   or  heart,  and  immediately 

If  it  should  be  said  that  wicked  men,  even  the  worst  of  them,  are  represented 
as  having  some  love  to  God,  and  that  the  badness  of  their  character  lies  in  loving 
other  things  more,  when  they  are  said  to  be  "  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than 
lovers  of  God,"  (2  Tim.  iii.  4,)  and  to  "love  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the 
praise  of  God,"  (John  xii.  43,)  it  may  be  answered,  — 

1.  Such  expressions  as  these  do  not  imply  that  these  persons  had  the  least 
degree  of  love  to  God.  He  who  has  no  love  to  God  certainly  loves  other  things 
more  than  God,  and  this  may  as  truly  and  properly  be  asserted  of  him  as  if  he 
had  love  to  God  in  some  degree. 

2.  The  original  Avords  in  these  passages  might  be  as  well  rendered  thus  : 
lovers  of  pleasures  rather  than  lovers  of  God,  etc.  The  same  words  are  so 
translated  in  the  following  places:  John  iii.  19.  Acts  v.  29.  1  Tim.  i.  4.  And 
it  is  certain  the  words  in  John  iii.  19  —  "  And  men  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light" — cannot  mean,  or  imply,  that  they  had  some  love  to  the  light,  but 
loved  darkness  more  ;  for  in  the  very  next  words  it  is  said  that  they  hated  the 
light.  "  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hatcth  the  light."  If  to  be  lovers  of  dark- 
ness rather  (or  more)  than  the  light  is  not  to  love  the  light  at  all,  but  hate  it, 
then  to  be  lovers  of  pleasures  more,  or,  rather,  than  lovers  of  God,  is  not  to  be 
lovers  of  God  at  all,  but  perfect  enemies  to  him. 

3.  It  is  expressly  assorted  in  many  places  in  Scripture  that  mankind  are  per- 
fectly destitute  of  all  moral  goodness. 

It  "is  said,  (Gen.  vi.  5,)  "  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in 
the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only 
evil  continually."  Here  the  total  corruption  of  the  heai-t  is  affirmed  in  the 
strongest  terras.  It  is  indeed  affirmed  directly  of  the  generation  of  men  that 
lived  immediately  before  the  flood ;  but  if  mankind  are  not  naturally  thus 
wholly  corrupt,  it  is  hard  to  say  how  all  that  generation  should  be  so.  The  case 
was  plainly  this  :  God  had  left  man  to  himself,  to  go  on  in  his  own  way  till  he 
had  acted  out  himself  and  fully  discovered  what  was  in  man,  what  is  his  true 
character.  And  (iod  saw  that  it  was  this :  "  Every  imagination  of  the  thoughts 
of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually." 

This  same  thing  is  very  plainly  and  repeatedly  asserted  in  Rom.  iii.  10,  18. 
The  apostle  here  quotes  a  number  of  passages  from  the  Old  Testament,  and 
applies  them  to  all  mankind,  as  what  is  true  of  every  one  in  his  natural  state, 
otherwise  the  quotations  would  be  nothmg  to  his  purpose.  And  here  it  is 
said,  "  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one.  Tliere  is  none  that  understandeth ; 
there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they 
are  together  become  unprofitable ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one. 
Their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood.  The  way  of  peace  have  they  not  kno\^^l. 
There  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  This  last  sentence,  if  no  more  had 
been  said,  does  fuUy  express  their  total  depravity,  for  "  the  fear  of  God  is.  the 


552   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

produces  a  change  in  the  latter,  not  in  the  foimer.  It  is 
allowed  by  all,  I  suppose,  that  regeneration  does  not  produce 
any  new  natural  capacity  or  faculty  in  the  soul.  These  re- 
main the  same  after  regeneration  that  they  were  before,  so  far 
as  they  are  natural.  The  change  produced  is  a  moral  change, 
and,  therefore,  the  will  or  heart  must  be  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  change,  and  of  the  operation  that  effects  it ;  for  every 
thing  of  a  moral  nature  belongs  to  the  will  or  heart. 

As  depravity  or  sin  began  in  the  will,  and  consists  wholly 
in  the  irregularity  and  corruption  of  that,  so  regeneration,  or  a 
recovery  from  sin  in  the  renovation  of  the  mind,  must  begin 
here,  and  wholly  consists  in  the  change  and  renewal  of  the 
will.  There  is  not,  nor  can  there  be,  any  need  of  any  other 
change,  in  order  to  the  complete  renovation  of  the  depraved 

beginning  of  wisdom  ; "  i.  e.,  of  all  moral  good.  Therefore,  where  there  is  no 
fear  of  God  there  is  no  degree  of  moral  goodness. 

!Man's  total  corruption  in  the  state  in  which  he  is  born  is  asserted  by  our 
Sa^nor  in  what  he  says  to  prove  that  men  must  be  born  again  in  order  to  see 
the  kingdom  of  God.  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  and  that 
which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  (John  iii.  6.)  These  words,  whatever  is 
meant  hy  fesh,  or  being  born  of  the  flesh,  do  prove  that  man,  in  order  to  be 
saved,  must  have  principles  and  dispositions  implanted  in  him  different  from 
those  with  which  he  is  born,  which  is  called  a  being  born  of  the  Spirit ;  which 
could  not  be  true,  if  man  is  not  naturally  destitute  of  all  right  principles  and 
disposition.  But  the  meaning  and  force  of  these  words  will  more  fully  appear 
by  comparing  them  with  other  passages  of  Scripture  of  the  same  import,  and 
particularly  considering  what  must  be  meant  hy  Jlesh.  It  doubtless  means  the 
same  here  as  in  other  places  where  the  word  is  used  for  that  which  is  dis- 
tinguished from  the  spirit,  and  set  in  opposition  to  it,  as  it  is  here.  But  in 
these  places  it  is  plain  it  means  human  nature  in  its  natural,  corrupt  state.  St. 
Paul  often  uses  the  word  in  this  sense,  to  be  "  in  the  flesh,"  and  to  "walk  after 
the  flesh  :  "  to  have  a  fleshly  or  carnal  mind  is  to  be  in  that  state  in  which  all 
men  are  who  are  not  true  Christians  and  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  so  are 
not  born  of  the  Spirit.  (See  Rom.  viii.  5-9.)  And  the  flesh,  or  the  mind 
of  the  flesh,  or  the  "  carnal  mind,"  Avhich  is  the  same,  is  here  represented 
as  opposite  to  the  Spirit,  and  enmity  against  God  ;  but  the  Spirit  is  a  Spirit  of 
holiness.  Therefore,  the  spirit  that  is  naturally  in  man,  the  spirit  or  mind  of 
the  flesh,  is  a  .spirit  of  sin,  and  opposition  to  God.  This  is  again  expressly  as- 
serted by  the  same  apostle.  (Gal.  v.  17.)  "  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the 
Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh  ;  and  these  two  are  contrary,  the  one  to 
the  other."  And  he  then  goes  on  to  show  what  are  the  works  of  the  flesh  and 
what  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  and  sets  them  in  direct  opposition  one  to  the  other ; 
the  former  are  nothing  but  sin,  the  latter  holiness.  (Gal.  v.  19-23.)  Now,  if 
the  flesh  is  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Spirit,  and  the  works  of  the  flesh  nothing 
but  sin,  and  if  all  who  are  not  born  of  the  Spirit  and  become  true  Chi'istians, 
and  do  not  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  "crucify  the  flesh  with  the  aff'ections  and 
lusts,"  —  if  all  these  are  in  the  flesh,  walk  after  the  flesh,  and  do  the  works  of 
the  flesh,  then  all  such  are  wholly  corrupt,  and  their  whole  hearts  are  in  oppo- 
sition to  holiness.  But  this  is  really  the  case,  according  to  St.  Paul.  And  in 
this  view  we  may  sec  the  force  of  the  words  of  our  divine  Teacher.  He  says, 
in  order  to  conflrm  Avhat  he  had  said  to  Nicodemus,  "  That  which  is  born  of 
the  flesh  is  flesh  ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  (Q.  D.)  The 
•works  of  the  flesh  and  all  that  it  produces  are  like  itself,  even  corrupt  and  sin- 
ful. Wliat  is  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  men  is  spiritual  and  holy  ; 
therefore,  man  must  be  born  again  of  the  Spirit,  in  order  to  be  saved.     He 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   553 

mind,  and  its  recovery  to  perfect  holiness.  Therefore,  I  think 
$1  have  good  grounds  to  assert,  that  in  regeneration  the  will  or 
heart  is  the  immediate  subject  of  the  divine  operation,  and  so 
of  the  moral  change  that  is  effected  hereby.  The  Spirit  of 
God  in  regeneration  gives  a  new  heart,  an  honest  and  good 
heart.  He  begets  a  right  and  good  taste,  temper,  or  dispo- 
sition, and  so  lays  a  foundation  for  holy  exercises  of  heart.* 
But  let  us  go  on  to  the  next  particular. 


must  have  new  dispositions  and  principles  which  are  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
directly  opposite  to  all  that  is  naturally  in  man.  In  one  word,  if  by  the  spirit  in 
these  passages  is  meant  the  .Spirit  of  God  influencing  and  dwelling  in  the 
hearts  of  the  saints,  as  a  Spirit  of  life  and  holiness,  and  being  in  the  Spirit,  and 
living  after  the  Spirit,  means  the  exercise  of  holiness,  (and  it  is  impossible  to 
find  any  other  consistent  meaning,)  then  their  hearts  who  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  God  are  whoUy  corrupt,  and  perfectly  opposite  to  God's  law ;  yea,  enmity 
against  him. 

And  is  not  the  total  corruption  of  man's  heart  in  his  natural  state  plainly 
asserted  by  St.  Paul,  when  he  says,  (Tit.  i.  15,  16,)  "Unto  the  pure  all  things 
are  pure ;  but  unto  them  that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving  is  nothing  pure  ;  but 
even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled.  They  profess  that  they  know  God, 
but  in  works  they  deny  him,  being  abominable,  and  unto  ever}-  good  work  rep- 
robate "  ?  By  the  pure  here  are  meant  the  pure  in  heart,  the  true  believers  in 
Christ  which  are  born  of  God.  All  others  are  here  represented  as  wholly  de- 
filed, -w-ithout  any  good  thing,  altogether  sinful  and  abominable. 

This  same  total  corruption  of  man  is  expressly  declared  in  those  passages  of 
Scripture  where  all  men  are  represented  as  dead  in  sin  antecedent  to  their  being 
made  alive  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  regeneration.  "Even  when  we  were  dead 
in  sins  hath  he  quickened  us.  And  you,  being  dead  in  your  sins  and  the 
uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened."  (Eph.  ii.  1-5.  Col.  ii.  13.) 
Here  they  arc  said  to  be  dead  in  their  natural  state,  in  distinction  from  tlie  life 
of  holiness  to  which  they  were  brought  by  God's  quickening  power,  and  in  op- 
position to  it.  If  holiness  is  life,  then  death  is  sin  without  any  degree  of  holi- 
ness ;  for  there  is  no  life  in  death.  To  put  the  matter  beyond  all  dispute,  it  is 
here  said  what  this  death  consists  in,  viz.,  sin.  Hence  it  appears,  I  think,  as 
evident  as  any  thing  can  be  made  by  the  most  express  declaration,  that  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  regenerates  the  mind  of  man,  he  tinds  it  perfectly  destitute  of 
all  moral  goodness,  and  wholly  corrupt;  and  that  regeneration  consists  in  im- 
planting principles  of  spiritual  life  and  action  in  the  heart  in  which  there  was 
no  degree  of  that  kind  before.  In  this  work,  the  Spirit  of  God  finds  the  heart 
dead,  or  a  heart  of  stone ;  wholly  destitute  of  spiritual  life  and  holiness,  and  as 
opposite  to  it  as  is  a  stone  to  living  flesh  ;  yea,  as  death  is  to  life. 

*  It  is  difficult,  and  perhaps  impossible,  to  form  any  distinct  and  clear  idea 
of  that  in  the  mind  or  heart  which  is  antecedent  to  all  thought  and  exercise  of 
the  will  or  action,  which  we  call  principle,  taste,  temper,  disposition,  habit ; 
by  which  we  mean  nothing  properly  active,  but  that  from  which  right  exercise 
of  the  will  or  action  springs,  as  the  reason  and  foundation  of  it,  and  without 
^vluch  there  could  have  been  no  such  exercise. 

Perhaps  the  real  truth  of  the  matter,  when  examined  with  true,  philosophic, 
metaphysical  strictness,  will  appear  to  be  this  :  that  what  we  call  principle, 
disposition,  or  frame  of  the  mind,  which  is  antecedent  to  all  right  exercise  of 
the  heart,  and  is  the  foundation  and  reason  of  it,  is  wholly  to  be  resolved  into 
divine  constitution,  or  law  of  nature.  But  this  I  leave  to  the  inquiry  and  de- 
cision of  those  who  are  inclined  to  examine  this  matter  to  the  bottom,  seeing  I 
have  not  room  here  to  go  into  a  more  particular  consideration  of  it ;  and,  what- 
ever is  at  bottom  the  truth  of  the  case,  nothing  will  be  said  on  this  subject  that 
immediately  depends  upon  it. 

VOL.  III.  47 


554   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

III.  In  this  change  of  which  I  am  now  speaking  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  the  only  agent;  and  man,  the  subject,  is  wholly  pas-^ 
sive,  does  not  act,  but  is  acted  upon. 

In  conversion  man  is  active,  and  it  wholly  consists  in  his 
act;  but  in  regeneration  the  Spirit  of  God  is  the  only  active 
cause.  What  has  been  said  already  brings  this  truth  into 
view.  This  change  lays  the  only  foundation  for  all  right 
views  and  exercises  of  the  heart,  and  is,  therefore,  antecedent 
to  all  such.  To  suppose  that  the  person  is  not  wholly  positive 
in  this  change,  therefore,  is  to  make  him  active  before  he  be- 
gins to  act.  The  man  who  is  the  subject,  of  this  change  is, 
indeed,  active  antecedent  to  it ;  but  by  the  supposition  all  the 
exertions  and  exercises  of  his  heart  are  corrupt  and  wrong,  and 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  Spirit  of  God.  Before  this  change 
the  heart  is  wholly  sinful,  —  a  heart  of  stone,  an  impenitent,  re- 
bellious heart,  —  and  all  the  exercises  of  it  are  acts  of  rebellion, 
in  opposition  to  God,  his  Spirit,  and  law.  This  change  is, 
therefore,  wrought  in  the  heart  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  direct 
opposition  to  all  its  biases,  inclinations,  and  exertions,  by  which 
they  are,  in  a  measure,  overcome  and  destroyed,  and  a  new  and 
opposite  principle  and  inclination  created  or  implanted.  Man 
is,  therefore,  so  far  from  being  active  in  producing  this  change, 
or  having  any  hand  in  it  by  voluntarily  falling  in  with,  or  sub- 
mitting to,  the  divine  operation,  or  cooperating  with  the  Spirit 
of  God,  that  the  whole  strength  of  his  heart  opposes  it,  until 
it  is  eiiected  and  actually  takes  place ;  he  is,  therefore,  most 
perfectly  passive.  When  Adam  was  created,  and  his  mind 
formed,  prepared,  and  disposed  to  right  and  holy  action,  it  is 
easy  to  see  he  was  altogether  passive  until  he  began  first  to 
act  in  consequence  of  his  being  thus  formed,  for  which  action 
a  foundation  was  laid  in  his  creation.  This  is  a  parallel  with 
the  case  before  us ;  only  with  this  difference,  that  what  is 
caused  to  take  place  in  the  mind  in  regeneration  is  in  direct* 
opposition  to  all  that  was  in  the  heart  before ;  whereas,  in  the 
formation  of  Adam's  heart  to  right  exercises  and  action,  there 
was  nothing  to  be  opposed  or  counteracted. 

IV.  This  change  is  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God  immedi- 
ately;  that  is,  it  is  not  effected  by  any  medium  or  means 
whatsoever. 

The  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  this  case  is  as  imme- 
diate, or  as  much  without  any  means,  as  that  by  which  Adam's 
mind  was  at  first  formed.  In  that  there  was  no  medium,  no 
means  made  use  of  in  creating  the  mind  formed  and  disposed 
to  right  action.  God  said,  "Let  it  be,"  and  it  was.  The 
Almighty  first  produced  it  immediately,  or  without  any  coop- 
erating means.     So  it  is  in  this  case ;  there  is  no  conceivable 


THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION.       555 

medium  by  which  this  change  is  wrought  any  more  than  there 
is  in  creation  out  of  nothing.  The  sinner's  own  thoughts, 
exercises,  and  endeavors  cannot  be  a  means  of  this  change ; 
for  they  are  all  in  duect  opposition  to  it,  as  has  been  just 
observed. 

I  would  particularly  observe  here,  that  light  and  truth,  or 
the  word  of  God,  is  not  in  any  degree  a  means  by  which  this 
change  is  effected.     It  is  not  wrought  by  light. 

This  change  is  most  certainly  nat  effected  by  light,  because 
it  is  by  this  change  that  the  mind  is  illuminated;  by  this  the 
way  is  prepared  for  the  light  to  have  access  to  the  mind,  so  as 
to  become  the  means  of  Etny  effect.  This  operation  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  by  which  a  new  heart  is  given  is  necessary  in 
order  to  the  illumination  of  the  mind,  and,  indeed,  is  the  very 
thing  in  which  it  consists,  as  it  is  the  opening  of  the  eyes  of 
the  blind.  It  is  depravity  or  corruption  of  heart  that  holds  the 
mind  in  darkness  and  shuts  out  the  light.  And  this  corrup- 
tion of  heart  is  that  in  which  unregeneracy  consists,  as  has 
been  observed ;  and,  in  truth,  spiritual  darkness,  or  blindness 
of  mind,  consists  in  this,  too.  In  order  to  the  mind's  being 
enlightened,  that  must  be  removed  in  which  blindness  con- 
sists, or  which  shuts  light  out  of  the  mind ;  but  that  in  which 
unregeneracy  consists  does  blind  the  mind,  and  shuts  out  the 
light,  or,  rather,  is  the  blindness  itself.  Therefore,  men  must 
be  regenerated,  and  the  corruption  of  their  hearts  in  some 
measure  removed,  in  order  to  the  removal  of  their  darkness 
and  the  illumination  of  their  mind ;  for  this  is  nothing  else  than 
giving  them  eyes  to  see,  and  can  be  done  in  no  other  possible 
way.  Consequently,  men  are  not  illuminated  before  regener- 
ation ;  but  they  are  first  regenerated,  in  order  to  introduce  light 
into  the  mind.  Therefore,  they  are  not  regenerated  by  light, 
or  the  truths  of  God's  word. 

But  that  we  may  well  understand  this  matter,  and  have 
clear  and  distinct  notions  about  it,  let  us  more  particularly 
consider  in  what  respects  men  are  naturally  blind,  or  in  what 
their  blindness  consists,  and  what  is  that  light  which  is  given 
by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  Scripture  represents  all  men  in  their  natural  state  as 
blind,  so  as  not  to  discern  and  know  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God ;  and  it  speaks  of  all  the  ungodly  as  illuminated  so  as 
to  understand  and  know  these  things  to  which  they  were 
wholly  blind  before.  Now,  this  blindness  does  not  consist  in 
any  natural  deficiency  in  the  natural  powers  and  faculties  of 
the  mind.  Natural,  or  unregenerate  men,  are  capable  of  all 
that  light  and  discerning  with  respect  to  every  thing  which 
may  be  obtained  by  reason  and  speculation  and  is  consistent 


556       THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION. 

with  total  corruption  of  iieart,  or  they  may  see  every  thing 
in  matters  of  religion  but  the  moral  beauty  and  excellence  of 
divine  things.  In  this,  therefore,  their  blindness  wholly  con- 
sists;  they  may  see  every  thing  but  this,  and  what  is  involved 
in  this  and  depends  upon  it ;  and  in  this  they  have  no  true 
light  and  discerning  at  all ;  and  the  light  and  discerning  which 
is  peculiar  to  true  Christians  consists  in  a  sight  and  discerning 
of  this  beauty  and  what  depends  upon  it;  and  this  blindness 
has  its  foundation  altogether  in  sin,  or  the  total  depravity  of 
the  heart,  by  which  the  heart  is  wholly  without  any  degree  of 
right  or  good  taste,  in  the  exercise  of  which  alone  this  beauty 
and  excellence  is  discerned  and  relished,  and  is  perfectly  under 
the  power  of  a  disposition  and  taste  which  has  a  perfect  aver- 
sion to  this,  and  relishes  and  cleaves  to  other  things  as  the 
chief  good. 

For  let  be  observed,  that  this  beauty,  excellence,  and  glory 
of  divine  things,  in  which  the  glory  of  God's  moral  character, 
kingdom,  and  government  consists, —  which  is,  therefore,  moral 
beauty,  or  true  holiness, — is  not  discerned  by  the  understanding, 
considered  as  distinct  from  the  will  or  heart,  and  not  implying 
it,  and  is  not  the  object  of  mere  speculation  ;  nor  can  it  possibly 
be  made  so  by  any  operation  on  the  mind,  or  any  supposed 
illumination  whatsoever.* 

This  is  the  object  of  taste,  which  belongs  to  the  will,  and 
implies  in  it  relish,  inclination,  and  exercise  of  heart.  This  is 
as  much  the  object  of  taste,  or  the  discernment  and  relish  of 
the  heart,  as  the  sweetness  of  honey  is  the  object  of  that  bodily 
sense  which  we  call  taste ;  and  this  beauty  and  glory  can  be 
discerned  no  other  way,  any  more  than  the  sweetness  of  honey 
can  be  discerned  by  feeling,  or  dipping  the  finger  into  it. 
Therefore,  the  mind  that  is  wholly  without  any  right  taste 
or  disposition  is  perfectly  blind  to  this  beauty,  and  must  re- 
main so  eternally,  unless  a  good  taste  or  new  heart  is  given; 
and  there  is  no  other  possible  way  to  get  this  light  into  the 
mind.  It  is  as  absurd  to  talk  of  illuminating  the  understand- 
ing of  such  a  one,  or  giving  him  light  in  order  to  change  and 
renew  his  heart  and  give  a  right  taste,  as  it  is  to  tell  of  making 

*  If  any  should  siiy,  "  This  is  a  bold  assertion,  and  is  limiting  God  in  a  very 
nnhcconiin^  manner  ;  cannot  he  give  what  light  he  -will  to  the  understanding  ?  " 
—  I  answer  :  This  is  no  more  limiting  (iod  than  to  say  there  can  be  no  light 
and  discerning  at  the  same  time  that  there  is  none,  or  that  it  is  impossible  by 
any  operation  whatever  on  a  stone  to  bring  it  to  the  understanding  and  dis- 
cerning of  a  man,  without  giving  it  the  faculty  of  understanding  and  reason. 
The  understanding,  considered  by  itself,  and  apart  from  the  will,  is  no  more  a 
capacity  of  discerning  this  beauty,  or  any  beauty  at  all,  and  cannot  be  made  so, 
without  adding  something  to  it  over  and  above  understanding,  than  a  stone  is  a 
proper  capacity  of  reasoning  and  choice.  It  is  no  impeachment  of  the  divine 
power  to  say  that  cannot  be  done  which,  in  itself,  implies  a  contradiction. 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   557 

a  person  that  has  no  sort  of  taste,  and  never  had,  to  discern 
the  sweetness  of  honey  antecedent  to  his  having  any  taste, 
and  in  order  to  it ;  or  of  causing  him  who  has  no  eyes,  and  is 
perfectly  bUnd,  to  see  the  light  of  the  sun  in  order  to  give  him 
eyes  to  see. 

Therefore,  light  is  not,  cannot  be,  given  antecedent  to  re- 
generation, in  order  to  influence  or  change  the  heart  or  will ; 
lor  so  long  as  the  heart  is  wholly  wrong,  this  light  cannot  be 
introduced;  but  a  new  heart,  a  right  temper  and  taste,  is  first 
given  by  the  immediate  operation  of  tlie  Spirit  of  God.  This 
gives  true  discerning,  and  light  and  truth  breaks  in  upon  the 
mind  thus  prepared ;  and  in  viewing  and  relishing  it,  the  heart 
exercises  holiness.  It  is  in  this  way,  even  by  giving  a  discern- 
ing, understanding  heart,  or  a  degree  of  good  taste  of  mind, 
that  God  "  shines  in  the  heart,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  (2  Cor. 
iv.  6.) 

Suffer  me  further  to  say,  so  long  as  the  heart  is  wholly  cor- 
rupt, is  not  in  the  least  degree  friendly  to  the  divine  character 
and  the  things  of  God's  moral  kingdom,  but  full  of  opposition, 
hatred,  and  enmity  against  them,  it  is  impossible  that  they 
should  appear  beautiful,  lovely,  and  glorious;  because,  by  the 
supposition,  they  are  to  the  mind  directly  the  contrary.  The 
more  they  are  attended  to  by  such  a  mind,  and  the  more  they 
are  seen  and  understood,  —  so  far  as  they  may  be  seen  and 
understood  by  such  a  one,  —  the  greater  will  be  the  mind's 
disgust  at  them,  and  the  more  it  will  hate  them.  Which 
way,  then,  will  this  light,  which  the  mind  is  capable  of  in 
such  a  state,  change  the  heart,  and  cause  it  to  become  friend- 
ly ?  or  what  tendency  is  there  in  it  to  produce  this  effect? 
Does  the  setting  an  object  before  the  mind,  in  which  it  sees  no 
beauty  and  excellence,  but  it  appears  perfectly  disagreeable 
and  odious,  tend  to  make  it  friendly  to  it,  and  lead  it  to  love 
that  object?  Surely  no.  If  a  man's  taste  is  so  formed  that 
honey  is  perfectly  disagreeable  and  nauseous  to  him,  will  rea- 
soning about  it,  or  often  applying  it  to  his  palate,  ever  give 
him  a  true  idea  of  the  pleasant  sweetness  of  it  ?  So  far  from 
it,  that  the  more  this  is  done,  the  more  disgust,  hatred,  and 
opposition  will  be  excited.* 

*  They  who  have  supposed  that  regeneration  is  -wrought  hy  light  which  is  let 
into  the  understanding  to  influence  and  change  the  heart  must  be  sensible,  I 
think,  how  absurd  and  impossible  the  supposition  is,  if  they  will  attend  closely 
to  the  matter,  unless  by  regeneration  they  mean  nothing  but  active  conversion, 
and  suppose  the  heart  is  not  wholly  corrupt,  but  has  a  disposition  to  taste  and 
relish  the  truth,  and  love  it,  whenever  it  is  properly  and  fully  set  before 
the  mind,  and  that  there  is  really  no  need  of  any  thing  Hut  to  bring  the  mind 

47* 


558   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OP  REGENERATION. 

Moreover,  I  think  the  Scripture  represents  the  matter  in 
this  light,  and  teaches  that  man  is  never  illuminated,  or  sees 
the  truth  so  as  to  be  properly  affected  with  it,  but  with  a  new 
heart,  and  in  the  exercise  of  right  taste  and  disposition  of 
mind,  and  not  that  light  is  first  given  as  the  means  of  pro- 
ducing a  new  heart.  Our  Savior  says,  "  The  light  of  the  body 
is  the  eye  ;  if,  tlierefore,  thine  eye  be  single,  thy  whole  body 
shall  be  full  of  light.  But  if  thine  eye  be  evil,  thy  whole  body 
shall  be  full  of  darkness."  (Matt.  vi.  22,  23.)  By  the  single 
and  evil  eye  is  meant,  not  the  intellect  only,  but  the  temper 
and  disposition  of  the  heart,  which  is  evident  by  the  context 
and  other  passages  of  Scripture  where  an  evil  eye  is  mentioned, 
particularly  where  our  Savior  says,  "  From  within,  out  of  the 
heart,  proceedeth  an  evil  eye."  (Mark  vii.  22.)  Christ,  there- 
fore, here  tells  us  what  man's  blindness  consists  in,  viz.,  the 
evil  disposition  of  his  heart,  or  disorders  of  the  will;  and  that 
the  only  way  to  remove  this  darkness,  and  introduce  light  in 
the  mind,  is  to  have  the  eye  single ;  that  is,  to  have  a  right 
disposition  and  taste  of  heart,  which  is,  according  to  Scripture 
phrase,  an  understanding  heart,  as  none  but  they  who  have 
such  a  heart  have  a  true  discerning  and  understanding  in  things 
of  a  moral  nature ;  and  Christ  here  tells  us  how  this  darkness 
is  removed,  and  light  is  made  to  shine  into  the  heart,  viz.,  by 
the  heart's  becoming  of  a  right  temper  and  disposition,  denoted 
by  a  single  eye.  An  evil  eye  is  not  cured  and  made  single  by 
removing  the  darkness  which  that  is  the  occasion  of,  and 
giving  the  light  which  that  opposes  and  shuts  out ;  but  the 
eye  must  be  first  cured  of  its  disorder,  that  the  light  may  be 
admitted. 

Our  Savior  teaches  the  same  thing  when  he  represents  the 
Word  of  God  or  divine  light  taking  place  in  the  mind,  so  as 

to  serious  and  constant  attention  to  the  truth  in  order  to  its  loving  and  obeying 
it.  And  then  illumination,  with  them,  is  nothing  but  moral  suasion.  I  know 
many  have  held  to  both  these,  —  regeneration  by  light,  and  the  total  corruption, 
of  the  hearts  of  the  unregenerate,  —  but  it  is  presumed  they  cannot  show  their 
consistency  with  themselves. 

It  also  honcc  appears  that  saving  faith  is  not  a  mere  speculative  assent  to, 
or  belief  of,  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  but  implies  taste  and  exercise  of  heart ; 
since  it  is  in  the  exercise  of  a  right  or  good  taste  only  that  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  are  seen,  which  are  the  objects  of  faith,  and  in  the  discerning  of  which, 
faith  consists.  Xo  mere  speculations,  nor  any  thing  that  mere  intellect  is  ca- 
pable of,  can  give  the  idea  of  any  thing  properly  moial ;  therefore,  the  presence 
of  the  idea  in  the  mind  of  God's  moral  character,  and  so  of  the  character  of 
Christ,  implies  right  exercises  of  heart.  Therefore,  he  that  loveth  not  has  noth- 
ing in  his  heart  answerable  to  God's  moral  character,  —  which  is  love,  —  knows 
not  God.  (1  John  iv.  8.)  It  is  therefore  said,  that  with  the  heart  man  be- 
lieveth.  (Rom.  x.  10.)  And  none  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  but  they 
■wlio  are  born  of  God,  and  so  have  a  right  taste,  a  discerning  and  understanding 
heart. 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   559 

to  become  effectual  to  salvation,  by  sowing  seed  in  the  earth 
so  as  to  bring  forth  fruit.  No  seed,  he  observes,  takes  effect 
and  brings  forth  fruit  but  that  which  falls  on  good  ground 
which  is  before  prepared  and  fitted  to  receive  the  seed.  And 
he  says,  what  answers  to  the  good  ground  in  man  is  an  hon- 
est and  good  heart.  (Luke  viii.  15.)  According  to  this  repre- 
sentation, the  word,  or  light  of  truth,  takes  place  in  the  mind, 
and  has  effect  only  where  it  finds  a  heart  already  prepared 
and  disposed  to  receive  it,  which  Christ  here  calls  an  honest 
and  good  heart ;  that  is,  a  regenerate,  new  heart.  Therefore, 
men  are  not  regenerated  by  the  word,  but  the  heart  must  be 
first  renewed  by  the  immediate  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  order  to  prepare  it  to  understand  and  receive  the  word,  or 
be  illuminated  by  it.  Therefore,  none  but  the  pure  in  heart 
see  God.  (Matt.  v.  8.)  They  only  whose  hearts  are  renewed 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  see  his  true  character.  An  impure,  cor- 
rupt heart  is  not  capable  of  this  light.  Agreeably  to  this,  God 
says,  "  I  will  give  them  a  heart  to  know  me,"  (Jer.  xxiv.  7 ;) 
that  is,  I  will  create  a  new  heart  in  them,  which  shall  discern 
my  true  character.  If  the  knowledge  of  God  was  previous  to 
a  new  heart,  and  a  means  of  regeneration,  such  an  expression 
would  not  be  proper,  nor  agreeable  to  the  truth  ;  but  it  is  ex- 
actly so  if  the  mind  is  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  order 
to  its  being  illuminated  or  coming  to  the  light. 

The  same  thing  is  taught  by  St.  Paul  when  he  says,  "  The 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  be- 
cause they  are  spiritually  discerned.  But  he  that  is  spiritual 
judgeth  all  things."  (i  Cor.  ii.  14, 15.)  Here,  by  natural  man, 
is  plainly  meant  the  unregenerate,  as  he  is  opposed  to  the 
spiritual  man,  who  is  the  true  Christian.  Such  a  one  does 
not  receive  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  cannot  know 
them.  It  is  not  possible,  while  he  continues  such,  that  he 
should  have  this  light  and  knowledge.  The  reason  of  it  is 
here  given — "  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."  That 
is,  in  the  exercise  of  spiritual  life  and  holiness,  for  which  a 
foundation  is  laid  in  regeneration,  by  giving  a  spiritual  taste, 
a  discerning,  understanding  heart,  by  which  they  become  spir- 
itual, in  opposition  to  natural,  or  carnal.  But  the  spiritual, 
the  regenerate  man  judgeth,  understandeth,  discerneth  all 
things.  Agreeably  to  this,  it  is  said,  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  the  beginning  of  knowledge."  (Pr.  i.  7.)  That  is,  a  prin- 
ciple of  true  piety  and  holiness  lays  the  only  foundation  for 
true  knowledge,  and  in  this  it  has  its  first  beginning.  If  a 
principle    of    true   religion   is   the    beginning    of  knowledge, 


560   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

then  knowledge  does  not  begin  before  that  or  antece- 
dent to  it.* 

Many  other  passages  of  Scripture,  to  the  same  purpose, 
might  be  produced.  But  enough  has  been  said,  I  trust,  to 
show  that  regeneration  is  not  wrought  by  means  of  light,  but 
that  light  or  understanding  takes  place  in  consequence  of  re- 
generation, it  being  that  by  which  the  mind  is  illuminated, 
and  the  light  is  made  to  shine  in  the  heart.f 

V.  This  change,  which  we  are  now  considering,  is  instan- 
taneous, wrought  at  once,  and  not  gradually. 

The  heart  does  not  grow  more  and  more  disposed  to  that 
which  is  good  before  regeneration,  but  remains  the  same  cor- 

*  This  view  of  the  matter  vnU.  help  us  to  an  easy  and  natural  exjilanation 
of  those  Scriptures  which  speak  of  understanding  and  knowledge,  as  being  the 
sum  of  all  moral  good.  The  reason  of  this  is  because  men  do  truly  discern  and 
understand  things  of  a  moral  nature,  wliich  resjject  the  heart,  only  in  the  exer- 
cise of  a  right  taste,  or  spiritual  life  and  holiness.  And  there  is  really  no  dif- 
ference between  seeing  the  truth,  or  true  knowledge  and  understanding  in  these 
things,  and  those  exercises  of  heart  in  Avhich  holiness  consists,  these  being, 
in  truth,  one  and  the  same  thing.  Whereas,  on  any  other  supposition  such 
passages  as  these  are,  I  think,  inexplicable. 

t  It  seems  needful  briefly  to  consider  several  objections  which  have  been 
made  against  what  is  here  advanced. 

Ouj.  I.  There  are  several  i^laces  of  Scripture  in  which  it  is  expressly  asserted 
that  men  are  begotten  or  born  again  by  the  word  or  the  truth.  (See  1  Pet.  i.  23. 
James  i.  18.  2  Cor.  iii.  18.)  How  is  this  consistent  with  what  has  been  now 
advanced  r 

Axs.  I.  They  who  make  this  objection,  and  from  such  Scriptures  as  these 
conclude  that  it  is  by  means  of  the  word  that  the  heart  is  renewed,  do  suppose, 
or  must  grant,  that  the  word  is  introduced  into  the  mind  in  order  to  its  having 
this  effect  by  the  Sj^irit  of  God ;  and  that  this  is  done  by  some  operation  on 
the  understanding,  in  order  so  to  change  or  open  it  as  that  it  may  receive  the 
word,  or  that  the  light  may  shine  into  it.  And  they  must  grant  that  this  opera- 
tion or  Avork  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  mind,  whatever  it  is,  is  antecedent  to 
light,  or  before  it  comes  into  the  mind,  as  it  is  in  order  to  it.  Therefore,  this 
effect  or  work  A\'rought,  by  which  the  mind  is  prepared  to  receive  the  light,  is 
not  wrought  by  the  word,  but  is  an  effect  or  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  for, 
by  the  supposition,  it  precedes  the  illumination  of  the  mind,  and  is  antece- 
dent to  any  influence  the  word  can  have,  as  a  means  of  any  thing.  So  that 
they  must  hold  to  an  immediate  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  wrought 
without  the  word,  and  in  order  to  light  being  introduced  into  the  mind,  as 
really  as  any  one  does  or  can.  So  that,  so  far  as  the  operation  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  concerned  in  the  matter,  by  which  men  are  born  of  the  Spirit,  this 
is  immediate  and  antecedent  to  any  influence  by  the  word.  Therefore,  ac- 
cording to  them,  when  we  speak  of  that  change  which  is  wrought  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  is  antecedent  to  conversion,  we  must  say  it  is  not  wrought 
by  the  medium  of  light  or  by  the  word  of  God.  Therefore,  these  texts  speak 
of  some  consequent  change  which  follows  that  which  is  MTOUght  in  the 
mind  or  understanding  by  tlie  Spirit  of  God,  in  order  to  prepare  the  mind  to 
receive  the  light.  They  must  allow  that  all  the  change  that  the  word  is 
a  means  of  producing  is  an  active  change,  which  consists  in  the  exercises 
of  the  will,  in  the  view  of  light  and  truth  exhibited  in  the  word,  or  in 
active  conversion ;  and  whatever  is  done  before  this  is  not  effected  by  the 
word. 

But,  if  this  is  so,  then  the  Scriptures  are  not  in  the  least  contrary  to  what 


THE    CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION.       561 

rupt,  rebellious  heart,  a  heart  of  stone,  until  God  takes  it  in 
hand  and  speaks  the  powerful  word  ;  and  it  immediately,  or 
at  once,  becomes  a  heart  of  flesh,  a  new,  regenerate  heart. 
There  is  no  possible  medium  between  these  two  opposites,  —  a 
regenerate  and  unregenerate  heart,  —  as  there  can  be  none  be- 
tween death  and  life,  or  non-existence  and  existence.  The 
unregenerate  heart,  therefore,  is  in  no  degree  well  disposed  or 
has  the  least  right  inclination,  but  is  as  far  from  all  right  dis- 
position, till  the  instant  in  which  it  is  regenerated,  as  it  ever 
was.  And  it  exists  a  new  heart  as  instantaneously  as  did 
the  mind  of  Adam  when  God  created  him.  Nothing  that 
precedes  regeneration  does  any  thing  towards  it  by  altering 

has  been  asserted  above,  viz.,  that  the  change  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
in  which  men  are  jiassivc,  and  which  is  antecedent  to  all  exercise  of  heart,  is 
not  wrought  by  means  of  the  word.  And  it  is  as  consistent  with  these  Scrip- 
tures to  suppose  that  this  previous  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  should  be  on  the 
will  or  heart,  to  change  and  renew  that,  and  prepare  it  to  receive  the  word,  as 
it  is  to  suppose  that  the  understanding  or  intellect  only  is  wrought  upon. 
The  objection,  therefore,  appears  to  be  quite  groundless,  and  is  as  much  against 
the  objector  himself  as  any  one  else.  However,  since  another  answer  is  at 
hand,  Avhich  is  suggested  in  what  has  been  said,  I  will  just  mention  it. 

Ans.  II.  It  is  plain  that  these  Scriptures,  and  these  of  the  like,  have  a  direct 
and  sjiecial  respect  to  what  is  sensible  in  this  change,  which  is  active  conver- 
sion. This  change,  taken  in  the  whole  of  it,  and  so  as  including  conversion,  is 
not  v/rought  without  the  word ;  but  all  that  in  which  man  is  active,  all  that 
which  is  visible  and  sensible,  in  which  active  conversion  consists,  is  by  the 
word.  It  is  in  the  view  of  the  truth  in  God's  word  that  the  regenerate  mind 
turns  from  sin  to  God ;  and  if  there  was  no  truth  to  be  seen,  there  could  not 
possibly  be  any  such  change ;  therefore,  with  propriety  is  the  matter  expressed 
thus,  and  it  is  said  to  be  done  by  or  with  the  word,  as  a  means.  But  we  cannot 
hence  infer  that  nothing  in  the  whole  affair  is  done  immediately  and  without 
the  word ;  for  we  know,  and  the  objector  must  own,  that  whatsoever  is  done 
antecedent  to  the  exercises  of  the  mind  is  done  wholly  without  the  word. 
Let  it,  therefore,  be  remembered,  that  the  objector  himself  is  obliged  to  under- 
stand these  Scriptures  in  the  sense  now  given,  which  has  been  particularly 
shown  in  the  hrst  answer ;  therefore,  in  vain  does  he  allege  them  in  opposition 
to  what  has  been  advanced. 

As  to  the  reward,  2  Cor.  iii.  18,  —  "  But  we  all,  with  open  face  beholding  as 
in  a  glas.s  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image, "  —  any  one 
who  will  look  into  the  context  may  see  that  the  apostle  supposes  a  change  to 
be  passed  upon  them  antecedent  to  their  beholding  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  by 
which  the  veil  was  taken  off  from  their  face,  or,  rather,  from  their  heart ;  in  con- 
sequence of  which,  with  open  face,  or,  as  the  word  in  the  original  is,  with  un- 
veiled face,  they  saw  the  divine  character  in  its  glory.  There  was,  therefore, 
something  done  to  their  hearts  antecedent  to  their  activity  and  to  their  be- 
holding the  glory  of  the  Lord,  by  which  the  veil  was  taken  off.  This  the 
apostle  speaks  of  in  the  context.  "  Nevertheless,  when  it  (i.  e.,  the  heart) 
shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  veil  shall  be  taken  away."  This  veil  is  taken  away 
by  regeneration,  which,  therefore,  is  not  done  by  the  word.  These  words  do 
then  conlirm  that  against  which  they  are  brought  as  an  objection,  and  show 
that  there  must  be  a  change  of  the  heart  antecedent  to  any  light,  by  which  the 
veil  of  darkness  is  taken  from  the  heart,  and  it  is,  in  a  sense,  turned  to  the 
Lord. 

Obj.  II.  It  is  most  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  soul  and  the  manner  of 
its  acting  to  suppose  that  the  understanding  is  enlightened,  and  the  will  there- 
by bowed  and  persuaded  to  follow  its  dictates.     AH  that,  men  want  is  to  see 


562   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 
I 

the  bent  and  bias  of  the  heart  so  as  to  time  it  towards  holi- 
ness in  the  least  degree.  But  the  heart  continues  to  oppose 
that  to  which  it  is  brought  in  regeneration  till  that  instant  in 
which  it  becomes  a  new  heart ;  and  it  takes  no  time  to  effect 
this  change.  The  change  is,  indeed,  imperfect  at  first,  the 
heart  is  renewed  but  in  part ;  and  after  this  renovation  is  be- 
gun, it  is  carried  on  gradually  to  greater  degrees,  until  the 
heart  is  perfectly  renewed,  in  a  work  of  sanctification.  But 
this  new  life  is  first  begun  instantaneously. 

VI.  This  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  men 
are  regenerated,  is  altogether  unperceivable. 

The  subjects  of  this  change  know  nothing  what  is  done,  or 

and  understand  the  truth,  and  this  will  effectually  influence  their  wills  and 
lead  them  to  choose  that  which  is  good.  And  this  is  most  agreeable  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  Scripture  expresses  this  matter,  which  speaks  of  the  un- 
derstanding being  enlightened,  as  what  is  necessary  and  sufficient  to  move 
the  affections. 

Axs.  I.  It  is  not  true  that  enlightening  the  understanding,  or  gi'V'ing  all  the 
light  that  the  judgment  or  understanding,  considered  as  distinct  and  separate 
from  the  will,  is  capable  of,  is  sufficient  to  gain  the  will.  This  appears  from 
fact  and  experience,  in  many  cases.  The  understanding  and  judgment  have 
clear  con%'iction,  in  many  instances,  which  has  no  influence  on  the  will ;  but 
that  rebels  against  the  clearest  light  that  can  be  given  in  this  way. 

If  it  should  be  said,  as  it  often  has  been,  that  though  mere  speculative 
light  and  conviction  does  not  always  influence  the  will,  yet  it  is  certain  that 
the  will  ahvays  follows  the  last  dictates  of  the  practical  understanding  or  judg- 
ment, I  reply,  that  this  is  giving  up  the  point ;  for  it  will  be  foimd,  on  ex- 
amination, that  if  practical  judgment  has  any  meaning,  it  intends  something 
which  implies  a  sense  of  heart,  or  a  degree  of  inclination  or  will ;  for  every  thing 
that  is  more  than  merely  speculative  is  more  than  mere  intellect  is  capable  of ; 
and  every  thing  practical,  or  that  relates  to  practice,  belongs  to  the  heart  or 
will.  Where  there  is  a  practical  judgment  there  is  a  degree  of  sense  and  dis- 
cerning which  belongs  to  the  heart,  and  implies  taste  and  inclination  of  heart. 
The  plain  truth  of  the  matter  is,  that  all  true  light  and  discerning,  with  respect 
to  good  and  evil,  beauty  and  deformity,  things  lovely  or  hateful,  and  aU  actual 
ideas  of  these  properly  belong  to  the  heart  or  will,  or  depend  upon  taste,  and 
consist  in  a  sense  of  heart.  And  the  intellect  or  understanding  considered  as 
without  the  heart  or  will,  and  distinct  from  it,  is  not  capable  of  these  ideas  in 
any  degree  whatever.  Were  there  nothing  but  mere  intellect,  the  ideas  of 
beauty  and  e.\cellence  could  have  no  existence  in  the  mind.  These  ideas  take 
place  in  the  mind  by  means  of  taste  or  inclination  of  heart,  and  depend  wholly 
upon  it,  and  are  exactly  as  that  is.  Therefore,  without  this  taste  and  discern- 
ing of  heart  there  is  no  trvie  light  and  discerning  with  respect  to  these  objects, 
so  nothing  that  will  influence  and  move  the  will.  Whenever,  therefore,  there 
is  a  practical  judgment  concerning  any  thing  that  is  presented  to  the  mind,  as 
the  object  of  choice,  that  is  good,  eligible,  and  excellent,  there  is  taste  and 
choice  already  begun.     Therefore,  — 

Ans.  II.  It  is  so  far  from  being  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  mind,  and  the 
manner  of  its  acting,  to  suppose  that  light  in  the  understanding  effectually 
changes  the  heart  and  influences  the  will,  without  any  previous  taste  or  dispo- 
sition in  the  heart  whereby  it  is  prepared  to  be  pleased  with,  relish  and  choose, 
sucli  particular  objects,  that  such  a  supposition  is  directly  contrary  to  the  nature 
of  the  soul,  and  implies  the  greatest  absurdity.  If  the  heart  is  wholly  corrupt, 
and  perfectly  hates  and  opposes  that  which  is  good  and  excellent,  and  if  the 
whole  inclination  and  will  is  towards  that  which  is  evil,  unreasonable,  and 
odious,  there  is  uo  possible  way  to  rectify  it  and  bring  it  to  a  right  inclination 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   563 

that  any  thing  is  done,  with  respect  to  their  hearts,  and  are 
not  sensible  of  any  operation  and  change  in  any  other  way 
but  by  the  efl'ect  and  consequence  of  it.  We  are  conscious 
or  sensible  of  nothing  in  our  own  mind;  we  feel  and  perceive 
nothing  but  our  own  ideas,  thoughts,  and  exercises ;  but,  as 
has  been  observed,  the  active  change  or  conversion  consists 
in  these,  and  they  are  the  fruit  and  effect  of  regeneration,  or 
that  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  of  which  I  am  now  speaking. 
That  which  takes  place  with  respect  to  our  minds  antecedent 
to  the  views  and  exercises  we  have,  as  the  foundation  and 
cause  of  them,  is,  by  the  supposition,  perfectly  unexperienced ; 
but  this  is  true  of  the  operation  and  change  now  under  con- 

and  choice  but  by  an  immediate  operation  on  the  heart,  which,  in  Scripture,  is 
called  taking  away  the  stony  heart  and  giving  a  heart  of  flesh,  and  may  be 
called  giving  a  new  taste  or  temper  of  mind.  No  other  possible  operation  and 
influence  on  the  mind,  no  change  in  the  understanding,  can  give  light,  and 
cause  that  to  appear  beautiful  and  excellent  which  it  now  hates,  or  introduce 
the  least  degree  of  right  inclinations  and  choice,  as  has  been  before  observed 
and  proved. 

^Vhen  Adam  was  first  made,  a  foundation  was  laid  in  his  mind  for  his  dis- 
cerning and  understanding  in  things  of  a  moral  nature,  and  for  the  exercise  and 
practic'e  of  virtue,  not  in  his  understanding  merely,  but  in  the  temper  and  dis- 
position of  his  heart  with  which  he  was  created ;  and  no  degree  of  intellectual 
jDOwers,  of  light  and  understanding,  Avhich  was  distinct  from  this,  would  have 
done  any  thing  towards  securing  the  exercise  of  his  will  in  holiness ;  and  sin, 
or  corruption,  first  took  place  in  his  heart  or  will,  in  which  consists  the  blind- 
ness of  mind  which  is  common  to  him  and  all  his  children  while  Avholly  cor- 
rupt ;  and  the  relief  and  recovery  must  begin  where  the  disease  began,  even  in 
changing  and  renewing  the  heart,  wliich  is  the  seat  of  blindness  and  sin ;  and 
so  far  as  this  is  done,  a  foundation  will  be  laid  for  the  exercises  of  holiness,  and 
the  light  which  sin  excluded  will  shine  in  the  heart,  and  the  understanding 
will  need  no  other  illumination,  but  will  do  its  office  well. 

It  has  been  observed,  that,  according  to  the  objector's  own  scheme,  there  must 
be  a  supernatural  operation  on  the  mind  in  order  to  recover  it  to  light  and  holi- 
ness ;  that  is,  an  immediate  operation  antecedent  to  light,  and  in  order  to  it, 
which  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  moral  suasion ;  and  if  the  heart  is  the  im- 
mediate subj  ect  of  this  operation,  it  is  in  no  degree  more  contrary  to  the  nature 
and  manner  of  the  exercises  of  the  human  mind  than  if  the  understanding  was, 
the  immediate  subject  of  it.  Yea,  as  has  been  shown,  this  is  the  only  natural, 
or  even  possible,  way  in  which  the  soul  can  be  wrought  upon,  so  as  to  recover 
it  to  true  light  and  holiness. 

Ans.  III.  It  is  true,  the  Scripture  speaks  of  the  eyes  of  the  understanding 
being  enlightened ;  of  operating  on  men's  eyes,  and  turning  them  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  etc.  But  it  nowhere  speaks  of  this  as  meaning  the  faculty  of 
understanding  as  distinct  from  the  will,  and  as  that  which,  by  being  enlightened, 
influences  the  will,  and  produces  a  right  disposition  of  heart.  Nor  do  we  find 
that  the  Scripture,  where  such  expressions  are  used,  makes  this  distinction  be- 
tween the  faculties  of  the  soul,  of  understanding  and  will ;  but  to  have  the 
eyes  opened  and  the  understanding  enlightened,  in  Scripture  language,  is  to 
have  that  light  and  discerning  in  divine  things  which  takes  place  in  the  whole 
mind  when  renewed  and  brought  to  a  right  taste  and  temper,  and  in  the  exer- 
cise of  an  understanding  heart,  without  which  all  the  light  the  intellect  is  capa- 
ble of  is  but  darkness.  Therefore,  they  who  have  not  this  discerning,  under- 
standing heart,  which  consists  in  a  good  taste,  are,  in  Scripture,  said  to  have 
the  understanding  darkened  and  blinded;  or  to  have  eyes,  and  see  not;  and 
to  have  this  good  taste  and  discerning  of  heart  is  to  have  the  eyes  of  the  under- 


664   THK  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

sideration.  All  the  notice  we  can  have  of  this  operation  and 
change,  and  all  the  evidence  there  can  be  that  our  minds  are 
the  subjects  of  it,  is  by  perceiving  that  which  is  the  fruit  and 
consequence  of  it  by  our  own  views  and  exercises,  which  are 
new,  and  we  find  to  be  of  such  a  nature  and  kind  that  we  have 
ground  to  infer  that  they  are  the  effect  of  the  operation  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  or  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  by  which  we  are  be- 
come new  creatures. 

When  Adam  was  created  a  living  soul,  the  immediate  divine 
operation  was  not  perceived  by  him,  for  he  had  no  perception 
of  any  thing  until  he  actually  existed  and  the  work  of  his  crea- 
tion was  finished :  he  did  not  begin  to  be  conscious  of  any 

standing  enlightened,  and  to  see  with  the  eyes,  or  perceive  with  the  heart.  The 
plain  truth  is,  that,  according  <to  Scripture,  he  who  has  no  right  taste  and  incli- 
nation ol"  heart  is  blind  and  without  understanding ;  and  he  who  has  a  wise 
and  understanding  heart,  whose  heart  tastes  and  relishes  moral  beauty,  has  true 
light  and  understanding.  Not  only  the  intellect,  but  the  whole  mind,  is  the 
exercise  of  true  taste  ;  and  discerning  is  understanding,  or  knowledge.  There- 
fore, by  understanding,  knowledge,  and  wisdom,  in  Scripture,  is  commonly 
meant  true  holiness,  which  consists  not  at  all  in  mere  speculation,  but  in  the 
exercise  of  a  right  taste  and  inchnation  of  heart,  in  a  view  and  sense  of  divine 
truth.  So  that  the  Scripture  account  of  this  matter  is  perfectly  agreeable  to 
the  doctrine  against  which  the  objection  is  made,  and  serves  to  confirm  it. 

Orj.  III.  If  persons  are  regenerated  before  they  are  enlightened  and  believe 
on  Christ,  what  will  become  of  them,  where  will  they  go,  to  heaven  or  to  hell, 
if  they  die  after  they  are  regenerated,  and  before  thej'  believe  ?  It  seems  they 
are  tit  for  neither;  their  hearts  are  renewed,  so  cannot  go  to  hell;  but  they  are 
in  an  unpardoned,  unjustified  state ;  therefore,  cannot  go  to  heaven. 

AxswEK.  And  what  if  a  person  who  is  elected  to  salvation  dies  in  an  uncon- 
verted state  ;  will  he  be  saved  or  not  ?  Let  the  objector  ansAver  this  question, 
and  he  will  drop  his  objections,  having  fully  answered  it  himself.  His  answer 
must  be.  There  never  was,  and  never  will  be,  such  an  instance.  All  that  are 
elected  shall  be  converted  before  they  die. 

Ohj.  IV.  This  doctrine  is  directly  contrary  to  that  of  some  eminent  divines, 
famous  for  learning  and  piety,  who  are  now  dead  and  gone  to  heaven.  Must 
we  conclude  they  taught  such  an  error-  Is  it  not  arrogant,  and  almost  impious, 
to  rise  up  and  contradict  these  holy  men  ? 

Answek.  If  it  could  serve  any  good  purpose,  I  might  say,  that  as  great  a 
number  of  divines,  as  old,  or  older  than  they,  and  as  famous  for  piety  and 
learning,  might  be  mentioned,  who  are  on  our  side  of  the  question ;  and  we 
might  proceed  to  set  father  against  fatlier,  and  try  who  shall  get  tlie  most  on 
his  side.  But  this  is,  m  truth,  nothing  to  the  purpose.  The  opinion  of  the  most 
venerable  and  renowned  fathers  in  tliis  case,  in  determining  what  doctrines  are 
true  and  what  are  not  so,  ought  not  to  have  the  least  weight ;  and  it  is  foolish, 
and  even  carries  a  degree  of  impiety  in  it,  for  us  wlio  have  the  Bible  in  our 
hands  to  lay  the  weight  of  a  straw  on  the  opinion  of  the  wisest  and  best  men 
that  ever  lived.  I  am  sorry  to  have  any  occasion  to  make  this  observation  at 
tliis  time  of  day  among  Protestants.  It  is  verj'  weak  and  ridiculous,  if  not 
something  worse,  for  a  divine  to  attempt  to  support  or  conhrm  any  doctrine  by 
appcaUng  to  the  judgment  and  decision  of  any  man,  or  to  run  down  and  reject 
any  tenet  that  is  advanced,  merely  because  it  is  a  new  doctrine  or  embraced  by 
few,  and  is  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  the  fathers  and  what  has  been  established 
by  common  consent.  Since  people  in  general  are  too  ai)t  to  be  influenced  by  this, 
and  it  is  common  for  every  one  to  have  his  father,  on  whose  sleeves  he  pins  his 
faith  in  a  great  measure,  without  examining  for  himself,  it  is  a  pity  they  should 
be  upheld  and  confirmed  in  it  by  public  teachers,  when  it  is  of  such  importance 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   565 

thing  until  this  was  over,  and  then  he  perceived  nothing  but 
what  was  the  fruit  and  consequence  of  the  divine  operation. 
So  it  is  in  the  new  creature,  by  which  men  are  born  of  the 
Spirit  of  God. 

I  make  this  remark  partly  to  detect  and  expose  the  delusion 
of  those  who  think  they  feel  the  motions  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
on  their  hearts,  somewhat  as  one  body  is  sensibly  touched  and 
impressed  by  another,  antecedent  to  all  exercises  of  their  own 
and  independent  of  them,  and  place  great  part  of  their  religion 
in  those  feelings  or  impulses  which  they  call  the  operation 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  which  immediately  suggests  to  them 
what  is  truth,  and  what  is  duty,  which  they  think  is  to  be  led 
by  the  Spirit.  We  have  no  way  to  determine  what  is  the 
cause  of  the  ideas  and  sensations  of  our  hearts,  whether  we  are 
influenced  by  the  Spirit  of  God  or  by  a  wicked  spirit,  but  by 
considering  their  nature  and  tendency,  whether  they  are  such 
as  the  Scri^pture  tells  u^  are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.* 

VII.  In  the  work  of  regeneration,  by  which  men  are  born 
of  the  Spirit,  God  acts  as  a  sovereign. 

When  I  speak  of  God's  acting  in  a  sovereign  way,  I  do  not 
mean  that  he  acts  above  or  without  all  reason  and  motive,  or 
merely  because  he  will,  for  God  never  acts  so  in  any  instance 
whatsoever.  Such  sovereignty  and  arbitrariness  is  in  no  case 
to  be  ascribed  to  God,  for  this  would  be  to  dishonor  and  re- 
proach him  as  acting  without  any  wisdom  or  holiness.  The 
sovereignty  of  God  consists  in  his  being  above  all  obligation 
to  his  creatures,  and  so  infinitely  above  any  direction,  influ- 
ence, and  control  from  them  in  any  thing  that  he  does.  In 
this  sense,  God  is  an  infinite  sovereign;  he  does  just  as  he 
pleases,  not  being  influenced  by  any  obligation  he  is  under  to 
any  one,  any  further  than  he  has  been  pleased  to  oblige  him- 
self by  promise  or  some  other  way. 

Sovereignty  is,  therefore,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  essential  to 

that  they  should,  by  all  possible  means,  be  beat  off  from  this  sandy  foundation, 
and  learn  to  judge  for  themselves,  by  "reasoning  out  of  the  Scriptures,"  and 
"  searching  them  daily,  to  see  if  these  things  are  so." 

*  I  would  not  be  understood  to  suggest  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  no  sense 
discerned  and  perceived  by  those  in  whom  he  operates  and  dwells.  Holy  ex- 
ercises of  heart,  which  are  excited  and  maintained  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  arc  in 
their  own  nature  as  perceivable  as  any  other  exercises,  and  may  be  known  and 
distinguished  from  all  others,  as  they  differ  from  every  other  perception  and  ex- 
ercise in  nature  and  kind,  and  are  directly  opposite  to  all  the  motions  and 
exercises  of  a  moral  kind  that  are  naturally  in  the  heart ;  and  these  exercises 
maybe  so  strong  and  vigorous  as  to  carry  their  own  evidence  with  them,  and  be 
attended  with  a  consciousness  and  assurance  that  tliey  are  holy  and  from  the 
Spirit  of  God.  In  this  way,  I  suppose,  it  is  that  "  the  Spirit  itself  beareth  wit- 
ness with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God."  (Rom.  viii.  16.)  But  in 
this  case  there  is  nothing  directly  perceived  but  the  views  and  exercises  of  our 
own  minds,  in  which  we  are  active,  and  which  are  the  fruit  of  the  divine  agency. 

VOL.  III.  48 


566     THE  CAUSE,  nature,  and  means  of  regeneration. 

all  acts  of  grace,  or  grace  in  all  cases  is  sovereign  grace,  and 
what  is  not  so  is  no  grace  at  all ;  for,  whatever  good  is  be- 
stowed, if  he  that  grants  it  is  under  any  original  obligation  to 
do  it,  or  is  obliged  to  do  it  from  the  reason  and  nature  of 
things,  and  so  owes  it  to  him  that  receives  it,  it  is  only  an 
act  of  justice,  and  the  nature  of  paying  a  debt,  and  there  is  no 
grace  in  it;  for  grace  is  free,  unobliged,  undeserved  favor,  and 
that  which  is  not  so  is  not  grace. 

In  the  case  before  us,  God  acts  in  the  highest  sense  and 
degree  as  a  sovereign,  he  being  not  only  under  no  obligation 
to  grant  such  a  favor  to  any  one  when  he  does  it,  but  there  is 
in  the  sinner  something  infinitely  contrary  to  this,  even  infinite 
unworthiness  of  the  favor  granted,  and  desert  of  infinite  evil. 
Therefore,  whenever  God  changes  and  regenerates  the  heart  of 
a  sinner,  he  does  what  he  was  under  no  sort  of  obligation  to  the 
sinner  to  do,  but  might  justly  leave  him  to  the  hardness  of  his 
own  heart  to  perish  in  his  sins  forever.  So  that  God  in  deter- 
mining to  whom  he  will  grant  this  infinite  favor,  and  in  giving 
it  to  some  and  withholding  it  from  others,  "has  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth." 
What  the  sinner  does  before  he  is  regenerated  does  not  lay 
God  under  any  degree  of  obligation  to  him  by  promise  or 
any  other  way,  for  he  complies  with  none  of  God's  com- 
mands or  oilers  in  the  least  degree.  He  is  not  so  much  as 
willing  to  accept  of  offered  mercy,  but  opposes  God  and  his 
grace  with  all  his  heart,  however  anxious  he  may  be  about  his 
eternal  interest,  and  how  much  soever  he  prays  and  cries  for 
mercy  and  continues  a  perfect  enemy  to  the  just  God  and  the 
Savior,  until  his  heart  is  renewed,  and  the  enmity  slain  by  the 
regenerating  influence  of  God's  Spirit. 

I  should  now  proceed  to  consider  this  change  in  which  men 
are  born  of  God,  as  it  implies,  and  consists  in,  that  in  which 
they  are  active,  in  the  views  and  exercises  of  their  own  hearts, 
for  which  that  which  I  have  been  speaking  of  lays  the  foun- 
dation, were  it  not  that  a  question  may  probably  arise  in  the 
minds  of  some  upon  what  has  been  said,  which  it  may  be 
proper  to  attend  to  and  answer  here. 

Question.  If  these  things  are  so, — if  men  are  not  active,  but 
perfectly  passive,  in  regeneration,  and  the  work  is  wrought  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  without  means,  and  God  in  this  acts  as  a 
sovereign,  having  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and 
leaving  whom  he  will  to  perish,  whatever  are  the  sinner's  cir- 
cumstances, whatever  means  are  used,  and  notwithstanding  all 
the  pains  the  sinner  takes  for  his  own  salvation,  —  then  what 
encouragement  and  what  reason  is  there  for  the  sinner's  using 
any  means,  or  for  others  to  take  any  pains  or  use  means  with 
him  for  his  salvation  ? 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   567 

Answer.  If  what  has  been  now  said  is  agreeable  to  the 
truth,  there  is  certainly  no  reasonable  encouragement  to  the 
use  of  means  from  a  view  to  lay  God  under  any  obligation 
hereby  to  sinners  to  regenerate  and  save  them,  for  God  will 
be  under  none,  nor  can  he  be  ;  he  is  infinitely  far  from  this. 

Nor  is  there  any  reason  and  encouragement  to  use  means 
with  a  view  that  they  shall  in  any  degree  effect  this  change, 
or  do  any  thing  towards  it,  or  properly  be  any  means  of 
changing  the  heart,  for  this  change  is  wrought  immediately. 

Neither  is  there  any  encouragement  to  use  means  in  order 
to  make  the  sinner's  heart  better  antecedent  to  regeneration, 
or  that  his  case  may  hereby  be  made  less  miserable,  if  he 
finally  perishes  in  his  sins.  None,  surely,  will  imagine  that 
if  the  sinner  continues  impenitent,  and  dies  in  his  sins,  the 
means  that  have  been  used  for  his  salvation  will  be  of  any 
advantage  to  him.  It  is  certain  they  will  not,  but  the  contra- 
ry ;  for  this,  as  well  as  every  thing  else,  will,  in  this  case,  turn 
against  him.  The  more  means  are  used  with  the  sinner,  the 
greater  advantages  he  enjoys,  the  more  instruction  is  given 
him,  and  the  more  light  and  conviction  he  has  in  his  own 
conscience,  and  the  greater  sense  he  has  of  the  reality  and 
importance  of  invisible  things,  of  the  worth  of  his  soul,  and 
of  eternal  happiness,  and  of  the  dreadfulness  of  eternal  dam- 
nation, —  I  say,  the  more  there  is  of  these  things  the  more  mis- 
erable he  will  be,  if  he  continues  impenitent  and  perishes  after 
all;  for  all  these  things  do  greatly  aggravate  the  crime  of  his 
continuing  in  sin,  so  are  the  occasion  of  his  being  more  guilty 
than  if  they  had  not  taken  place.  The  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  so  all  means  of  salvation,  are  a  savor  of  death  unto 
death  to  them  that  perish.  (2  Cor.  ii.  17.)  It  is  most  unrea- 
sonable, therefore,  to  use  any  means  with  a  sinner  in  order  to 
his  salvation,  with  a  view  that  they  shall  be  to  his  advantage, 
if  he  continues  impenitent  and  abuses  them ;  for  to  such  they 
will  have  directly  the  contrary  effect.     (See  Matt.  xi.  20-24.) 

And  the  use  of  means  is  so  far  from  making  their  hearts 
better,  more  inclined  to  obedience  and  holiness,  or  less  obstinate, 
while  they  continue  impenitent  and  unregenerate,  that  it  is  the 
occasion  of  the  contrary  to  a  very  great  degree.  The  heart,  by 
resisting  means  and  opposing  light  and  truth,  rather  grows  hard- 
er than  softer.  And  the  more  means  are  used,  and  the  more  the 
mind  is  awakened  to  attention,  and  the  greater  light  and  con- 
viction it  has,  while  the  heart  continues  perfectly  impenitent 
and  obstinate  in  opposition  to  all  this,  the  more  strong  and 
vigorous,  as  well  as  more  aggravated  and  criminal,  are  the 
sinful  exertions  of  it;  for  the  more  the  powers  of  the  mind  — 
which  is  wholly  corrupt  —  are  awakened  and  roused,  the  more 


568   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

strong  and  active  are  the  sinful  principles  of  the  heart ;  and  it 
requires  a  greater  degree  of  opposition  of  heart  to  resist  and 
continue  impenitent  under  ten  degrees  of  light  and  conviction 
than  it  does  to  continue  so  under  but  one  degree  of  this. 

Pharaoh,  under  all  the  rousing,  softening,  powerful  means 
used  with  him  to  induce  and  persuade  him  to  obey  Jehovah 
and  let  the  people  of  Israel  go  from  under  his  oppressive  hand, 
and  all  the  attention  he  gave  to  that  matter  under  all  the  con- 
viction he  had  in  his  own  mind,  and  the  trouble  and  distress 
with  which  he  was  exercised,  grew  harder  rather  than  more 
pliable ;  and  the  corruption  of  his  heart  was  exercised  in  a 
much  higher  degree,  and  v^^as  much  more  aggravated  and 
criminal,  than  if  no  means  had  been  used  with  him,  and  he 
had  remained  without  any  light  and  conviction  of  conscience. 
But  this  instance  of  Pharaoh  is"  very  parallel  with  that  of  a 
sinner  under  conviction,  with  whom  special  means  are  used 
to  bring  him  to  a  submission  to  God,  who,  notwithstanding, 
absolutely  refuses,  and  continues  in  impenitence,  as  might 
easily  be  shown  ;  and  it  was  doubtless  designed  to  be  an  image 
of  this.  All  means  used  with  unregenerate  sinners,  if  they 
live  and  die  so,  will  have  the  same  effect  and  consequence 
with  respect  to  them  that  they  had  in  Pharaoh.  Therefore, 
if  it  was  known  concerning  any  one  that  he  would  certainly 
persist  and  perish  in  impenitence,  there  could  be  no  reasona- 
ble inducement  and  motive  to  use  any  means  with  him  in 
order  to  bring  him  to  repentance,  with  a  view  and  design  of 
any  benefits  to  him.  They  who  continue  impenitent  and 
perish  will  have  no  good  by  any  thing;  but  all  their  enjoy- 
ments and  advantages  of  every  kind,  all  the  means  used  with 
them  for  their  good,  and  all  the  light  and  conviction  of  their 
own  consciences  will  turn  against  them,  and  be  the  occasion 
of  their  greater  destruction. 

Why,  then,  are  means  to  be  used  ?  What  reason  and  en- 
couragement to  do  it  ?  is  still  the  question.  I  therefore  pro- 
ceed to  a  positive  answer. 

I.  The  use  of  means  with  sinners  may  answer  great  and 
important  ends,  even  though  they  continue  impenitent  and 
perish  more  dreadfully  than  if  no  such  means  had  been  used  ; 
which  might  easily  be  proved,  was  there  need.  God  answered 
his  own  wise  and  glorious  ends  in  the  means  he  used  with 
Pharaoh,  notwithstanding  he  continued  obstinate.     But, — 

II.  Means  an;  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  the  conver- 
sion and  salvation  of  men,  as  much  so  as  if  there  was  no 
other  agent  except  the  subject,  and  nothing  done  but  what 
was  effected  by  means.     For, — 

First.    Means  are  necessary  to  be  used  in  order  to  prepare 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   569 

persons  for  regeneration  ;  for,  consistent  with  all  that  has  been 
said,  a  preparatory  work  is  as  important  and  necessary  as  on 
any  plan  whatsoever.  God  can,  indeed,  just  as  easily  regen- 
erate one  as  another;  he  has  power  to  regenerate  the  most 
stupid,  benighted  heathen  on  earth,  or  the  most  ignorant,  or 
deluded,  erroneous  person  in  the  Christian  world,  at  any  mo- 
ment he  pleases,  without  the  use  of  any  means.  But  as  this 
would  not  be  wise  and  proper,  in  this  sense  it  cannot  be  done, 
because  God  never  did,  and  never  will,  do  any  thing  which  is 
not  wise  and  proper  to  be  done.  The  reason  why  it  is  not 
wise  and  suitable  to  give  a  person  a  new  heart  in  such  cir- 
cumstances and  without  the  use  of  means  is,  that  in  such  a 
case  there  is  no  foundation,  provision,  or  opportunity  for  right 
views  and  exercises,  if  a  new  heart  should  be  given,  therefore 
no  good  end  answered  by  it.  This  would  be  like  creating  a 
monster  without  any  parts  or  capacity  whereby  he  might  live 
and  act  in  any  proper  way,  but  so  as  to  act  monstrously,  and 
even  counteract  and  destroy  itself;  or  as  if  a  man  should  be 
made  without  feet  or  hands,  or  without  any  mouth  to  take 
the  food  necessary  to  support  life;  or  as  if  an  animal  should 
be  made  in  such  a  situation  and  circumstances  as  that  it  is 
impossible  for  him  to  come  at  the  things  necessary  for  the 
support  of  his  existence  and  life. 

When  God  causes  this  moral  change  in  any  man,  it  is  in 
order  to  new  life  and  action  ;  therefore,  he  will  not  do  it  where 
there  is  no  opportunity  and  means  for  the  support  and  exer- 
cise of  this  new  life ;  for,  though  men  are  not  regenerated  by 
means,  yet  means  must  be  antecedently  used,  in  order  to  per- 
sons' being  prepared  to  act  properly  when  regenerated.  For 
instance,  the  many  errors  and  delusions  that  all  adult,  unin- 
structed  persons,  and  even  all  careless  sinners  are  in,  must  be, 
at  least  in  a  good  degree,  removed,  and  there  must  be  some 
considerable  degree  of  speculative  knowledge  about  the  things 
of  religion,  in  order  to  the  proper  exercise  of  holiness  or  the  new 
creature  ;  and  there  must  be  more  knowledge  than  a  careless, 
secure  sinner  ever  attains  to,  whatever  instruction  he  has,  and 
however  much  he  is  given  to  speculations  on  the  things  of  re- 
ligion. The  things  necessary  to  be  known  in  order  to  the  proper 
exercise  of  Christian  holiness  are  never  understood  by  a  secure 
sinner  as  they  may  be  by  an  unregenerate  sinner,  when,  in  the 
use  of  means,  his  attention  and  conscience  are  thoroughly 
awakened,  and  as  they  must  be  understood  in  order  to  the 
mind's  being  properly  prepared  for  the  exercise  of  grace. 
Such  an  awakened  sinner  will  commonly  learn  more  of  those 
truths  that  are  most  necessary  to  be  known,  in  a  very  short 
time,  than  others  will  ever  learn  under  the  best  instruction. 
48* 


570       THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION. 

Besides,  not  only  speculative  knowledge  is  important  and 
necessary  in  this  case,  but  a  sense  of  heart  of  the  truths  con- 
tained in  divine  revelation  ;  an  attention  of  mind  to  them,  and 
knowledge  of  them  which  is  more  than  merely  speculative,  is 
necessary  in  order  to  there  being  a  needful  preparation  and 
opportunity  for  the  new  heart,  when  given  to  exercise  itself 
properly  and  to  the  best  advantage.  There  is  a  sense  of  heart, 
of  what  may  be  called  the  natural  good  and  evil,  contained  in 
those  things  which  are  set  before  men  in  divine  revelation, — 
such  as  the  happiness  of  heaven  and  misery  of  hell,  and  so 
a  sense  of  the  vast  importance  of  obtaining  an  interest  in 
Christ,  a  sense  of  the  sinfulness  of  their  own  hearts,  and  their 
great  guilt,  their  total  undone,  lost,  helpless  state,  and,  in  one 
word,  a  sense  of  every  thing  in  religion  except  moral  beauty 
and  excellence,  and  what  depends  upon  this,  —  I  say,  there  is 
a  sense  of  heart  of  these  things,  which  an  unregenerate  sinner 
is  capable  of,  which  none  but  an  awakened  sinner  whose  con- 
science is  thoroughly  roused,  and  who  is  deeply  engaged  in  the 
concerns  of  his  soul,  ever  obtains;  which  prepares  the  mind  to 
exercise  Christian  holiness  when  renewed,  and  without  which 
there  can  bt;  no  proper  foundation  or  preparation  for  it.  But 
in  order  to  bring  the  minds  of  the  unregenerate  to  this,  either 
to  a  tolerable  degree  of  speculative  knowledge  or  a  sense  of 
heart  of  the  reality  and  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  of 
their  lost,  miserable,  helpless  state,  which  they  may  have  ante- 
cedent to  regeneration,  and  which  lays  the  only  good  founda- 
tion, and  is  the  necessary  provision  and  preparation  for  the 
proper  exercise  of  the  new  principle  which  is  introduced  in 
regeneration,  —  I  say,  in  order  to  bring  the  minds  of  the  un- 
regenerate to  this,  means  are  absolutely  necessary,  as  it  can 
be  effected  no  other  way. 

Hence  the  propriety  and  importance  of  using  means  with 
sinners.  The  more  painfully  and  thoroughly  they  are  in- 
structed, and  truth  set  before  them  in  the  most  clear  and  con- 
vincing light,  and  the  more  warm  and  pathetic;il  the  atldresses 
made  to  them  are,  tending  to  rouse  their  attention  and  affect 
their  hearts,  and  the  more  they  attend,  and  the  greater  their 
engagedness  is,  the  more  are  they  prepared. for  regeneration, 
and  the  more  likely  it  is  that  their  hearts  will  be  changed, 
as  in  this  way  only  they  are  in  circumstances  most  advan- 
tageous for  the  exercise  of  spiritual  lite,  when  new  principles 
are  implanted. 

Therefore,  there  is  no  ground  of  expectation  or  hope  that 
any  person  will  be  regenerated  while  without  the  use  of 
means,  or  in  a  state  of  ignorance,  delusion,  and  security,  un- 
concerned and  unactive  with  respect  to  his  soul  and  his  eternal 


THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION.   571 

interest ;  and  there  is  hope  for  sinners  that  they  shall  be  re- 
generated and  converted  in  proportion  to  their  religious  ad- 
vantages, together  with  the  degree  of  light  and  conviction  of 
conscience  they  have,  and  their  attention  to  the  true  interest 
of  their  souls,  and  engagedness  of  mind  about  it;  and  we 
may  well  despair  of  the  salvation  of  sinners  who  are  "  at  ease 
in  Zion,"  unless  they  can  be  awakened  to  attention  so  as 
to  receive  instruction,  and  to  a  solicitude  about  their  eternal 
interest. 

On  this  state  of  the  case,  and  in  this  view,  who  is  there  that 
cannot  see  the  reason,  importance,  and  necessity  of  the  use  of 
means,  and  the  great  encouragement  thereto?  The  use  of 
means  is  as  important  as  salvation  itself,  as  there  can  be  no 
reasonable  hope  of  the  latter  but  in  the  way  of  the  former; 
and  there  are  as  strong  motives  and  as  much  encouragement 
to  the  use  of  means  as  all  the  dreadfulness  of  damnation, 
and  the  importance  and  worth  of  eternal  happiness,  can  give. 
Any  one  may  be  challenged  to  give  a  better  reason  and  greater 
encouragement  for  the  use  of  means  on  any  plan  whatsoever.* 

Secondly.  The  use  of  means  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order 
to  any  exercise  of  the  new  heart  or  of  Christian  holiness  at 
any  time.  If  we  set  aside  the  consideration  of  a  preparatory 
work,  and  the  necessity  of  that,  in  order  to  regeneration,  in  the 
view  that  has  been  given  of  it  under  the  former  particular,  yet 
there  will  be  a  reason  for  the  use  of  means,  and  a  necessity 
of  them,  in  order  to  salvation.  If  there  is  no  truth  set  before  the 
mind  objectively,  or  by  way  of  external  exhibition,  in  any  sense 
and  degree,  and  if  there  is  no  attention  of  the  mind  and  appli- 
cation in  the  use  of  any  means  whatever,  the  new  heart  must 

*  If  any  should  ask,  whj'  a  person  may  not  be  regenerated  before  any  means 
are  used,  and  while  he  is  in  a  state  of  security,  ignorance,  and  delusion,  and 
then,  after  he  is  regenerated,  means  may  be  applied  proper  to  promote  the  ex- 
ercise and  life  of  the  new  man  ■,  if  so,  there  would  be  no  need  of  this  antecedent 
preparation  in  the  use  of  means,  and  the  sinner  would  be  as  likely  to  be  regen- 
erated without  the  use  of  means  as  with  them  ;  and  when  he  is  regenerated  he 
will  naturally,  and  of  course,  attend  and  go  into  the  use  of  those  means  that  are 
necessary  to  promote  this  new  life. 

Instead  of  a  more  particular  and  full  answer  to  such  a  querist,  I  shall  now  only 
ask  the  following  questions  :  Why  did  not  God  create  man  before  he  made  the 
world  or  provided  any  accommodations  or  place  for  his  subsistence  ?  Why  did 
he  not  create  sight  before  there  was  any  light  or  objects  to  be  seen,  and  all 
other  senses,  while  there  were  no  objects  towards  which  they  might  exercise 
themselves  ?  Why  was  not  life  breathed  into  the  dry  bones  that  Ezekiel  in 
vision  saw,  while  they  lay  in  a  confused  heap,  that  after  this  they  might  be 
brought  together,  every  one  to  his  proper  place  ?  Why  must  every  bone  be 
first  brought  to  his  bone,  and  sinews  and  flesh  come  up  upon  them,  and  skin 
cover  them,  before  life  is  breathed  in  them?  Why  is  it  not  most  proper  and 
best  that  a  child  should  be  born  before  there  is  any  preparation  made  for  its 
reception  and  nourishment,  any  food  or  clothes  provided  for  it,  or  any  arms  to 
receive  it  and  nourish  the  life  that  is  given  ? 


572   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

lie  dormant,  if  there  is  one,  and  there  can  be  no  possible  right 
exercise.  For  it  is  written,  "  Faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  Therefore,  means  are  neces- 
sary in  order  to  conversion,  or  the  exercise  of  faith  and  holi- 
ness, withont  which  men  cannot  be  saved.  He,  therefore,  who 
lives  and  dies  in  the  neglect  of  the  use  of  means  must  perish. 
The  use  of  means,  then,  is  of  as  great  importance  to  men  as 
is  their  salvation  ;  and  the  motives  and  encouragement  to  a 
constant  attendance  on  them,  in  this  view  of  the  matter,  are 
equal  to  the  importance  and  worth  of  salvation. 

W^  come  now  to  the  second  thing  proposed,  which  is  to 
consider  the  change  that  is  included  in  being  born  of  God,  in 
which  men  are  active,  and  consists  in  the  views  and  exercises 
of  heart,  which  are  the  genuine  fruit  and  effect  of  the  divine 
operation  and  change  of  which  I  have  been  speaking,  and 
which  is  called  active  conversion. 

We  have  been  so  lengthy  on  the  other  head,  that  we  must 
be  shorter  here,  and  give  only  a  general  view  of  it,  without 
descending  into  ail  those  particulars  that  might  be  mentioned 
and  enlarged  upon. 

When  the  mind  is  regenerated,  and  a  new  heart  given, 
divine  things  will  appear  in  a  new  light,  and  the  heart  will 
exercise  itself  in  quite  a  new  manner.  The  first  thing  that 
now  presents  itself  to  the  mind  is  the  omnipresent  and  glori- 
ous God,  the  sum  of  all  being  and  excellence.  Now  the  hea^t 
sees  and  feels  that  there  is  a  God  with  a  conviction  and 
assurance  that  it  never  had  before,  and  is  entertained  and 
fixed  in  a  calm,  sweet  view  and  sense  of  greatness,  majesty, 
wisdom,  justice,  goodness,  excellence,  glory,  with  which  it  is 
captivated  and  charmed.  Now  the  person  finds  himself  sur- 
rounded with  Deity,  and  sees  God  manifesting  himself  every 
where  and  in  every  thing.  The  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  the 
clouds,  the  mountains,  the  trees,  the  fields,  the  grass,  and  every 
creature  and  thing  conspire  in  silent  yet  clear,  powerful,  and 
striking  language  to  declare  to  him  the  being,  perfections,  and 
glory  of  God.  Now  he  sees  he  never  before  really  believed 
there  was  a  God.  He  never  had  any  idea  and  sense  of  such 
a  Being  before,  nor  received  the  abundant  and  all-convincing 
evidence  of  his  being  and  perfections. 

In  this  view  he  sinks  into  nothing,  as  it  were,  before  this 
great  and  glorious  Being,  and  his  heart  is  filled  with  a  sense 
of  the  glorious  greatness  and  excellence  of  God,  and  his  in- 
finite worthiness  to  be  loved,  obeyed,  and  honored  by  all  intel- 
ligent creatures.  Now,  therefore,  he  sees  the  reasonableness 
and  excellence  of  that  law  which  requires  all  to  love  him  with 
all  their  hearts ;  so  the  divine  law  comes  into  view,  in  all  its 


THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION.       573 

justice,  goodness,  and  glory.  His  heart  approves  of  it  as  most 
worthy  to  be  maintained  and  honored,  while  it  requires  per- 
fect, persevering  love  and  obedience,  on  pain  of  eternal  dam- 
nation. He,  therefore,  now  sees  the  infinite  evil  of  sin,  its 
infinite  odiousness  and  ill  desert,  and,  in  this  view,  sees  his 
own  sinfulness  and  vileness,  and  sinks  down,  as  it  were,  infi- 
nitely low,  in  a  sense  of  his  own  infinite  odiousness  and  guilt; 
and  hates,  judges,  and  condemns  himself,  heartily  acknowl- 
edging the  justice  of  his  condemnation,  feeling  himself  most 
righteously  cast  off  forever  into  eternal  misery,  and,  therefore, 
in  himself,  wholly  lost  and  infinitely  miserable. 

And  when  he  sees  what  he  has  done,  how  he  has  broken  and 
dishonored  the  divine  law,  and  despised  and  contemned  God, 
and  trampled  on  his  most  sacred  authority,  how  infinitely  un- 
reasonable and  injurious  to  the  divine  character  he  has  been,  he 
desires  and  wishes  with  all  his  heart  that  the  mighty  breach 
could  be  made  up,  and  the  injury  repaired  and  removed ;  that 
the  blot  he  has  cast  on  the  glorious  character  of  God  might  be 
wiped  ofl",  and  full  recompense  and  atonement  made;  and  he 
has  not  the  least  wish  that  he  might  be  pardoned  and  obtain  the 
favor  of  God  in  any  other  way;  and  he  immediately  sees  and 
feels  that  he  is  intinitely  far  from  any  possibility  of  doing  this 
himself;  that  he  is  infinitely  in  debt,  and  has  nothing  to  pay; 
has  nothing  but  infinite  vileness,  unworthiness,  and  guilt  to 
offer,  which  can  only  pull  down  divine  vengeance  on  his  head ; 
that  his  repentance,  however  sincere,  can  do  nothing  towards 
making  up  the  breach,  or  in  the  least  degree  atone  for  the  least 
sin.  He  is,  therefore,  far  from  any  disposition  or  thought  to 
attempt  to  offer  any  thing  of  his  own,  by  which  he  might  ob- 
tain the  forgiveness  of  his  sins  and  the  favor  of  God,  which 
jiow  appear  infinitely  important  and  desirable.  Thus  the  law 
comes,  sin  revives,  and  he  dies. 

And  now  he  is  prepared  to  receive  the  good  news  reported 
in  the  gospel,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world  I  "  This  is  to  him  "  good  tidings  of  great 
joy."  Behold,  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  equal  with  God,  and  is 
God,  who  himself  made  the  world,  has  become  a  man ;  has 
been  in  the  world,  and,  by  his  own  obedience  and  sufferings 
unto  death,  has  made  full  reparation  and  atonement  for  sin, 
is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  on  high,  to  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins, 
and  is  ready  to  pardon  and  save  all  that  come  unto  him,  to 
which  all,  even  the  most  guilty  and  vile,  are  freely  excited. 
Now  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ  shines  in  his  heart,  and  the  character  of 
the  Mediator  appears  to  him  in  all  its  fulness  and  glory ;  and 


574  THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  appears  wise,  excellent,  and 
glorious,  and  pleases,  rejoices,  and  charms  his  heart ;  and  in  a 
sense  of"  his  own  infinite  unworthiness,  vileness,  and  guilt,  he 
puts  his  whole  trust  in  him  for  pardon  and  salvation,  deliver- 
ance from  the  guilt  and  power  and  pollution  of  sin,  "desiring 
to  be  found  in  him,  not  having  his  own  righteousness,  which 
is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith." 

And  while  he  attends  to  the  dignity  and  excellence  of 
Christ's  person,  and  sees  what  he  has  done  and  suffered  to 
obey  and  honor  the  divine  law  and  make  atonement  for  sin, 
and  sees  and  tastes  the  wonderful,  amazing  goodness  of  God 
and  the  Redeemer,  exercised  and  manifested  in  this  redemp- 
tion, his  sense  of  the  worthiness  of  the  law  of  God  and  the 
infinite  vileness  of  sin  rises  higher  and  higher;  and  his  heart  is 
more  and  more  warmed  with  love  to  God  and  the  Redeemer, 
and  filled  with  hatred  and  abhorrence  of  sin,  and  is  especially 
broken  in  repentance  and  self-abhorrence,  in  a  sense  of  his 
amazing  ingratitude  and  vileness  in  neglecting  and  opposing 
this  way  of  salvation,  and  slighting  and  rejecting  such  a 
Savior. 

And  now,  with  all  his  heart  he  renounces  the  ways  of  sin, 
and  with  pleasure  and  strength  of  soul  gives  himself  up  to 
God  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  serve  and  obey  him  forever, 
feeling  it  to  be  the  happiest  thing  in  the  world,  the  greatest 
privilege  he  can  imagine,  to  be  wholly  devoted  to  God  in  all 
the  ways  of  strict  and  pure  religion  and  holy  obedience. 

In  these  views  and  exercises  of  heart,  active  conversion  from 
sin  to  God  does  consist;  and  all  this  is  implied  in  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  or  receiving  him,  and  believing  on  his  name ; 
and  every  one  in  whose  mind  these  things  do  not  take  place, 
in  the  sum  and  substance  of  them,  is  not  converted  or  born  of 
God.  Though  I  pretend  not  to  say  that  the  views  and  exer- 
cises of  every  one  that  is  converted  do  sensibly  take  place 
exactly  in  the  order  and  connection  in  which  I  have  now  placed 
them,  —  so  that  every  true  convert  shall  be  able  to  recollect  that 
these  things  passed  in  his  mind  just  so,  and  in  this  order,  from 
step  to  step,  —  yet  he  must  be  sensible  that  all  this  has  taken 
place  in  his  heart  and  abides  with  him  ;  and  it  may  be  demon- 
strated that  they  do  in  fact  take  place  in  this  connection  and 
order,  and  that  there  is  no  other  possible  way,  though  all  may 
be  so  much  at  once,  as  it  were,  and  the  exercises  of  the  mind 
may  be  so  quick  as  not  to  be  attended  with  any  consciousness 
of  their  being  in  this  particular  arrangement. 

But  to  proceed. 

The  person  of  whom  I  am  speaking  is  now  become  a  truly 


THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION.       Sll5 

humble  person,  in  a  sense  of  his  own  meanness,  vileness,  and 
infinite  unworthiness  and  guilt,  and  his  absolute  dependence 
on  God  for  strength  and  righteousness.  This  lays  him  low- 
before  God,  and  he  is  disposed  to  walk  humbly  with  him, 
working  out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  i.  e.,  in 
a  sense  of  his  own  nothingness,  weakness,  and  insufficiency 
with  respect  to  any  good  thing,  and  his  perfect,  continual,  and, 
as  it  were,  infinite  dependence  on  God,  who  alone  worketh  in 
him  to  will  and  to  do ;  and  as  he  has  a  more  full,  clear,  and 
constant  view  and  sense  of  his  own  amazing  vileness  and 
misery  than  he  can  have  of  others,  he  is  naturally  disposed  in 
lowliness  of  mind  to  prefer  others  to  himself,  and  led  to  a  meek 
and  humble  conduct  and  behavior  among  men. 

And  he  has  now  a  new  view  and  sense  of  the  truth,  divinity, 
excellence,  and  sweetness  of  the  Word  of  God  ;  and  he  delights 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  is  disposed  to  meditate  therein  day 
and  night.  They  are  more  precious  to  him  than  much  fine 
gold,  and  sweeter  than  the  honey  and  the  honeycomb.  He 
now  becomes  a  devout  and  zealous  worshipper  of  God.  With 
pleasure  he  daily  enters  into  his  closet,  and  prays  to  and 
praises  Him  who  sees  in  secret,  and  would  not  be  deprived  of 
this  privilege  for  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world.  He  loves  to 
join  with  Christians  in  social  prayer  and  religious  conversation; 
and  his  feet  run  with  constancy  and  eagerness  to  the  place  of 
public  worship,  where  he  devoutly  joins  in  prayer  and  praise, 
and  with  great  attention  hears  the  word  preached,  receives  in- 
struction, and  is  quickened  thereby. 

And  as  he  has  given  himself  up  to  God  sincerely  and  with- 
out reserve,  he  is  from  hence  naturally  led  to  desire  to  do  it 
publicly,  by  espousing  the  cause  of  God,  and  appearing  on 
his  side,  as  a  disciple  and  follower  of  Christ  before  the  world, 
by  a  public  profession  of  religion.  And  it  appears  to  hiui  to 
be  a  great  privilege  to  be  among  the  number  of  God's  visible 
people,  to  be  united  with  them,  and  have  the  advantage  of 
their  Christian  watch  and  care;  and  without  delay  he  joins 
with  them,  and  attends  on  all  Christ's  holy  institutions. 

And  in  this  change  he  becomes  a  friend  to  mankind,  and 
his  heart  is  filled  with  love  to  them.  This  effectually,  and  at 
once,  cures  him  of  all  the  ways  of  deceit,  injustice,  and  injuri- 
ousness  in  his  concerns  and  dealings  with  his  neighbor,  of 
which  the  world  is  so  full,  and  which  are  so  common  among 
professing  Christians ;  and  he  is  immediately  possessed  vvith 
that  harmlessness,  honesty,  sincerity,  truth,  integrity,  and  faith- 
fulness of  heart  which  is  pecuhar  to  a  true  Christian ;  and  he 
is  not  only  just  and  upright,  but  his  heart  is  full  of  goodness, 
kind  affection,  tenderness,  and  mercy,  which  prompts  him  to 


676   THE  CAUSE,  NATURE,  AND  MEANS  OF  REGENERATION. 

do  good  to  all  as  he  has  opportunity,  especially  to  seek  and 
promote,  in  all  the  ways  he  can,  the  welfare  of  their  souls  in 
their  eternal  salvation. 

In  a  word,  he  heartily  devotes  himself  to  the  service  of  God 
and  his  fellow-men,  as  his  whole  and  only  business,  and  to 
this  end  is  faithful  and  diligent  in  his  own  proj^er  station  and 
calling;  "  not  slothful  in  business,  but  fervent  in  spirit,  serving 
the  Lord."  And  in  these  things  he  perseveres  and  makes 
progress  to  the  end  of  life  ;  for  conversion  is  but  the  beginning 
of  the  same  thing  which  is  carried  on  and  makes  advances 
unto  perfect  holiness. 

This  is  a  short,  imperfect  sketch  of  the  true  convert,  the  new 
man,  who  is  born  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  I  will  conclude  with 
two  or  three  reflections  on  the  whole. 

I.  The  view  we  have  had  of  this  matter  may  serve  to  teach 
us  what  it  is  to  be  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  spoken 
of  as  a  privilege  common  to  all  Christians.  (Rom.  viii.  14. 
Gal.  v.  18.)  It  is  not  to  be  influenced  and  guided  by  any  un- 
accountable impulses,  or  immediate  suggestions  to  the  mind 
of  some  new  truth  not  contained  in  divine  revelation,  or  of 
particular  texts  or  passages  of  Scripture.  But  the  Christian  is 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  the  Spirit's  dwelling  in  him  as  a 
principle  of  new  life  and  action,  begetting,  maintaining,  and 
increasing  a  right  taste  and  temper  of  mind,  and  thus  pre- 
paring and  disposing  the  heart  to  attend  to,  and  discern,  the 
truths  revealed  in  God's  word,  or  exercise  itself  in  a  wise  and 
holy  manner,  in  a  view  and  sense  of  the  truths  contained  in 
divine  revelation.  This  is  all  the  leading  and  influence  the 
Christian  wants  from  the  Spirit  of  God.  If  he  has  a  right 
taste  and  disposition  of  heart  to  a  sufficient  degree,  he  will 
want  nothing  further  from  the  immediate  influences  of  the 
divine  Spirit  in  order  to  be  led  into  all  truth,  and  know  and 
do  his  duty  in  every  branch  of  it. 

II.  We  may  hence  learn  what  persons  are  to  inquire  after 
in  order  to  determine  whether  they  are  born  of  God  or  not; 
viz.,  what  are  the  views  and  exercises  of  their  own  hearts,  and 
what  influence  and  effect  these  have  in  practice.  By  this,  my 
hearers,  you  are  to  determine  whether  you  have  the  Spirit  of 
God  or  not,  even  by  considering  and  finding  out  whether  yon 
have  the  discerning  and  exercises  in  which  conversion  consists, 
even  all  those  holy  exercises  by  which  men  do  first  turn  from 
sin  to  God,  and  believe  on  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  in 
which  they  persevere  in  a  holy  life,  which  are  in  Scripture 
called  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit. 

Therefore,  what  has  now  been  said  in  the  description  of 
conversion  may  be  applied  as  matter  of  examination  and  trial 


THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION.       577 

by  all  thos^  who  are  desirous  to  know  what  thek  state  is, 
whether  they  are  born  of  God  or  not.  They  who  are  in  any 
good  degree  engaged  to  get  satisfaction  in  this  interesting 
point,  have  been  hearing  with  self-application,  in  this  view. 
And  I  recommend  it  to  all  seriously,  and  with  impartiality,  to 
apply  what  has  been  said  —  so  far  as  it  appears  to  them  to 
be  agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God  —  to  themselves,  by  way  of 
self-examination.  And  may  the  Lord  give  us  understanding 
and  discerning  to  determine  this  important  question  accord- 
ing to  truth. 

And  have  any  of  you  good  and  satisfying  evidence  that  you 
are  born  of  God;  give  all  the  glory  to  his  sovereign  grace,  and 
remember  that  this  is  but  the  beginning  of  something  very 
great  and  glorious.  "  Think  not  that  ye  have  already  attained, 
or  are  already  perfect,  but  follow  after,  that  you  may  appre- 
hend that  for  which  you  are  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  which  are  before,  pjess  toward  the  mark  for  the 
prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  "  As  new- 
born babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may 
grow  thereby." 

III.  They  who  find  themselves  in  an  unregenerate  state 
may  most  reasonably  be  concerned  about  themselves,  in  a 
view  of  the  infinitely  miserable  condition  they  are  in.  Your 
case  is  shockingly  dreadful.  There  is  nothing  good  or  right 
in  your  hearts ;  but  you  are  perfectly  corrupt  and  wicked,  de- 
voted to  that  which  is  your  destruction.  And  you  are  wholly 
and  perfectly  to  blame  for  all  this,  and,  therefore,  infinitely 
guilty  and  odious  in  God's  sight,  and  most  unworthy  of  the 
least  pity  and  mercy  from  him  ;  so  that  yon  are  eternally 
undone,  unless  God  shall  exercise  that  distinguishing  sover- 
eign grace  towards  you  which  you  have  been  always  refusing 
and  opposing,  and  which  he  may  most  justly  refuse  to  grant. 

Say  not  within  yourselves,  "  We  are  utterly  unable  to  help 
ourselves  ;  we  can  do  nothing  towards  our  salvation  ;  God 
must  do  all;  why  do  you  blame  us?  it  signifies  nothing  for  us 
to  take  any  pains  about  the  matter.  If  God  is  pleased  to  re- 
generate and  save  us,  he  will  do  it  in  his  own  time.  Why, 
then,  do  you  call  upon  us,  and  give  us  any  trouble  about  the 
matter  ?  "  As  well  may  the  man  who  has  turned  rebel  against 
his  sovereign,  and  by  this  means  has  undone  himself,  and  is  ap- 
prehended and  condemned  to  the  most  cruel  torture  and  death, 
and  is  exposed  to  be  executed  every  hour;  at  the  same  time, 
the  prince  whom  he  has  offended  and  injured  offers  to  pardon 
him,  and  put  him  into  most  happy  circumstances,  if  he  will 
only  make  his  submission  to  him  and  be  willing  to  be  his  friend 
VOL.  III.  49 


578       THE    CAUSE,    NATURE,    AND    MEANS    OF    REGENERATION. 

and  servant,  and  is  sending  persons  to  treat  with  him  about 
this  matter,  and  urge  him  by  all  imaginable  arguments  and 
motives  to  accept  of  the  kind  and  advantageous  offer,  so  that 
all  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  complete  deliverance  is  his  dis- 
position to  justify  himself  in  his  rebellion,  and  unwillingness 
to  comply  with  the  most  reasonable  and  kind  proposals,  —  I 
say,  as  well  may  such  a  one  reply,  "I  cannot  help  myself; 
unless  the  prince  give  me  a  new  heart,  and  incline  me  to 
accept  of  his  offer  as  well  as  make  it  to  me,  the  proposal  will 
do  me  no  good.  I  am,  therefore,  not  to  blame  ;  I  will  not  give 
myself  the  least  trouble  about  it,  let  come  what  will.  And  as 
reasonably  might  a  man  use  this  language  who  has  set  his 
own  house  on  fire,  which  is  burning  down  over  his  head,  and 
he  sits  easy  and  secure  in  the  midst  of  it,  or  is  busy  throwing 
oil  into  the  flame,  and  increasing  the  fire,  while  he  is  called 
upon  and  urged  to  escape  for  his  life. 

It  is  your  indispensable  duty,  your  highest  interest,  imme- 
diately to  repent,  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  give  yourselves  up  to  God.  Nothing  can  pof^sibly  be  the 
least  excuse  for  your  neglecting  it  one  minute ;  you  have  all 
the  opportunity  and  advantage  you  can  desire ;  and  motives 
are  set  before  you  which  are,  I  may  say,  infinitely  weighty 
and  forcible.  And  if  divine,  eternal  vengeance  should  fall  on 
your  heads  immediately,  for  the  hardness  of  your  hearts  and 
continued  rebellion,  in  these  circumstances,  God  will  be  just, 
and  you  most  justly  miserable  forever.  And  how  soon  this 
Avill  be  your  case,  you  know  not. 

It  is  certain  this  will  come  upon  you  soon,  unless  you  wake 
up  and  attend  to  your  case  and  fly  to  the  only  refuge. 
"  Cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sinners ;  and  purify  your  hearts,  ye 
double-minded."  "Be  afflicted  and  mourn,  and  weep;  let 
your  laughter  be  turned  into  mourning,  and  your  joy  into 
heaviness.  Humble  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and 
he  shall  lift  you  up.  Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be  converted, 
that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out.  Believe  on  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  ye  shall  be  saved." 


SIX    SERMONS, 

SHOWINQ 

HOW   CHRISTIANS  WORK   OUT   THEIR 
OWN   SALTATION; 


WITH    A    VIEW    TO 


PROMOTE  THE  KNOWLEDGE  AND  PRACTICE  OF  THOSE  EXERCISES 

AND  DUTIES  IN  WHICH   REAL  CHRISTIANITY   CONSISTS, 

AND  BY  WHICH  IT  IS  DISTINGUISHED  FROM 

ALL  COUNTERFEITS. 


SIX  sermons; 

HOW  CHRISTIANS  WORK  OUT  THEIR  OWN  SALVATION. 


SERMON   I. 


"Work  out  5'our  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.     For  it  is  God  which 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasiu-e.  —  Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

It  is  proposed  to  explain,  illustrate,  and  improve  this  pas- 
sage of  Holy  Scripture,  with  a  view  to  promote  the  knowledge 
and  practice  of  those' exercises  and  duties  in  which  real  Chris- 
tianity consists,  and  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from  all 
counterfeits. 

In  order  to  this,  the  following  things  must  be  attended  to, 
and  with  care  distinctly  examined :  — 

I.  What  is  meant  by  Christians  working  out  their  own 
salvation,  and  in  what  this  work  consists. 

II.  What  is  meant  by  doing  this  with  fear  and  trembling. 
HI.  What  is  to  be  understood  by  God's  working  in  them 

both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure. 

IV.  Wherein,  and  in  what  respects,  this  affords  a  reason 
and  motive  to  enforce  the  foregoing  exhortation,  expressed  by 
the  particle /or,  by  which  the  sentence  is  introduced  —  ^'-  For 
it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you,"  etc. 

V.  Improve  the  subject  to  practical  purposes. 

I.  We  are  to  consider  and  show  what  is  intended  and  im- 
plied in  Christians  working  out  their  own  salvation.  For 
it  must  be  observed  and  kept  in  mind,  while  attending  to 
this  subject,  that  the  apostle  is  here  —  and  in  the  whole  of 
this  epistle  —  addressing  none  but  those  whom  he  considers 
to  be  real  Christians,  "  saints  in  Christ  Jesus,  (Phil.  i.  1,)  in 
whom  God  had  begun  a  good  work,  which  he  would  perform 
until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ,  (verse  6 ;)  who  not  only  believed 
on  Christ,  but  also  suffered  for  his  sake,  (verse  29,)  and  had 
always  obeyed  Christ  since  they  first  believed."    (Phil.  ii.  12.) 

*  Written  in  the  year  1798. 

49* 


582       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

By  salvation,  we  are  to  understand  eternal  life,  which  con- 
sists in  deliverance  from  sin  and  evil,  and  being  made  per- 
fectly holy  and  happy  in  the  enjoyment  and  favor  of  God  in 
his  eternal  kingdom.  This  is  the  hope  which  Christians  are 
called  by  Christ  to  consider  and  pm-sne  —  the  prize  set  up  be- 
fore them,  for  which  they  are  commanded  to  run. 

The  Christian  worketh  out  this  as  his  own  salvation,  by 
avoiding  and  renouncing  every  thing  which  is  in  the  way  of 
obtaining  it,  and  would  effectually  prevent  it,  if  it  were  not 
given  up  and  rejected  ;  by  surmounting  and  overcoming  all 
the  opposition  and  difficulties  which  would  retard  and  obstruct 
him  in  his  work ;  by  his  faithfully  performing  all  those  exer- 
cises, duties,  and  works  which  are  included  in  the  life  of  a 
Christian,  and  necessary  in  order  to  his  salvation. 

When  a  person  is  truly  converted,  and  becomes  a  real 
Christian,  a  true  disciple  of  Christ,  he  then  begins  this  great 
work,  which  is  not  finished  till  he  leaves  this  state  of  trial 
and  passes  into  the  unseen  world  by  death.  This  is  the  most 
noble  and  important  work,  as  well  as  the  most  difficult,  in 
which  any  of  the  children  of  men  can  engage  ;  and,  as  will 
appear  before  we  have  finished  the  subject,  infinitely  too  great, 
and  altogether  impossible  to  be  performed  by  fallen  man,  un- 
less strengthened  and  carried  through  it  by  the  power  and 
grace  of  the  mighty  Redeemer. 

This  work  of  Christians  is  represented  and  described  in  the 
Scripture  by  a  variety  of  expressions  and  metaphors,  too 
many  to  be  here  particularly  enumerated.  It  will  be  sufficient 
for  the  present  purpose  to  mention  the  following :  — 

Our  Savior  speaks  of  this  work  in  the  following  words: 
"  And  he  said  unto  them  all.  If  any  man  will  come  after  me, 
let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow 
me."  The  apostle  Paul  describes  this  work  of  a  Christian  by 
telling  how  he  worked  out  his  own  salvation.  "  And  herein  do 
I  exercise  myself,  to  have  always  a  conscience  void  of  offence 
toward  God  and  toward  men.  I  follow  after,  that  I  may  ap- 
prehend that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus. 
I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended ;  but  this  one  thing  I 
,  do,  forgetting  the  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth 
unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the  mark 
for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  I 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have 
kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of 
righteousness." 

Jesus  Christ  represents  this  work  by  a  warfare,  in  which  the 
soldiers  follow  their  general  to  battles  and  sieges,  in  which 
they  resolutely  press  forward  to  conquest.     He  says,  "  The 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       583 

kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it 
by  force."  And  this  is  repeatedly  represented  by  the  same 
thing  in  the  Revelation,  where  he  often  promises  salvation  to 
him  who  overcometh. 

The  apostle  Paul  represents  the  work  of  a  Christian  by 
those  who  strive  for  the  mastery  over  those  who  opposed  and 
fought  against  them,  and  who  ran  in  a  race,  in  order  to  obtain 
a  crown,  in  the  midst  of  a  number  of  competitors.  "  Know 
ye  not  that  they  who  run  in  a  race  run  all,  but  one  receiveth 
the  prize  ?  So  run,  that  ye  may  obtain.  And  every  man 
who  striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things.  Now 
they  do  this  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown,  but  we  an  incor- 
ruptible." And  he  describes  the  same  work  in  the  following 
passages :  "  God  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
deeds  :  to  them  who,  by  patient  continuance  in  well-doing, 
seek  for  glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality,  eternal  life.  There- 
fore, my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast,  unmovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that 
your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord.  But  thou,  O  man  of 
God,  tlee  these  things,  and  follow  after  righteousness,  godli- 
ness, faith,  love,  patience,  meekness.  Fight  the  good  fight  of 
faith ;  lay  hold  on  eternal  life." 

But,  in  order  to  give  a  more  particular  and  full  description 
of  this  work,  and  show  what  is  implied  in  it,  that  every  one 
may  be  in  some  measure  sensible  of  the  greatness  and  diffi- 
culty of  it,  this  subject  requires  yet  further  attention,  and  more 
clear  illustration,  from  what  is  said  of  it  in  the  Holy  Scripture. 
This  will  be  attempted  under  the  following  heads:  — 

First.  In  working  out  their  own  salvation,  persons  must 
avoid,  forsake,  and  renounce  every  way  or  practice  of  known 
and  allowed  sin. 

The  Scripture  teaches  us  that  the  allowed  practice  of  any 
one  way  of  known  sin  is  not  the  way  to  heaven,  but  will  cer- 
tainly exclude  men  from  salvation,  though  they  should  avoid 
all  other  ways  of  sinning,  and  whatever  pains  they  may  take 
in  doing  many  things,  and  though  they  may  make  a  high  pro- 
fession of  godliness,  and  appear  to  have  a  great  religious  zeal. 
The  apostle  John  says,  "  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  (that  is, 
in  Christ)  sinneth  not;  whosoever  sinneth  hath  not  seen  him, 
neither  known  him.  He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil. 
Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin."  He  does 
not  mean  that  he  does  in  no  sense  sin,  and  is  perfectly  free 
from  all  sin  ;  for  this  would  be  a  direct  contradiction  to  what 
he  had  before  asserted,  viz.,  "  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we 
deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  By  sinning  and 
committing  sin  is  therefore  meant,  living  in  the  allowed  prac- 


584       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

tice  of  any  known  sin,  or  omission  of  any  known  duty.  "  They 
who  arc  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh,  Math  the  affections 
and  lusts."  The  gospel  teaches  them  to  deny  all  ungodliness, 
and  every  worldly  lust,  as  the  only  way  to  obtain  salvation. 
They  who  are  working  out  their  own  salvation  "are  undefiled 
in  their  way,  they  do  no  iniquity,  and  have  respect  to  all  God's 
commandments." 

They  must  not  only  avoid  all  grossly  sinful  actions,  and 
live  what  is  called  a  sober  and  regular  life,  but  they  must  so 
govern  their  tongues  as  carefully  to  avoid  every  sinful  and 
even  idle  word.  The  command  is,  "  Let  no  corrupt  commu- 
nication proceed  out  of  your  mouth,  but  that  which  is  good 
to  the  use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  minister  grace  unto  the 
hearers."  (Eph.  iv.  29.)  And  it  is  declared  by  the  highest 
authority,  that  "  for  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they 
shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment."  (Matt. 
xii.  36.)  And  an  apostle  says,  "  If  any  man  seem  to  be  re- 
ligious, and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  this  man's  religion  is 
vain."   (Jam.  i.  26.) 

And  they  must  watch  against,  avoid,  and  suppress  all  sinful, 
vain,  and  idle  thoughts  and  imaginations  in  their  own  hearts. 
They  must  keep  their  hearts  with  all  diligence,  and  not  suffer 
any  vain  thoughts  to  lodge  within  them.  They  must  oppose, 
fight  against,  and  mortify  every  lust,  every  sinful  motion,  dis- 
position or  inclination  in  their  heart,  and  not  indulge  any  vain 
imaginations.  The  heart  is  the  seat  and  fountain  of  every 
thing  which  is  sinful.  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts, 
and  every  sin  which  is  brought  forth  into  practice  in  words 
and  actions.  All  moral  evil,  which  is  or  has  been  in  the  world, 
originates  in  the  heart.  The  Christian,  therefore,  has  a  con- 
stant, great,  and  difficult  work  to  do  in  keeping  his  own  heart, 
in  watching  against  and  striving  to  suppress  every  thought 
and  motion  which  is  contrary  to  the  holy  law  of  God,  which 
has  a  primary  respect  to  the  heart,  and,  by  requiring  every 
thought  and  exercise  of  it  to  be  holy,  forbids  every  motion  and 
thought  M'liich  is  not  conformable  to  this  holy  law. 

Under  this  head  it  will  be  needful  to  be  more  particular. 

1.  All  selfish,  covetous  thoughts  and  affections  must  be 
opposed  and  suppressed.  A  selfish  disposition,  and  all  selfish 
thoughts,  are  covetousness,  in  the  most  proper  and  extensive 
sense  of  the  word.  And  this  disposition  of  the  heart  is  the 
root  and  source  of  all  sin,  or  of  every  thing  wrong  in  the 
hearts  and  lives  of  men,  or  of  all  that  is  forbidden  in  the  law 
of  (iod.  Therefore,  St.  Paul  speaks  of  covetousness  as  com- 
prehending all  sin,  which  is  forbidden  in  the  law  of  God,  in 
the  following  words :  "  I  had  not  known  sin  but  by  the  law : 


HOAV    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       585 

for  I  had  not  known  lust  except  the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt 
not  covets  (Rom.  vii.  7.)  It  hence  appears  that  a  covetous 
spirit  is  directly  opposed  to  what  the  law  of  God  requires; 
and  this,  with  the  fruits  of  it,  is  all  that  is  forbidden.  Selfish- 
ness seeks  her  own  wholly,  and  nothing  else  ;  and,  therefore, 
is  directly  contrary  to  tl:^at  holy,  disinterested,  benevolent  love 
which  the  law  of  God  requires,  and  which  the  apostle  says 
"seeketh  not  her  own."  Man  is  naturally  wholly  under  the 
power  of  this  selfishness  in  all  his  thoughts  and  actions;  and 
the  Christian  has  as  much  of  this  in  his  heart  as  he  has  of  sin, 
and  to  be  delivered  from  every  degree  of  selfish  thoughts  and 
affections  will  complete  his  salvation.  Therefore,  in  working 
out  his  own  salvation,  he  must  seek  deliverance  from  this  giant, 
—  selfishness,  —  and  watch  and  oppose  all  the  motions  of  it, 
which  will  intrude  itself  and  mix  with  every  thought  and  exer- 
cise of  the  heart,  and  strive  for  the  dominion,  and  that  in  a 
secret  and  unperceived  way,  putting  on  the  appearance  of  be- 
nevolence and  goodness,  not  to  be  discovered  and  detected 
but  by  the  discerning  mind,  which  is  constantly  on  the  watch 
against  it. 

This  selfishness  implies  all  other  evil  thoughts,  as  it  is  the 
root  of  all  sin,  as  has  been  observed  ;  but  as  these  evil  thoughts 
are  ranked  under  different  names, —  as  they  respect  diverse  ob- 
jects, and  produce  a  variety  of  dissimilar  actions,  —  it  is  proper 
to  consider  them  under  distinct  heads,  according  to  their  par- 
ticular names,  in  order  to  give  a  more  clear  and  full  view  of 
the  thoughts  and  affections  which  the  Christian  must  oppose 
and  mortify,  in  order  to  work  out  his  own  salvation. 

2.  Christians  must  watch  against  and  oppose  all  proud 
thoughts,  or  the  pride  of  their  own  hearts,  would  they  work 
out  their  own  salvation.  Pride  is  selfishness,  or  a  fruit  of  it, 
which  consists  in  a  disposition  to  exalt  self,  and  induces  per- 
sons to  think  more  highly  of  themselves  than  they  ought  to 
think.  Against  such  thoughts  the  apostle  Paul  cautions  Chris- 
tians, and  commands  them  to  suppress  and  extinguish  them. 
"  I  say  to  every  man  who  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  him- 
self more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think."  (Rom.  xii.  3.)  Our 
Savior  frequently  inculcated  the  necessity  of  mortifying  pride, 
and  putting  on  humility,  in  order  to  be  saved.  He  repeatedly 
said  that  he  who  exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased,  and  he  who 
humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted.  The  apostles  commanded 
men  to  humble  themselves  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  the  only 
way  to  favor,  and  directed  Christians  to  be  clothed  with 
humility. 

Fallen  man  is  naturally  under  the  dominion  of  selfishness 
and  pride.     He  is  exceeding  proud,  by  which  all  his  thoughts, 


586       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

words,  and  actions  are  governed,  even  when  he  puts  on  the 
appearance  and  pretence  of  humility.  This  his  pride  is  most 
unreasonable,  and  the  source  of  constant  unhappiness;  while 
there  is  the  highest  reason  for  the  deepest  humiliation,  in  a 
view  and  sense  of  the  infinite  odiousness  of  his  character  and 
conduct,  and  his  uns^peakable  guilt,  and  misery,  being  the 
object  of  the  high  displeasure  and  awful  curse  of  his  Maker. 
But  it  is  always  true,  that  the  more  reason  men  have  for  hu- 
mility, and  the  more  unreasonable  their  pride  is,  their  pride  is 
proportionably  greater,  and  their  hearts  are  more  strongly  op- 
posed to  humbling  themselves.  It  is  the  nature  of  pride  to 
hide  itself  from  the  person  who  has  it,  and  he  who  has  the 
•most  of  it  is  the  farthest  from  being  sensible  that  he  has  any 
pride.  And  he  only  sees  his  own  pride  in  any  degree  of  true 
light  in  whose  heart  the  power  of  it  is  so  far  broken  as  to  ex- 
ercise a  degree  of  humility,  which  is  true  of  every  Christian. 
And  even  he  is  far  from  seeing  the  whole  of  his  pride,  and  it 
often  deceives  him.  It  dwells  in  a  great  measure  unseen  in 
his  heart,  and  it  mixes  itself  with  all  his  thoughts,  and  is  grati- 
fied in  words  and  actions,  while  it  is  not  directly  perceived, 
and  is  called,  it  may  be,  by  some  good  name,  and  even  looked 
upon  to  be  real  humility. 

Pride  has  ditferent  objects,  and  supports  and  exercises  itself 
in  ways  and  by  means  innumerable.  It  is  exercised  towards 
God,  so  far  as  he  comes  into  view,  in  mean,  degrading 
thoughts  of  the  Most  High,  and  high  and  exalting  thoughts 
of  self;  in  haughty  stubbornness  to  his  authority,  and  disobe- 
dience to  his  law  ;  in  setting  a  high  value  on  his  own  exercises, 
which  he  calls  religious,  so  as  to  be  confident  they  are  highly 
pleasing  to  his  Maker.  It  is  exercised,  as  it  respects  men  and 
himself,  in  a  manner  and  ways  too  many  to  be  enumerated 
here. 

The  gospel  is  levelled  directly  against  the  pride  of  man,  and 
is  calculated  to  exalt  God  and  abase  man ;  so  that  none  but 
those  who  humble  themselves  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  can 
approve  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  or  go  one  step  in 
it.  Every  true  Christian  has  thus  humbled  himself,  so  that 
the  dominion  of  pride  is  broken  in  his  heart.  He  has  come  to 
Christ,  and  taken  his  yoke  upon  himself,  and  learnt  of  him 
who  is  meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  walks  humbly  with  God, 
and  before  men,  in  a  view  and  sense  of  his  own  vile,  odious 
character,  his  unworthiness,  littleness,  and  ill  desert  before 
God,  and  his  absolute  dependence  on  him,  of  whom  he  has 
the  highest,  most  exalted,  and  honorable  thoughts.  He  de- 
lights to  abase  himself  and  exalt  the  Lord,  trusting  wholly  to 
the  atonement  and  righteousness  of  the  Redeemer  for  pardon 


HOAV    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       587 

and  acceptance  with  God.  But  the  Christian  is  far  from  de- 
liverance from  all  pride.  He  has  a  degree  of  true  humility,  and 
in  the  light  of  this  discovers  his  own  pride  as  he  never  did  be- 
fore, which  appears  to  him  to  be  exceedingly  odious ;  and  the 
many  instances  of  the  exercise  of  it  which  he  sees  in  his  own 
heart  and  practice  are  made  the  occasion  of  promoting  his 
humility,  and  of  humbling  him  in  his  own  eyes ;  and  it  requires 
constant  watchfulness  and  exertion  of  a  Christian  to  fight 
against,  suppress,  and  mortify  the  pride  of  his  own  heart,  in 
which  he  is  working  out  his  own  salvation ;  for  he  cannot  be 
saved  in  any  other  way,  nor  until  all  his  pride  be  slain,  and  he 
is  completely  delivered  from  it. 

All  this  is  illustrated  in  the  instance  of  king  Hezekiah.  He 
was  a  good  man,  and  had  been  truly  humbled,  and  resolved  to 
walk  softly  and  humbly  all  his  days  ;  but  on  a  certain  occasion 
he  was  led  astray  by  his  own  pride  and  vanity  of  mind,  which 
was  not  perceived  by  him  in  the  time  of  his  gratifying  it.  His 
sinful  heart  deceived  him,  and  was  lifted  up  in  pride;  but 
when  this  was  discovered  to  him,  he  humbled  himself  for  the 
pride  of  his  heart,  as  it  proved  the  occasion  of  his  seeing  more 
clearly  than  before  all  that  was  in  his  depraved  heart.  (See 
2  Chron.  xxxii.  25,  26,  31.    Isa.  xxxviii.  15.) 

3.  The  Christian,  in  working  out  his  own  salvation,  has  to 
watch  against  all  anger,  wrath,  bitterness,  envy,  and  malev- 
olence, even  in  the  thoughts  and  motions  of  his  heart.  All 
these  are  implied  in  selfishness  and  pride,  and  are  the  genuine 
offspring  and  fruit  of  those  evil  dispositions,  which,  being  in- 
dulged and  gratified,  produce  all  the  angry  clamors,  contentions, 
fightings,  wars,  murders,  and  the  various  kinds  of  injuries,  un- 
righteousness, and  oppositions  which  take  place  among  man- 
kind. The  Christian,  from  the  remaining  depravity  of  his 
heart,  and  the  many,  various,  and  daily  temptations,  injuries, 
and  provocations,  is  in  constant  danger  of  having  some  or  all 
of  these  evil  thoughts  and  motions  rise  in  his  heart,  and  of 
indulging  them  in  a  sinful  degree.  He  must,  therefore,  keep 
up  a  continual  watch  and  fight  against  all  these ;  constantly 
endeavoring  to  guard  himself  against  them,  that  he  may  avoid 
or  suppress  them  in  their  first  motions,  and  prevent  their  break- 
ing forth  into  words  and  actions ;  and  without  this  he  cannot 
work  out  his  own  salvation.  In  order  to  be  saved,  he  must 
mortify  all  these,  and  endeavor  to  cultivate  an  unruffled,  calm, 
patient,  meek,  and  quiet  spirit,  and  live  in  the  exercise  of  that 
benevolence  of  heart  which  is  contrary  to  anger,  wrath,  envy, 
and  malice,  and  will  suppress  and  root  them  out.  The  apostle 
James,  therefore,  says  to  professing  Christians, "  If  ye  have  bitter 
envying  and  strife  in  your  hearts,  glory  not,  and  lie  not  against 


588       HOW    CHRISTIANS    "WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

the  truth.  This  wisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is 
earthly,  sensual,  devilish."  (James  iii.  14,  15.)  And  the  apostle 
Paul  says  to  such,  ''  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger, 
and  clamor,  and  evil  speaking  be  put  away  from  vou,  with 
all  malice."     (Eph.  iv.  31.) 

4.  Would  Christians  work  out  their  own  salvation,  they 
must  not  indulge,  but  avoid  and  suppress,  a  worldly  disposi- 
tion and  affections.  All  men  are  naturally  of  the  earth,  and 
earthly.  They  love  the  world,  and  seek  a  worldly  good  as 
their  portion  ;  they  set  their  hearts  and  affections  on  the  things 
of  this  world ;  they  speak  of  the  World,  and,  therefore,  think 
much  of  it,  and  take  their  greatest  and  only  pleasure  in  the 
pursuits  and  enjoyments  of  this  world.  The  Christian  is  no 
longer  of  this  world,  but  has  renounced  it  as  his  portion,  and 
chosen  that  which  is  infinitely  better.  But  as  he  has  still  a 
degree  of  a  worldly  disposition,  and  is  surrounded  with  worldly 
objects,  and  must  have  much  concern  with  them,  they  are 
constantly  courting  his  affection ;  he  is  continually  in  danger 
of  being  led  astray,  and  setting  his  affection  on  things  on  the 
earth.  It  therefore  requires  constant  care,  watchfulness,  and 
exertion  in  order  to  guard  against,  and  suppress  and  mortify, 
all  worldly  alfection,  in  the  exercise  of  that  faith  which  over- 
cometh  the  world,  and  leads  the  soul  to  set  its  whole  affection 
on  things  which  are  above,  and  not  on  things  on  the  earth,  and 
to  keep  the  heart  from  a  sinful  love  of  the  world  and  the  things 
of  the  world.  Salvation  is  to  be  obtained  in  no  other  way  but 
this,  by  which  Christians  are  more  and  more  weaned  from  this 
world,  and  have  their  conversation  in  heaven.  The  cares  of 
this  world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  and  the  pleasures 
of  this  life,  being  indulged,  choke  the  word,  and  it  becometh 
unfruitful.  Therefore,  the  Christian,  in  working  out  his  own 
salvation,  must  follow  the  direction  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  said 
to  his  disciples,  "  Take  heed  to  yourselves,  watch  and  pray 
always,  lest  at  any  time  your  hearts  be  overcharged  with  sur- 
feiting and  drunkenness,  and  the  cares  of  this  life."  (Luke 
xxi.  34,  36.) 

5.  The  Christian's  working  out  his  own  salvation  implies  a 
keeping  in  subjection  and  mortifying  all  inordinate  bodily  sen- 
sual appetites  and  lusts.  These  appetites  are  given  to  men 
to  answer  good  and  important  purposes,  while  in  the  body  in 
this  world ;  but  become  a  temptation  to  innumerable  indul- 
gences, which  are  hurtful  and  criminal,  and  are  inconsistent 
with  the  gospel  salvation,  for  they  who  live  after  the  flesh  shall 
die.  In  this  respect,  therefore,  every  Christian  must  crucify 
the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts,  and  mortify  their 
members  which  are  upon  the  earth.;  fornication,  uncleanness, 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       589 

inordinate  affection,  and  evil  concupiscence.  They  must  keep 
under  their  bodies,  and  bring  them  into  subjection,  as  the  only 
way  to  escape  destruction.  They  must  avoid  the  practice  of 
gluttony,  rioting,  and  drunkenness,  and  all  chambering  and 
wantonness;  and  make  no  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the 
lusts  thereof;  but  purge  themselves  from  all  these,  that  they 
may  be  vessels  unto  honor,  sanctified  and  meet  for  their  Mas- 
ter's use,  knowing  that  their  bodies  are  temples  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Thus,  to  keep  the  body  under,  and  regulate  and  govern  all 
the  inclinations  and  appetites  of  it,  and  occasioned  by  it,  re- 
quires great  and  constant  care  and  watchfulness,  and  strong 
resolution  and  fortitude  of  mind,  and  is  no  small  part  of  the 
work  of  a  Christian. 

6.  The  Christian  cannot  work  out  his  own  salvation  unless 
he  crosses  and  strives  against  an  indolent,  slothful  disposition, 
which  is  natural  to  man,  and  prevalent  in  him  with  respect  to 
all  those  things  and  actions  which  respect  his  salvation,  and. 
are  necessary  in  order  to  it.  Hence  have  been  invented  innu- 
merable excuses  and  pleas  in  favor  of  sitting  still  and  neg- 
lecting those  exertions  and  duties  which  are  necessary  to  be 
performed  in  order  to  salvation,  which  are  too  many  to  be 
mentioned  here.  Christians  are  exposed  to  be  infected  and 
retarded  in  their  work  by  giving  way  to  this  slothful  dispo- 
sition, which  is  most  contrary  to  the  work  they  have  to  do. 
This  requires  their  whole  time  and  constant,  zealous  exertions, 
in  which  they  must  not  be  slothful,  but  fervent  in  spirit,  serv- 
ing the  Lord.  The  Christian  must,  therefore,  improve  every 
opportunity,  and  all  his  advantages,  diligently  working  while 
his  day  lasts.  To  sit  still  in  indolence  and  sloth,  is  really  to 
go  backwards.  In  doing  this  work,  the  Christian  must  do  as 
the  apostle  Paul  did ;  he  attended  to  this  one  business ;  for- 
getting those  things  which  were  behind,  i.  e.,  his  former  indo- 
lence in,  and  deviations  from,  the  way  of  truth,  he  reached 
forth  to  those  things  which  were  before  ;  he  pressed  toward  the 
mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

7.  The  work  of  a  Christian  consists  much  in  watching  and 
guarding  against,  suppressing  and  overcoming,  the  unbelief 
of  his  heart  and  all  unbelieving  thoughts. 

Faith  is  necessary  to  salvation  ;  and  they  who  are  saved  live 
by  faith,  and  persevere  in  believing  to  the  saving  of  their  souls. 
The  Israelites  were  excluded  from  entering  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  by  their  unbelief;  and  the  Scripture  teaches  us  that 
unbelief  under  the  gospel  will  as  effectutally  exclude  men  from 
heaven,  "  He  who  believeth  not  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him,  and  he  shall  be  damned." 
VOL.  iiu  50 


590       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

Believing  and  unbelief,  as  it  respects  divine  revelation  or 
the  gospel,  do  not  mean  merely  the  speculative  judgment  or 
conclusion  of  mind  respecting  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the 
gospel,  or  of  any  particular  doctrines  or  facts  which  relate  to 
invisible  things.  Two  persons  may  be  convinced  in  their 
judgment  that  there  is  good  evidence  that  the  gospel  is  from 
Heaven,  and  agree  in  their  speculative  sentiments  in  the  doc- 
trines which  are  revealed  ;  and  yet  one  of  them  may  be  a  true 
believer  in  the  scriptural  sense  of  believing,  and  the  other  an 
unbeliever.  This  will  be  according  to  the  disposition  and 
exercises  of  their  hearts,  with  respect  to  the  gospel  and  the 
truths  which  it  contains.  If  the  heart  of  one  of  them  have  no 
relish  of  these  truths,  and  love  of  them,  but  dislikes  and  is  dis- 
pleased with  them,  so  that  they  are  not  cordially  embraced  as 
good  and  excellent,  he  has  no  true  discerning  respecting  them, 
and  does  not  see  them  to  be  what  they  really  are,  and  is  not 
a  believer,  in  the  Scripture  and  proper  sense  of  believing. 
.The  other  has  such  a  taste  and  disposition  of  mind  that  he 
relishes  these  truths,  and  receives  them  with  cordial  approba- 
tion and  love.  He  sees  them  in  a  light  of  which  the  other 
has  no  apprehension  or  idea,  and  he  feels  them  to  be  great 
and  important  realities,  true,  excellent,  and  good  ;  and  they 
have  such  an  influence  and  power  on  his  heart  as  to  excite 
strong  affections,  and  govern  him  in  all  his  exercises  and  con- 
duct. This  is  a  true  believer.  His  faith  is  as  different  from 
that  of  the  former  as  light  is  from  darkness  —  as  powerful 
sensibility  of  heart,  with  strong  exercises  of  affection  and  love, 
are  from  insensibility  and  hardness  of  heart,  and  real  dislike  of 
the  truth,  and  aversion  from  it. 

True  faith,  or  a  real  belief  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  is  of  a 
moral  nature,  and,  therefore,  has  its  foundation  and  seat  in 
the  heart ;  so  that  exercise  of  heart  is  necessarily  implied  in  it, 
and  essential  to  it;  for  every  thing  of  a  moral  nature  belongs 
to  the  heart,  and  that  in  which  no  disposition  or  exercise  of 
the  heart  is  implied  has  nothing  of  a  moral  nature,  and  is  nei- 
ther good  nor  evil  in  a  moral  sense,  i.  e.,  neither  virtue  nor 
vice,  which  is  true  of  every  thing  in  the  mind  which  consists 
in  mere  speculation.  Therefore,  we  find  that  believing  and 
unbelief,  as  they  respect  the  gospel,  are  represented  in  Scrip- 
ture as  belonging  to  the  heart,  and  an  exercise  of  that.  "  With 
the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the 
mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation.  If  thou  believest 
with  all  thine  heart,  thou  raayest.  Take  heed,  brethren,  lest 
there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing 
from  the  living  God." 

It  appears  from  the  passage  of  Scripture  last  mentioned, 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       591 

not  only  that  unbelief  belongs  to  the  heart,  and,  being  yeated 
there,  is  moral  evil,  but  that  professing  Christians  are  so  ex- 
posed to  the  influence  of  an  unbelieving  heart,  that  it  concerns 
them  to  take  heed  to  themselves,  and  be  on  their  watch  and 
guard  against  the  prevalency  of  this  evil  in  tlioir  hearts.  And, 
indeed,  all  true  Christians  have  as  much  of  this  unbelief  in 
their  hearts  as  they  have  of  moral  depravity  or  sin.  Their 
faith  is  comparatively  small,  and  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed. 
It  does  exist,  and  increases  so  far  as  their  hearts  are  purified 
and  they  grow  in  grace.  Yet  they  are  more  sensible  of  the 
awful  degree  of  unbelief  in  their  hearts  than  any  other  persons 
are  or  can  be,  and  see  the  evil  nature  and  hatefulness  of  it. 

This  unbelief  does  not  consist  so  much  in  speculatively 
questioning  the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  and  doubting  of  the 
truths  contained  in  it,  as  in  the  want  of  sensibly  feeling  these 
truths  in  their  reality,  excellence,  and  importance,  and  not 
being  properly  affected  with  them.  All  this  is  unbelief,  which 
no  conviction  which  is  merely  speculative,  or  any  light  and 
evidence  which  can  be  offered  by  any  external  means  and 
revelation  or  instructions,  will  remove,  as  it  is  properly  hard- 
ness of  heart.  But  it  may,  and  often  does,  prejudice  and  blind 
the  speculative  understanding,  so  as  at  least  to  weaken  the 
evidence  of  truth  in  speculation,  and  occasion  speculative 
doubts  about  it,  and  is  the  cause  of  all  that  unbelief  in  specu- 
lation which  takes  place  in  the  Christian  world;  this  being 
not  for  want  of  external  light  and  matter  of  conviction,  but 
from  the  blindness  and  moral  disorders  of  the  heart. 

The  true  Christian  is  sensible  of  this,  and  that  he  has  that 
Insensibility  of  heart  to  divine  truth,  and  that  darkness  and 
blindness,  which  is  not  owing  to  any  want  of  light  and  evi- 
dence which  is  set  before  him,  but  to  the  stupidity,  hardness, 
and  moral  depravity  of  his  heart,  which  will  resist  the  greatest 
light  and  matter  of  conviction  that  can  be  set  before  him,  and 
the  strongest  mere  speculative  conviction  of  his  judgment,  and 
would  lead  to  renounce  in  speculation  all  the  evidence  of  the 
truth  of  divine  revelation,  were  he  given  up  of  God  to  the 
power  and  prevalence  of  a  reprobate  mind  ;  and  that  it  is  to 
be  ascribed  to  divine  restraints,  or  to  the  grace  of  God  shining 
in  his  heart  and  giving  him  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  has  any  de- 
gree of  true  faith,  and  has  not  abandoned  himself  to  total 
infidelity. 

His  remaining  unbelief  appears  to  him  especially,  at  times, 
to  be  so  great  and  overbearing  that  it  is  very  grievous,  and,  as 
a  heavy  burden,  sinks  him  down,  as  an  unspeakable  calamity, 
and  exceeding  criminal.     Against  this  he  has  to  watch,  strive, 


592       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

and  pray  continually,  and  he  can  work  out  his  salvation  in  no 
other  way.  His  constant  petition  is,  "  Lord,  deliver  me  from 
this  evil  heart  of  unbelief.  Lord,  I  do  believe;  help  thou  my 
unbelief,  and  increase  my  faith.  Give  me  that  faith  which  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for  and  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen.  May  I  never  draw  back  to  perdition,  but  beheve  to 
the  saving  of  my  soul." 

8.  The  Christian  cannot  work  out  his  own  salvation  with- 
out resisting  the  devil,  by  watching  against  and  opposing  his 
influence  and  the  evil  thoughts  suggested  by  him. 

The  devil  works  in  the  hearts  of  men  by  the  lusts,  depraved 
propensities,  and  evil  thoughts  which  have  been  mentioned. 
He  is  represented  in  Scripture  as  taking  the  advantage  of  the 
depravity  of  man  to  sviggest  evil  thoughts,  and  excite  and 
strengthen  the  lusts  of  the  heart,  and  to  blind  the  minds  of  all 
them  who  do  not  believe ;  to  watch  and  exert  all  his  cunning 
to  deceive  and  destroy  them.  Unregenerate,  wicked  persons 
are  represented  to  be  wholly  under  his  power,  in  whom  he 
powerfully  worketh,  they  being  in  his  snare,  and  led  captive 
by  him  at  his  will.  And  in  order  to  persons  being  converted 
and  becoming  Christians,  this  strong  enemy  must  be  dispos- 
sessed of  their  hearts  by  Christ,  and  they  turned  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God.  And  though  Christians  are  so  far 
delivered  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  and,  out  of  his  reach, 
that  he  cannot  destroy  or  really  hurt  them  in  the  end,  and  he 
who  is  born  of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one 
toucheth  him  not,  —  that  is,  is  not  able  to  destroy  or  hurt  them, 
by  leading  them  to  sin  the  sin  unto  death,  or  to  live  in  a 
course  of  sin,  —  yet  they  are  not  out  of  the  reach  of  his  temp- 
tations and  assaults,  so  long  as  they  are  sanctified  but  in  part, 
and  live  in  this  state  of  imperfection  and  depravity.  Satan 
provoked  king  David  to  number  the  people ;  and  our  Savior 
said  to  Peter,  "  Behold,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that 
he  may  sift  you  as  wheat."  The  apostle  Paul  was  attended 
with  a  temptation  which  was  the  messenger  of  Satan  to 
buffet  him.  And  even  Jesus  Christ,  who  had  no  depravity  to 
give  the  devil  an  advantage,  was  assaulted  and  tempted  by 
him.  The  apostle  Peter  directs  Christians  to  consider  the 
devil  as  their  adversary,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walking  about  seek- 
ing whom  he  may  devour.  The  apostle  Paul,  speaking  in 
the  name  of  all  Christians,  says,  "  We  wrestle  not  against 
flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against  powers, 
against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spirit- 
ual wickedness  in  high  places ; "  and  directs  Christians  to 
take  to  themselves  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  they  may  be 
able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil ;  and  goes  on  to 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       593 

address  them  in  the  following  words :  "  Stand,  therefore, 
having  your  loins  girt  about  with  truth,  and  having  on  the 
breastplate  of  righteousness,  and  your  feet  shod  with  the  pre- 
paration of  the  gospel  of  peace  ;  above  (or  over)  all,  taking  the 
shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the 
fiery  darts  of  the  wicked  one  ;  and  take  the  helmet  of  salvation, 
and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God;  pray- 
ing always  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and 
watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance  and  supplication  for 
all  saints."    (Eph.  vi.  10,  18.) 

In  these  words  great  and  constant  work  is  prescribed  to 
Christians  in  resisting  the  devil,  and  standing  their  ground 
against  all  his  wiles  and  assaults  —  a  conflict  too  great  and 
mighty  for  all  but  those  who  are  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in 
the  power  of  his  might,  yet  necessary  in  working  out  their 
own  salvation.  The  apostles  James  and  Peter  exhort  Chris- 
tians to  this  same  work  in  the  words  following :  "  Resist  the 
devil,  and  he  will  flee  from  you.  Be  sober,  be  vigilant;  be- 
cause your  adversary,  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour;  whom  resist  steadfast 
in  the  faith." 

There  are  some  who  profess  to  receive  the  Bible  as  a  reve- 
lation from  God,  who  doubt  whether  there  be  any  devil,  or 
invisible  spirits,  who  are  enemies  to  Christ,  and  seek  the 
destruction  of  men.  But  surely  they  must  be  very  inattentive 
to  the  Bible  who  can  doubt  of  this.  The  real  Christian  finds 
the  truth  of  this  so  abundantly  asserted,  that  he  cannot  doubt 
it;  and  his  own  experience,  if  properly  attended  to,  will  con- 
firm him  in  this.  He  will  find  many  motions  and  suggestions 
in  his  own  mind,  which,  from  the  kind  of  them,  and  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  take  place,  are  evidently  from  the  agency 
of  Satan ;  and  he  is  warranted  from  Scripture  to  consider  the 
devil  as  having  a  hand  and  agency  in  all  the  foolish  imagina- 
tions, evil  thoughts  and  motions  of  his  heart,  and  in  all  sin 
which  he  sees  in  others,  especially  their  opposition  to  Christ 
and  the  gospel,  and  unrighteousness  and  violence  towards 
men ;  for  he  is  deceiving  the  whole  world,  and  works  in  all  the 
children  of  disobedience,  and  is  attempting  to  stir  up  all  the 
corruption  which  is  in  the  hearts  of  good  men.  Therefore, 
while  Christians  are  watching  against  and  opposing  all  their 
own  evil  propensities,  and  acting  against,  and  endeavoring  to 
suppress  and  counteract,  the  sinful  courses  of  others,  they  are 
really  resisting  the  devil,  while  they  consider  themselves  and 
others  as  criminal  for  every  evil  motion  in  their  hearts,  and  all 
wrong  conduct,  as  if  there  were  no  devil  to  tempt  them. 

However  great,  diflicult,  and  of  long  continuance  this  work 
50* 


594       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

of  resisting  the  devil  is,  every  Christian  must  go  through  it, 
and  overcome,  in  order  to  obtain  heaven.  The  Christian  is  in 
himself  wholly  unequal  to  it,  but  by  Christ  strengthening  him 
he  may  go  through  it  all.  The  Christian  must  do  the  work ; 
while  in  order  to  it  he  must  be  strengthened  by  the  power 
and  grace  of  Christ,  by  which  he  becomes  strong  in  the  Lord 
and  in  the  power  of  his  might.  The  Christian  has  no  reason 
to  desire  that  Christ  should  take  this  work  out  of  his  hands, 
and  resist  and  conquer  the  devil  and  his  lusts  without  the 
agency  of  the  Christian ;  but  ought  to  consider  it  as  a  great 
privilege  to  be  obliged  to  do  the  work  himself,  and  conquer,  in 
the  strength  and  power  of  the  Redeemer. 


SERMON   II. 

Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.     For  it  is  God  which 
worketh  in  you  both  to  wiU  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

It  has  been  attempted  to  show  in  the  preceding  discourse, 
though  in  an  imperfect,  defective  manner  and  degree,  what 
the  Christian  has  to  oppose,  suppress,  mortify,  and  overcome, 
in  working  out  his  own  salvation.  This  may  be  called  the 
negative  part  of  his  work,  consisting  in  renouncing  and  de- 
parting from  evil,  and  is  all  comprehended  in  the  apostolic 
injunction:  "That  ye  put  off,  concerning  the  former  conver- 
sation, the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceit- 
ful lusts."    (Eph.  iv.  22.) 

Second.  We  come  now  to  consider  the  positive  part  of 
that  work,  in  doing  which  Christians  work  out  their  own  sal- 
vation, which  is  summarily  expressed  in  the  following  words: 
"  And  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 

This  implies  much,  and  consists  in  a  constant,  careful  en- 
deavor to  conform  to,  and  obey,  the  divine  commands  in  heart 
and  life,  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  all  things  to 
the  end  of  life.  This  may  be  divided  into  two  branches,  viz., 
the  duties  of  which  God  is  the  more  direct  object,  and  those 
which  more  immediately  respect  man. 

To  God  they  owe  their  whole  selves,  and  all  they  can  do. 
They  must  love  him  with  all  their  heart,  soul,  strength,  and 
mind.  This  implies  a  variety  of  strong,  constant  exercises  of 
heart  towards  him,  as  he  is  revealed  in  three  persons,  the  Fa- 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       595 

thcr,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  especially  as  he  has  appeared  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh,  in  the  character  of  the  Son  of  God  and 
Savior  of  the  world,  exhibited  in  his  words  and  works  of  obedi- 
ence and  suffering,  his  death,  resurrection  from  the  dead, 
ascension  to  heaven,  and  reigning  gloriously  there,  and  in  his 
revealed  future  designs  and  works. 

They  must  believe  iii  God  and  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  is, 
and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  who  diligently  seek  him. 
They  must  attend  to,  believe,  and  realize  his  being  and  whole 
character  as  he  is  revealed  in  the  Bible,  with  all  the  important 
and  leading  truths  which  are  contained  in  it,  setting  God 
always  before  their  eyes,  and  trusting  in  Christ  for  pardon  and 
complete  redemption,  which  implies  all  they  want  or  can  de- 
sire, diligently  seeking  the  divine  favor  through  him,  or  for  his 
sake.  Thus  they  must  live  a  life  of  faith  on  the  Son  of  God, 
desiring  to  be  found  in  him,  not  having  their  own  righteous- 
ness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith 
of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith  ;  heartily 
desiring  and  seeking  his  Spirit  to  dwell  in  them,  and  form 
their  hearts  to  every  Christian  exercise  and  duty,  and  doing 
all  in  the  name  of  Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  a  cordial  love  of 
his  whole  character,  and  pleasing  approbation  of  the  way  of 
salvation  of  sinners  which  is  revealed  in  the  gospel. 

They  must  be  heartily  devoted  to  the  glory  of  God,  to  his 
honor,  interest,  and  kingdom,  as  the  supreme  object  of  their 
desire  and  affection.  This  is  necessarily  implied  in  supreme 
love  to  him,  in  which  they  give  themselves  wholly  away  to  him 
in  the  exercise  of  the  most  friendly,  benevolent  love,  rejoicing 
in  his  being,  felicity,  and  glory.  This  is,  in  a  true  and  in  the 
highest  sense,  disinterested  affection,  and  necessarily  excludes 
all  selfishness,  so  far  as  it  takes  place,  as  it  cannot  proceed 
from  self-love  as  the  ground  of  it,  but  is  directly  contrary  to  it, 
as  it  gives  up  all  selfish  affection  and  interest  for  an  infinitely 
greater,  more  worthy,  and  important  interest  and  object ; 
making  the  being  of  God,  his  interest,  and  honor  their  supreme 
interest,  the  object  of  their  highest  regard  and  ultimate  end, 
to  which  all  other  beings  and  interests  are  wholly  subordi- 
nated, as  not  worthy  any  regard,  but  to  be  rejected  when 
they  come  in  competition  with  the  honor  and  interest  of  this 
infinitely  great,  worthy,  and  glorious  Being.  By  this  dispo- 
sition and  exercise  of  heart  alone  do  they  comply  with  the 
apostolic  command:  "  Whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever 
ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.  And  that  they  who  live 
should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  Him 
who  died  for  them  and  rose  again."  And  thus  they  enter 
upon  and  live  a  life  of  true  and  real  self-denial. 


596       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

The  more  Christians  are  swallowed  up  in  views  of  the 
glory  of  God,  and  their  hearts  desire  and  rejoice  in  the  un- 
changeable and  eternal  glory  and  felicity  of  the  infinite  Being, 
as  the  object  of  their  whole  pursuit,  interest,  and  happiness, — 
which  does  not  consist,  in  the  least  degree,  in  selfish  affection, 

—  the  more  is  their  own  salvation  promoted,  and  the  greater  is 
their  enjoyment,  and  the  nearer  do  they  get  to  heaven.  The 
person  who,  under  the  influence  of  self-love,  or  selfishness, 
seeks  his  own  personal  interest,  honor,  and  felicity,  supremely 

—  and  this  is  the  unchangeable  nature  of  every  degree  of  self- 
love —  exerts  the  whole  strength  of  his  soul  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  the  Christian  affection  now  described ;  and,  as  he 
regards  himself  supremely,  he  subordinates  the  being,  felicity, 
and  glory  of  God,  that  he  may  answer  his  own  selfish  ends 
thereby,  and  cares  nothing  for  the  former,  aside  from  his  own 
supposed  personal  interest,  or  any  further  than  the  latter  may 
be  promoted  thereby.  Such  an  affection  is  the  strongest  con- 
tradiction to  all  truth,  and  does  love  and  make  a  lie  in  the 
highest  and  most  emphatical  sense.  If  the  smallest  pebble, 
or  one  grain  of  sand,  should  be  selected  and  preferred  to  the 
whole  material  world,  comprehending  this  earth,  the  sun, 
moon,  and  all  the  stars,  and  no  regard  be  paid  to  the  exist- 
ence, order,  and  beauty  of  the  whole,  any  further  than  they 
relate  to  that  single  grain,  and  contribute  to  support  and  favor 
that  infinitely  small  portion  of  the  material  world,  this  would 
not  be  more  unreasonable  and  contrary  to  the  truth ;  yea,  it 
would  be  infinitely  less  so  than  for  one  individual  person  to 
pay  a  supreme  regard  to  himself,  and  subordinate  the  infinite 
Being  to  his  own  private,  personal  interest  and  happiness, 
who  is  so  great,  worthy,  and  glorious,  that  there  is  infinitely 
less  proportion  between  such  individual  and  him  than  there 
is  between  the  least  grain  of  sand  and  the  whole  material 
creation. 

There  are  too  many  professing  Christians  who  embrace  and 
pursue  a  scheme  of  practical  religion  which  is  as  unreason- 
able, contrary  to  truth,  and  absurd,  as  this  appears  to  be. 
They  say  that  it  is  impossible  for  men  to  love  God  so  long  as 
they  consider  him  to  be  displeased  with  them,  and  think  he 
does  not  love  them  ;  that  he  must  first  manifest  to  them  that 
he  is  their  friend,  and  loves  them,  and  they  must  believe  it 
before  they  can  love  him ;  that  in  this  way  they  were  brought 
to  love  God,  and  to  be  reconciled  to  his  character  and  law  and 
to  all  the  truths  and  duties  of  Christianity ;  they  were  brought 
first  to  see  and  believe  that  God  loved  them,  and  on  this  foun- 
dation only  they  first  began  to  love  him,  and  continue  to  be 
friendly  to  him.     Thus  they  declare  that  all  their  regard  and 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       597 

love  to  God  is  nothing  but  self-love,  for  they  love  him  only 
because  he  is  a  friend  to  them,  and  will  answer  their  own 
selfish  ends,  and  promote  their  own  personal,  selfish  interest, 
and  subordinate  their  Maker  and  all  his  interest  to  their  own 
beloved  selves.  Their  religion  is  all  built  on  an  impossible 
supposition,  viz.,  that  they  had  evidence  that  God  loved  them 
before  they  had  any  love  to  him,  and  while  they  were  his 
enemies;  which  is  directly  contrary  to  Scripture  and  reason. 
But  if  this  were  not  contrary  to  Scripture,  and  a  mere  delu- 
sion, their  love  to  God  is  as  far  from  true  friendship  to  him  as 
darkness  is  from  light;  for  it  is  nothing  but  self-love  at  second 
hand,  and  is  an  affection  which  our  Savior  condemns  as  that 
which  the  most  wicked  man  and  greatest  enemy  of  God  may 
have.  He  says,  "  If  ye  love  them  who  love  you,"  (i.  e.,  merely 
because  they  love  you,)  "  what  reward  have  ye  ?  Do  not  even 
the  publicans  the  same  ?  " 

The  words  of  the  apostle  John  are  appealed  to  as  a  support 
of  this  scheme  of  religion  :  "  We  love  him  because  he  first 
loved  us."  But  these  words  are  entirely  misunderstood  by 
them,  and  perverted  to  a  most  injurious  and  fatal  purpose. 
The  apostle  does  not  say,  "  We  love  God  because  we  first 
believed  he  loved  us  ;  "  in  which  sense  they  take  the  words,  in 
order  to  answer  their  purpose.  The  natural  and  plain  mean- 
ing of  the  words,  and  which  is  pointed  out  by  the  context,  is 
this  :  "  God  loved  us  first,  and  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  us  ;  and 
he  has  given  us  a  heart  to  love  him,  by  which  we  have  been 
born  of  God  :  this  is  the  cause  of  our  loving  God ;  for  if  he 
had  not  thus  first  loved  us,  while  we  were  enemies,  and  caused 
us  to  be  born  again  by  his  Spirit,  we  should  not  have  loved 
him  ;  for  he  who  is  not  born  of  God  will  not  exercise  any  true 
love  to  him,  though  he  should  love  them,  and  tell  them  he  did 
so  by  a  particular  revelation.  Therefore,  they  who  love  God 
only  upon  this  selfish  ground,  and  build  all  their  religion  upon 
it,  however  zealous  they  may  be,  and  however  much  they  may 
do,  are  not  working  out  their  own  salvation,  but  the  contrary, 
and  never  will  obtain  it." 

The  importance  of  this  point,  and  the  delusion  with 
which  so  many  are  deceived,  it  is  to  be  feared  to  their  own 
ruin,  is  thought  to  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  this  seeming 
digression. 

This  supreme  love  to  God,  and  dedication  to  him,  —  living 
not  unto  themselves,  but  to  and  for  him,  —  implies  a  hearty, 
sensible  acknowledgment  of  him  in  all  their  ways,  and  in  all 
events  which  take  place,  seeing  his  hand  in  them  all,  and 
heartily  submitting  to  him,  and  acquiescing  in  his  governing 
providence,  and  rejoicing  that  the  Lord  reigns  without  control, 


598       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

ordering  every  thing,  and  every  circumstance,  from  the  greatest 
to  the  least,  in  the  exercise  of  infinite  power,  wisdom,  rectitude, 
and  goodness. 

This  pious  disposition,  and  these  exercises  of  heart  towards 
God,  are  to  be  expressed  and  acted  out  in  all  proper  ways  and 
conduct.  This  requires  much  care,  labor,  and  self-denial,  and 
a  strong  resolution,  and  much  fortitude  of  mind.  The  Chris- 
tian must  confess  Christ  before  men,  —  must  speak  for  him  and 
in  his  cause,  whenever  there  is  a  proper  opportunity,  —  and 
must  publicly  profess  his  belief  in  him,  and  cordial  subjection 
to  him,  in  obedience  to  all  his  commands,  and  attendance 
upon  all  his  institutions.  He  must  pay  a  strict  and  conscien- 
tious regard  to  the  Sabbath,  carefully  avoiding  all  those  things 
which  tend  to  interrupt  his  attendance  on  the  religious  duties 
of  that  day,  devoting  the  whole  time,  as  much  as  may  be,  to 
the  exercises  of  religion,  constantly  attending  on  public  wor- 
ship, with  seriousness  and  devotion.  He  must  attend  much 
to  the  Bible,  daily  reading  and  meditating  upon  it,  that  he 
may  grow  in  his  acquaintance  with  it,  and  be  entertained  and 
directed  by  it,  "  as  a  lamp  to  his  feet,  and  a  light  to  his  path." 
Thus  "  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  in  his  law 
doth  he  meditate  day  and  night." 

He  will  attend  devoutly  on  the  Lord's  supper  whenever  he 
has  opportunity,  and  be  careful  not  to  neglect  the  important 
preparatory  duties  of  self-examination,  prayer,  etc.  He  is  a 
friend  to  family  religion,  and,  if  the  head  of  a  family,  will  prac- 
tise daily  devotion  in  it,  in  attending  to  the  Word  of  God  and 
prayer,  taking  particular  care  that  the  whole  family  attend  in 
a  serious  and  orderly  manner,  and  that  they  are  all  instructed 
in  things  of  religion,  and  under  good  regulation  and  govern- 
ment. And  he  will  be  careful  that  no  worldly  business  or 
concern  interrupt  the  religious  duties  of  the  family.  He  must 
also  practise,  and  constantly  maintain,  secret  prayer.  A  Chris- 
tian cannot  maintain  his  spiritual  life,  activity,  and  comfort  in 
the  omission  of  closet  duties,  and  cannot  work  out  his  own 
salvation  without  constantly  entering  into  his  closet,  agreeably 
to  the  direction  of  Christ,  and  being  much  in  devotion  there. 
The  prayerless  person  is  not  in  the  way  to  heaven.  Prayer 
comprehends  not  only  petition  for  what  persons  want  for 
themselves  and  others,  but  adoration,  praise,  and  thanksgiving 
for  divine  beneficence  to  themselves  and  to  others,  together 
with  humble  confession  of  sin,  unworthiness,  and  ill  desert. 
The  Christian  will  find  abundant  matter  for  prayer  and  devo- 
tion, or  intercourse  with  God,  every  day  and  hour,  and  must, 
in  some  good  measure,  at  least,  act  up  to  the  apostolic  direc- 
tion—  "Praying   always   with    all   prayer    and    supplication 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       599 

in  the  Spirit;  in  every  thing  by  prayer  and  supplication, 
with  thanksgiving,  make  known  his  requests  unto  God,"  to 
whom  he  may  have  access  at  all  times,  through  the  great 
Mediator,  with  humble  boldness  and  freedom. 

.  And  as  the  Christian  has  made  a  public  profession  of  re- 
ligion, and  joined  a  particular  Christian  church,  he  is  under 
covenant  engagements  to  watch  over  his  brethren  and  sisters, 
and  assist  in  the  exercise  of  discipline,  agreeably  to  the  direc- 
tions of  Christ,  which  requires  great  attention,  care,  and  reso- 
lution, in  order  to  be  acquainted  with  the  truth  of  facts,  and 
judge  and  act,  so  far  as  he  is  called  to  it,  agreeably  to  the 
truth  and  the  dictates  of  Christian  love,  and  so  as  shall  be 
most  for  the  honor  of  Christ  and  the  good  of  every  individual 
of  the  church.  This  is  included  in  the  exercise  of  piety  towards 
God,  as  well  as  his  duty  to  his  fellow-Christians ;  and  his  love 
to  God  will  induce  him  to  speak  and  act,  in  all  companies  and 
on  all  occasions,  for  the  honor  of  God,  and  so  as  to  recom- 
mend Christianity  to  all,  being  constantly  concerned  that  his 
conversation  should  be  as  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

Another  branch  of  practice  by  which  Christians  work  out 
their  own  salvation  consists  in  those  duties  which  more  imme- 
diately respect  their  fellow-men.  These  are  all  implied  in 
loving  their  neighbor  as  themselves,  or  doing  to  others  as  they 
would  that  others  should  do  unto  them,  and  in  expressing  this 
love  in  all  proper  ways,  in  words  and  conduct. 

They  are  careful  and  exact  to  do  justice  to  all  with  whom 
they  have  any  connection,  and  are  conscientiously  concerned 
and  engaged  not  to  injure  any  person  either  in  their  thoughts, 
words,  or  actions,  in  any  of  his  interests,  of  worldly  property  or 
character,  of  body  or  soul;  constantly  watching  against  and 
opposing  the  many  temptations  and  opportunities  to  do  wrong 
to  any  of  those  with  whom  they  have  any  concern,  in  the  least 
instance  or  degree;  taking  diligent  heed  not  to  practise  accord- 
ing to  the  many  false  maxims  and  examples  of  mankind,  but 
making  the  Holy  Scripture  their  constant  rule  in  all  their 
thoughts,  words,  and  dealings  with  others. 

And  they  are  not  only  concerned  and  careful  to  do  justice 
to  all,  but  they  love  mercy,  and  wish  and  endeavor  to  do  all 
the  good  they  can  unto  all  men,  embracing  all  opportunities 
to  promote  their  best  interest,  both  temporal  and  eternal, 
whether  they  be  friends  or  enemies.  They  must  exercise  a 
benevolent  love  to  their  worst  enemies,  whatever  injuries  they 
may  have  received  from  them  ;  they  must  wish  them  well,  do 
good  to  them,  and  pray  for  them  in  particular,  while  they  are 
praying  for  all  men ;  and  if  at  any  time  they  are  convinced 
that  they  have  injured  any  of  their  fellow-men,  they  must  not 


600       HOW    CHRISTIANS    AVORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

rest  till  they  have  made  all  the  reparation  or  restitution  which 
is  in  their  power,  whatever  mortification,  cost,  and  pains  this 
may  require. 

They  must  be  careful  to  speak  and  conduct  towards  all  with 
becoming  decency  and  respect,  whether  superiors,  inferiors,  or 
equals ;  and  to  set  good  examples  before  all,  of  humility,  tem- 
perance, sobriety,  meekness,  and  kindness;  being  ready  to 
every  good  work,  practising  patience,  forgiveness,  and  long- 
suffering,  endeavoring  to  live  in  peace  with  all  men,  as  far  as 
shall  be  in  their  power.  And  to  this  end  they  must  be  careful 
to  practise  all  those  relative  duties  towards  those  who  are  in  the 
nearest  connection  with  them,  whether  husband,  wife,  parents, 
children,  brethren,  sisters,  domestics,  and  particular  relatives  or 
friends ;  and  they  have  particular  and  important  duties  to  do 
towards  their  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  church,  of  the  house- 
hold of  faith,  some  of  which  have  been  mentioned  under  the 
preceding  head.  They  must  live  in  the  exercise  and  expression 
of  benevolence  and  kindness  to  them,  being  ready  and  careful 
to  minister  to  the  relief  and  comfort  of  their  bodies,  by  giving 
them  food  and  raiment,  and  affording  them  any  help  of  which 
any  of  them  shall  stand  in  need,  and  by  exercising  and  mani- 
festing a  particular  concern  and  friendship  for  them,  and 
complacency  in  them,  in  the  exercise  and  practice  of  that 
brotherly  love  which  is  peculiar  to  Christians. 

They  must  be  diligent  and  faithful  in  their  particular  calling 
and  business,  striving  to  improve  their  time  and  talents  to  good 
purpose,  so  as  to  have  a  supply  for  their  own  bodily  wants, 
and  of  theirs  who  depend  in  any  measure  on  them,  and  so  as 
to  be  able  to  give  relief  to  all  who  stand  in  need,  and  so  as  to 
redeem  time  for  religious  exercises,  and  the  improvement  of 
their  minds  in  all  useful  knowledge,  which  in  their  circum- 
stances they  shall  have  opportunity  to  acquire,  diligently  im- 
proving all  their  time  in  something  really  useful  to  tlieinselves 
or  to  others,  or  to  both. 

Third.  Christians  in  working  out  their  own  salvation  must 
persevere  in  this  work,  which  has  been  imperfectly  described, 
to  the  end  of  life. 

Christ  said  to  the  Jews  who  professed  to  believe  on  him, 
"  If  ye  continue  in  my  words,  then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed," 
(John  viii.  31 ;)  which  words  imply  that  none  are  the  true 
disciples  of  Christ  but  those  who  persevere  in  obedience  to 
him  to  the  end  of  life.  They  only  who  overcome,  are  faithful 
unto  death,  and  endure  to  the  end,  shall  be  saved.  (Matt.  x.  22. 
Rev.  ii.  7,  10.)  "  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have 
no  pleasure  in  him,"  (Heb.  x.  38,  39,)  and  he  draws  back  unto 
perdition. 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       601 

Fourth.  The  Christian,  in  working  out  his  own  salvation, 
must  increase  and  make  progress  in  his  labor  and  work,  and 
daily  do  more  and  more.  He  must  make  advances  in  knowl- 
edge and  skill  in  his  business,  and  increase  in  zeal,  engaged- 
ness,  and  activity. 

When  a  Christian  enters  on  his  work,  he  may  be  compared 
to  a  youth  who  begins  to  work  at  some  trade.  ^By  working, 
he  continually  increases  in  skill  and  ability  to  work ;  he  daily 
makes  advances  in  his  work,  and  does  more  and  more  in  a 
day,  till  he  is  perfect  in  his  trade  and  business.  So  the  Chris- 
tian who  is  working  out  his  own  salvation  not  only  continues 
and  perseveres  in  his  work,  but  his  work  increases  on  his  hands, 
and  he  gains  in  skill  and  strength,  in  his  engagedness  and 
activity,  and  does  and  abounds  more  and  more.  Increase  in 
grace  and  holiness  is  as  necessary,  in  order  to  obtain  salvation, 
as  perseverance.  It  is  essential  to  the  nature  of  true  grace  to 
grow  and  increase  in  the  exercise  of  it;  so  that  it  is  as  certain 
that  he  who  does  not  make  any  advances  in  a  holy  life,  and 
increase  in  his  work,  and  abound  more  and  more,  is  not  in  the 
way  to  heaven,  and  has  no  true  grace,  as  it  is  of  him  who  falls 
away  and  wholly  ceases  to  work.  "  The  path  of  the  just  is  as 
the  shining  light,  which  shineth  more  and  more  to  the  perfect 
day."     There  is  no  way  to  heaven  but  this. 

The  apostle  Paul  tells  the  church  at  Philippi,  to  whom  he 
gave  the  direction  in  the  text,  that  in  working  out  his  own 
salvation  he  was  striving  to  press  forward,  and  go  on  in  his 
Christian  course,  till  he  should  arrive  to  perfection,  not  resting 
in  any  past  or  present  attainments.  "  Not  as  though  I  had 
already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect;  but  I  follow 
after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  also  I  am  appre- 
hended of  Christ  Jesus.  Forgetting  the  things  which  are  be- 
hind, and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God 
in  Christ  Jesus."  The  apostles  insist  much  on  this,  as  the 
character  and  duty  of  Christians,  that  they  increase  and  abound 
more  and  more  in  each  Christian  grace  and  in  every  good 
work.  This  will  appear  by  the  following  quotations  :  "  There- 
fore, my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast^  unmovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord."  To  abound  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord  is  to  increase  in  working,  and  to  do  more  and  more. 
In  this  sense  the  word  abound  is  frequently  used,  which  will 
appear  from  the  passages  which  will  now  be  quoted :  "  And 
this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more  in 
knowledge  and  in  all  judgment."  (Phil.  i.  9.)  "  And  the  Lord 
make  you  to  increase  and  abound  in  love  one  toward  another, 
and  toward  all  men.     Furthermore,  then,  we  beseech  you, 

VOL.    III.  '  51 


602       HO\V    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

brethren,  and  exhort  you  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  as  ye  have 
received  of  us  how  ye  ought  to  walk  and  please  God,  so  ye 
would  abound  more  and  more.  Ye  yourselves  are  taught  of 
God  to  love  one  another;  but  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  that 
ye  increase  more  and  more."  (1  Thes.  iii.  12;  iv.  1,  9,  10.) 
"  That  ye  might  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing, 
being  fruitful  in  every  good  work,  and  increasing  in  the  knowl- 
edge" of  God."  (Col.  i.  10.)  »  For  if  these  things  "  —  i.  e.,  the 
Christian  graces  which  he  had  just  mentioned  —  "be  in  you 
and  abound,  they  shall  make  you  that  ye  shall  be  neither 
barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  For  if  ye  do  these  things,  ye  shall  never  fall.  For 
so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly  into 
the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ. 
Beloved,  beware  lest  ye,  being  led  away  with  the  error  of 
the  wicked,  fall  from  your  own  steadfastness  ;  but  grow  in 
grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ."  (2  Pet.  i.  8,  10,  11 ;  iii.  17,  18.)  In  these  words  — 
abounding  in  every  Christian  grace,  and  growing  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  —  is  represented  the  only  sure 
way  to  escape  falling  into  destruction  and  to  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  The  same  truth  was  inculcated  by 
Christ :  "  Every  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  taketh 
away ;  and  every  branch  that  beareth  fruit  he  purgeth  it,  that 
it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit."  According  to  this  there  are 
but  two  sorts  of  visible  Christians,  viz.,  they  who  are  not  real 
Christians,  and,  consequently,  bear  no  fruit;  and  they  who 
are  true  Christians,  and  are  fruitful,  being  constantly  purged 
so  as  to  increase  in  their  fruit,  and  bear  more  fruit  the  longer 
they  live.  And  that  tliis  must  be  so  is  plain  and  certain,  be- 
cause for  a  man  to  work  out  his  own  salvation  is  to  do  that 
by  which  he  is  ripening,  preparing,  and  becoming  more  meet 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  which  he  cannot  do  but  by  grow- 
ing in  grace,  and  becoming  more  and  more  holy,  and  going 
on  towards  perfection  in  holiness;  and  this  is  the  same  with 
abounding  more  and  more  in  every  good  work. 

This  is  the  work  and  life  of  a  Christian,  a  description  of 
which  has  been  now  attempted,  in  order  to  show  what  is  in- 
tended by  his  working  out  his  own  salvation.  This  attempt, 
though  imperfect  and  defective,  will  serve  to  discover  what 
this  work  is,  according  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in  the  most 
essential  part  of  it,  and  that  it  is  indeed  a  very  great  work, 
infinitely  the  greatest,  most  difficult,  and  important  that  any 
man  ever  engaged  in  and  performed. 

Some,  it  may  be,  will  be  ready  to  say,  as  the  disciples  of 
Christ  said  to  their  Lord,  on  a  certain  occasion,  "  Who,  then, 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       603 

can  be  saved?"  If  this  be  the  work  of  a  Christian,  and  the 
only  way  to  work  out  our  own  salvation ;  if  men  must  thus 
deny  all  ungodliness,  and  every  worldly  lust,  and  must  live 
thus  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  the  world  ;  if  they  must 
be  so  strict,  careful,  watchlul,  painful,  and  laborious  in  this  work ; 
if  they  have  to  oppose  and  conquer  such  numerous,  crafty,  and 
powerful  enemies,  and  must  deny  themselves,  and  take  up 
their  cross  daily ;  if  they  can  have  no  respite,  can  never  be 
released  from  this  work,  by  night  or  by  day,  but  must  perse- 
vere in  it  to  the  end  of  life,  —  and  not  only  so,  but  their  work 
increases  on  their  hands  every  day,  so  that  the  longer  they 
work  the  more  is  required,  and  the  more  they  do  the  more 
they  have  to  do,  —  if  this  be  the  case  with  man,  if  this  be  the 
only  way  to  heaven,  who  will  ever  get  there  ?  If  there  be  any 
in  the  way  to  salvation,  surely  they  are  very  few ;  the  most 
are  like  to  miss  of  it  forever.  And  who  can  have  courage  to 
engage  in  such  a  work  as  this  ?  and  how  is  this  consistent 
with  the  words  of  Christ :  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and 
learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart ;  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  to  your  souls  :  for  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden 
is  light"? 

A  full  answer  to  this  is  found  in  the  reply  of  Christ  to  the 
question  which  his  disciples  put  to  him  :  "  Who,  then,  can 
be  saved?"  "This  is,  indeed,  impossible  with  men,  but  not 
with  God  ;  for  with  God  all  things  are  possible."  Though 
man,  in  his  fallen,  depraved  state,  be  altogether  unequal  to 
this  wotk,  and  will  never,  of  himself,  do  any  thing  to  any 
purpose,  yet,  by  the  help  of  God,  by  his  grace  and  assistance, 
he  may  do  all  this,  and  work  out  his  own  salvation,  and  he 
will  find  it  to  be  not  only  possible,  and  that,  by  Christ  strength- 
ening him,  he  can  do  all  these  things,  and  more,  but  the  most 
agreeable  and  pleasant  work  in  which  man  can  be  employed. 
This  is  held  forth  in  the  text,  which  is  to  be  further  explained, 
and  will  be  more  particularly  considered  in  the  sequel. 

But,  before  we  pass  to  this,  several  observations  will  be 
made  with  regard  to  working  out  our  own  salvation,  as  it  has 
been  described,  which  may  prevent  any  misunderstanding,  and 
throw  further  light  on  the  subject. 

I.  By  Christians'  working  out  their  own  salvation  is  not 
meant  that  by  this  they  so  recommend  themselves  to  God, 
that  out  of  regard  to  the  worth  and  merit  of  their  good  works 
they  obtain  an  interest  in  the  divine  promises,  and  a  title  to 
salvation.  The  declarations  of  Scripture  are  directly  contrary 
to  such  a  supposition.  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith, 
and  that  not  of  yourselves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  Not  of 
works ;  for  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus 


604       HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THKIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

unto  good  works.  Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we 
have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Men  are  brought  into  a  state  of  salvation,  and  an  interest  in 
the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  have  a  title  to 
eternal  life,  by  the  first  act  v/hich  unites  them  to  him,  that  is, 
by  the  first  exercise  of  faith  on  him.  They  do  not  earn  or 
merit  salvation  by  their  works,  nor  do  they  aim  at  or  attempt 
this,  or  have  the  least  desire  of  it.  They  are  so  far  from  this, 
that  their  first  holy  exercise  implies  a  sense  of  their  un worthi- 
ness and  ill  desert;  and  they  come  to  Christ  for  salvation  as 
a  free  gift  to  the  infinitely  unworthy  and  ill  deserving,  trusting 
in  his  merit  and  righteousness  to  recommend  them  to  all  that 
favor  and  salvation  which  they  desire  and  seek  after;  and  all 
this  is  expressed  or  implied  in  all  they  do  in  working  out  their 
own  salvation.  They  are  so  far  from  offering  any  thing  of 
their  own  as  the  price  of  their  salvation,  that  all  their  working 
and  exertions  are  implied  in  coming  to  Christ,  and  trusting  in 
him  for  complete  redemption,  as  a  free,  undeserved  gift,  to  be 
obtained  through  him,  without  money  or  price ;  and  all  they 
do  in  working  out  their  own  salvation  consists  essentially  in 
this,  in  coming  to  Christ  for  all,  and  receiving  all  from  him, 
even  strength,  righteousness,  and  salvation,  in  a  sense  of  their 
total  unworthiness  of  the  least  good,  and  desert  of  infinite  evil. 

It  is  of  importance  that  this  point  should  be  viewed  in  this 
scriptural  light,  and  kept  in  mind,  to  prevent  those  dangerous 
mistakes  into  which  many  have  fallen. 

Moreover,  real  Christians  not  only  have  an  interest  in  salva- 
tion by  promise  when  they  begin  to  work  it  out,  but,  if  it  were 
not  so,  all  they  do  in  working  out  their  salvation  is  so  far  from 
meriting  or  deserving  salvation,  or  any  favor,  that  they  con- 
tinually deserve  to  be  excluded  from  it  forever  and  to  perish; 
and  by  all  they  do  they  do  not  become  less  ill  deserving  than 
they  were  before  they  began  to  work,  but  more  so.  All  they 
do  is  so  defiled  with  sin,  is  so  deficient,  and  comes  so  far  short 
of  what  is  their  duty,  that  for  this  they  deserve  to  be  given  up 
to  evil,  and  perish,  and  must  perish,  after  all,  were  it  not  for 
the  merits  of  Christ,  in  whom  they  are  accepted  in  all  their 
holy  exercises  and  works,  and  their  sins  are  pardoned,  and 
through  his  righteousness  they  receive  the  reward  of  eternal 
liie.  This  every  Christian  feels  constantly,  and  acknowledges 
to  be  true  with  regard  to  himself,  while  he  is  with  the  greatest 
care  and  diligence  working  out  his  own  salvation. 

11.  Christians  do  not  work  out  their  own  salvation  in  their 
own  strength,  but  by  the  special  and  constant  assistance  and 
powerful  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  they  are 


HOW    CHRISTIANS    WORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION.       605 

made  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 
Christians  are  in  themselves  altogether  unequal  to  this  work, 
being  nothing  but  weakness  and  insufficiency ;  it  is  infinitely 
too  great  and  arduous  for  them;  they  depend  entirely  and 
constantly  on  the  grace  and  assistance  of  God,  in  order  to  do 
any  thing  effectually  towards  it.  This  is  abundantly  declared 
in  the  Scripture.  Christ  tells  his  disciples,  "  Without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing."  And  he  said  to  the  apostle  Paul,  "  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee ;  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness." Paul,  therefore,  dared  to  say,  "  I  can  do  all  things 
through  Christ,  who  strengtheneth  me.  For  when  I  am  weak, 
then  am  I  strong.  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am : 
and  his  grace,  which  was  bestowed  upon  me,  was  not  in  vain, 
but  I  labored  more  abundantly  than  they  all ;  yet  not  I,  but 
the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me."  According  to  our 
text,  it  is  God  who  worketh  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do  this 
great  work  which  is  before  them.  Without  his  energy,  and 
constant,  effectual  operation  on  their  hearts,  they  would  not 
take  one  step  in  this  work,  or  put  forth  any  act  of  will  towards 
it.  But  this  will  be  more  particularly  considered  in  further 
attending  to  this  subject. 

III.  This  work  is  as  necessary  to  be  done  in  order  to  salva- 
tion as  it  would  be  if  men  obtained  a  title  to  salvation  by  thus 
working,  and  merited  it  by  their  good  works.  Though  men 
are  not  saved  by  or  for  their  holiness,  yet  holiness  is  as  neces- 
sary to  salvation  as  if  they  were  ;  for  deliverance  from  sin,  and 
turning  from  it,  and  the  exercise  of  holiness  is  essential  to  sal- 
vation, as  the  latter  can  have  no  existence  without  the  former. 
It  is  as  necessary  that  men  should  be  holy  in  order  to  salvation 
as  it  would  be  were  they  to  obtain  a  title  to  it  and  merit  it  by 
their  holiness  and  good  works ;  for  it  still  remains  true,  that 
without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord  or  enjoy  salvation. 
But  to  be  holy,  and  exercise  holiness,  is  to  work  out  salvation 
in  the  sense  of  the  text,  and  as  it  has  been  now  described. 

The  moral  inability  of  man  to  exercise  holiness,  and  go  on 
to  perfection  in  holiness  of  himself,  does  not  make  it  in  any 
degree  less  necessary  that  he  should  be  holy  in  order  to  be 
happy,  and,  therefore,  not  the  less  necessary  that  in  order  to 
be  holy  men  should  be  active  and  work ;  for  that  men  should 
live  a  holy  life,  or  be  holy,  without  working,  or  the  exercise  of 
holiness,  is  a  contradiction. 

IV.  Though  men  are  morally  unable  to  work  out  their  own 
salvation  of  themselves,  but  depend  on  God  for  assistance  and 
grace,  by  which  he  worketh  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do  it, 
yet  it  is  not  only  as  necessary  they  should  do  these  works,  but 
they  are  as  much  their  own  works  and  actions  as  if  they  did 

51* 


606       HOW    CHRISTIANS    -SVORK    OUT    THEIR    OWN    SALVATION. 

them  of  themselves,  without  any  assistance,  and  powerful, 
effectual  influence  from  God.  God's  assisting  men  to  do  these 
works  does  not  make  them  the  less  man's  own  exercises  and 
works  than  if  they  did  them  without  any  assistance.  Every 
act  of  any  person's  will  or  choice,  and  all  the  designed  attend- 
ants and  consequences  of  such  a  volition,  are  his  own  exercises 
and  actions  :  and  it  is  impossible  it  should  be  otherwise,  what- 
ever influence?  he  is  the  subject  of  in  order  to  his  thus  willing 
and  acting.  Whatever  a  man  wills,  and  does  in  the  execution 
of  his  will,  are  his  own  exercises  of  will,  and  his  own  actions, 
and  cannot  be  otherwise:  and  to  assert  the  contrary, is  always 
an  untruth  and  a  palpable  contradiction. 

It  would  be  needless  to  make  this  observation,  were  it  not 
that  some  have  been  so  thoughtless  and  absurd,  however 
learned  and  judicious  in  other  matters,  as  to  say,  that  if  God 
worketh  in  men  to  will  and  to  do,  so  that  their  choice  and 
doing  is  the  effect  of  what  God  does  work  in  them,  then  it  is 
Gt)d  who  wills  and  does,  and  not  man  ;  and  if  there  be  any 
virtue  or  goodness  in  what  is  done,  it  is  the  virtue  and  good- 
ness of  God,  and  not  man's.  But  this  is  manifestly  most 
absurd,  and  contrary  to  the  reason  and  common  sense  of  man- 
kind ;  for  they  feel  and  know  that  every  thing  which  men  will 
and  do  is  their  own  choice  and  deed,  and  not  of  any  other, 
and  that  whatever  induced  them  thus  to  will  and  do,  and 
that  it  is  as  much  their  own  act  and  deed  as  if  they  had  done 
it  without  any  such  influence.  And  if  what  they  do  be  right 
and  virtuous,  it  is  as  much  their  own  virtue  and  goodness  as 
it  could  be  if  they  had  done  it  without  any  influence  or 
assistance  from  others. 

Upon  the  whole,  to  conclude  this  head,  it  appears  that 
Christians  have  a  great  work  to  do,  which  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  order  to  be  saved,  in  which  they  must  be  active,  must 
will  and  do  it.  And  this  is  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of 
God,  and  work  out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling. And  this  is  the  work  spoken  of  in  the  text,  a  descrip- 
tion of  which  has  been  attempted  in  the  preceding  discourse ; 
which  may  God  bless  to  the  benefit  of  all  who  shall  give  to  it 
a  proper  attention.     Amen. 


WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  607 


SERMON     III. 

Work  out  your  owii  salvation  -with  fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God  wHch. 
worketh  in  you  both,  to  wiU  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

In  attending  to  these  words,  it  has  been  attempted  to  con- 
sider and  show  what  is  intended  by  Christians'  working  out 
their  own  salvation.  This  has  been  endeavored  in  the  pre- 
ceding discourses.     It  is  now  proposed, — 

II.  To  consider  what  is  meant  by  their  doing  this  "  with 
fear  and  trembling." 

It  is  of  importance  to  observe  here,  and  let  it  be  kept  in 
view,  that  this  passage  of  Scripture  cannot  be  understood,  and 
the  true  sense  of  it  given,  unless  the  real  meaning  of  these 
words  be  properly  ascertained  and  fixed  in  our  minds ;  for 
they  are  really  the  key  by  which  alone  the  meaning  of  the 
whole  passage  is  opened,  and  without  which  the  true  intent 
and  force  of  these  words  of  the  apostle  cannot  be  perceived. 
This,  it  is  expected,  will  be  made  to  appear  before  the  subject 
is  dismissed,  and  is  a  reason  why  these  words  should  be 
examined  with  particular  care  and  attention,  that  the  true 
import  of  them  may  not  be  overlooked,  and  they  be  taken  in 
a  wrong  sense,  but  the  true  meaning  of  them  be  known  and 
fixed. 

The  drift  and  force  of  the  exhortation  of  the  apostle  is  not 
merely  to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  but  has  a  principal 
and  chief  respect  to  the  manner  of  doing  this,  which  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  words,  "  with  fear  and  trembling."  Therefore, 
in  these  words  is  contained  an  essential  part  of  the  exhorta- 
tion ;  and  to  this  part,  which  points  out  the  manner  and  only 
way  in  which  they  could  work  out  their  own  salvation,  the 
following  words  do  wholly  refer,  as  an  argument  to  enforce  it: 
"  For  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do 
of  his  good  pleasure."  This  is  a  reason,  not  merely  why  they 
should  work  out  their  own  salvation,  but  why  they  should  do 
this  with  fear  and  trembling,  as  the  only  way  in  which  it 
could  be  done.  Whatever  men  may  do,  and  however  much 
and  great  pains  and  labor  they  may  take  in  working  out  their 
salvation,  yet,  if  they  do  not  this  with  fear  and  trembling,  they 
will  fail  of  obtaining  salvation.  This  points  out  the  only  way 
to  heaven.  But  this  will  be  more  particularly  considered  and 
illustrated  in  the  prosecution  of  this  subject. 

The  following  particulars  will  serve  to  lead  to  the  true 
meaning  of  fear  and  trembling:  — 

1.  These  words  must  intend  something  which  is  right  and 


608  WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING. 

becoming  all  Christians  at  all  tinfies,  while  they  are  working 
out  their  own  salvation.  It  is  what  is  essential  to  all  truly 
Christian  grace  and  exercises,  and  belongs  to  the  beauty  and 
excellence  of  their  character ;  and,  as  they  cannot  be  real 
Christians  and  live  as  such  without  it,  so  the  more  they  have  of 
it,  the  better  and  more  strong  and  excellent  Christians  they  are. 
If  this  were  not  so,  the  apostle  would  not  have  exhorted  them, 
and,  consequently,  all  Christians,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  ages, 
thus  to  work  out  their  own  salvation.  It  would  be  injurious 
and  absurd  to  suppose  that  he  exhorted  to  those  exercises  and 
that  practice  which  are  not  virtuous  and  excellent,  and  be- 
coming all  Christians,  at  all  times,  as  their  indispensable  duty, 
in  which  they  are  bound  to  excel,  and  cannot  be  practised  to 
excess.  This  observation,  of  the  truth  of  which  none  can 
doubt,  will  help  to  show  what  is  not  intended  by  fear  and 
trembling  here,  viz.,  all  those  exercises  which  are  wrong,  or  are 
a  blemish  and  imperfection  in  the  character  of  a  Christian. 
These  must  all  be  excluded,  and  will  lead  to  the  observations 
following. 

2.  The  apostle  does  not  exhort  Christians  to  work  out  their 
own  salvation  under  the  influence  of  a  servile,  slavish  fear  of 
God,  in  which  no  true  love  is  implied,  but  is  contrary  to  a 
spirit  of  love.  This  is  sometimes  meant  by  fear  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  is  condemned  as  contrary  to  a  Christian  spirit  of 
love  and  true  obedience.  This  apostle  says  to  Christians, 
"Ye  have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear; 
but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry, 
Abba,  Father.  God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear;  but 
of  power,  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind."  (Rom.  viii.  15.  2 
Tim.  i.  7.*)  He,  therefore,  certainly  did  not  exhort  Christians 
to  exercise  such  fear  in  working  out  their  salvation.  The 
apostle  John  says  there  is  no  fear  in  love ;  but  perfect  love 
casteth  out  fear.     He  that  feareth  is  not  made  perfect  in  love. 

3.  By  fear  and  trembling  here  is  not  meant  a  constant, 
trembling  fear  of  falling  away  and  perishing  at  last.  This 
cannot  be  the  meaning,  because  this  is  not  the  duty  of  all 
Christians,  and  cannot  be  considered  as  a  Christian  virtue, 
but  rather  an  imperfection  and  at  least  a  defect  of  grace. 
Christians  are  directed  to  make  their  calling  and  election  sure. 
The  apostle  speaks  of  those  Christians  to  whom  he  gave  the 
exhortation  under  consideration  as  those  of  whom  he  was 
confident  that  God  would  carry  on  the  work  he  had  begun  in 
them  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  how  could  he  direct 

*  The  word  in  the  original,  translated  fear,  (2  Tim.  i.  7,)  is  deilias,  which  is 
not  the  word  commonly  used  for  fear ;  and  the  most  proper  meaning  of  it  is 
toxoardiee. 


WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR   AND    TREMBLING.  609 

them  to  tremble  with  fear  of  perishing,  when  he  at  the  same 
time  had  told  them  he  was  confident  that  Christ  would  save 
them  ?  Why  might  not  they  bje  as  confident  of  their  salvation 
as  he  was  ?  He  speaks  in  the  language  of  assurance  of  his 
own  salvation  in  this  letter.  He  speaks  of  his  own  death  as 
connected  with  his  being  with  Christ;  and  he  says  of  himself, 
with  others,  "  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  taber- 
nacle were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  And  no  doubt 
some,  if  not  many,  of  the  Christians  at  Philippi  had  a  com- 
fortable assurance  of  their  interest  in  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and,  consequently,  that  they  should  be  saved.  It  is  certain 
that  the  apostle  did  not  know  that  this  was  not  true  of 
them.  It  is,  therefore,  certain  that  he  considered  this  exhor- 
tation to  be  applicable  to  the  most  assured  Christian  that  was 
then  on  earth,  or  ever  will  live  in  this  world,  and  pointed  out 
their  duty  as  much  as  of  those  who  were  in  doubt  whether 
they  should  be  saved  or  not.  The  apostle  himself,  and  every 
assured  Christian,  had  as  much  of  this  fear  and  trembling  as 
any  Christian  whatever;  and  it  was  as  much  his  and  their 
duty  and  privilege,  and  essential  to  their  character,  in  which 
they  would  abound  more  and  more  as  they  advanced  in  the 
Christian  life  and  excellent  attainments. 

The  word  fear  is  often  used  in  Scripture  in  a  sense  which 
denotes  that  which  is  a  virtue  and  real  piety,  and  in  this  sense 
are  fear  and  trembling  used;  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  or  to 
fear  God,  commonly  means  the  exercise  of  true  piety.  Of 
this  all  who  read  the  Bible  with  attention  are  sensible. 

From  the  foregoing  observations,  it  evidently  appears,  that 
by  fear  and  trembling  in  the  text  must  be  intended  Christian 
humility^  with  all  the  natural  and  necessary  attendants  of  it, 
consisting  in  a  sense  of  their  own  depravity  and  guilt,  or  ill 
desert,  and  of  their  total  moral  impotence  and  insufficiency  in 
themselves  to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  or  to  will  and  do 
any  thing  towards  it,  with  an  entire  and  constant  dependence 
on  and  trust  in  God  the  Savior  for  pardon  and  acceptance 
through  his  atonement,  and  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  to  give 
them  moral  discerning,  strength,  and  ability  to  work  out  their 
own  salvation,  in  a  sense  of  his  greatness,  majesty,  power,  and 
sovereignty,  who  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and 
whom  he  will  he  hardeneth ;  and  of  their  own  littleness,  vile- 
ness,  and  infinite  unworthiness  of  the  least  favor;  while  they 
view  destruction  —  which  they  deserve,  and  shall  certainly 
fall  into,  unless  they  are  rescued  by  the  mighty  power  and 
sovereign  grace  of  God  —  in  all  the  horrors  and  dreadfulness 
of  it;  and  the  infinite   greatness,  worth,  and  importance   of 


610  WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING. 

that  salvation  which  is  given  by  Christ  to  all  who  believe 
and  obey  him. 

That  all  this  is  implied  in  that  humility  and  faith  which 
is  essential  to  the  character  of  a  Christian,  and  by  which  he 
lives  and  works  out  his  own  salvation,  none  can  doubt  who 
properly  attends  to  the  subject;  and  that  the  whole  of  this  is 
implied  and  expressed  in  the  words  fear  and  trembling,  is 
evident  from  the  use  of  those  words  in  other  places,  and  on 
different  occasions,  and  from  what  follows  in  the  passage  we 
are  upon. 

We  find  these  words  used  three  times,  beside  that  in  the 
text  before  us,  by  this  apostle.  He  says  to  the  Corinthians, 
"  I  was  with  you  in  weakness,  and  in  fear,  and  in  much  trem- 
bling." He  seems  here  to  set  himself  designedly  in  contrast 
with  those  whom  he  calls  false  apostles,  who  appeared  proud 
and  self-sufficient,  and  affected  a  great  parade  and  show  of 
their  own  abilities  and  accomplishments,  and  boasted  great 
things.  On  the  contrary,  when  he  was  with  them,  and  God  did 
great  things  among  them  by  his  ministry,  in  their  conversion, 
he  gloried  not  in  himself,  but  in  the  Lord,  and  labored  among 
them  in  fear  and  much  trembling,  in  a  pressing  sense  of  his 
own  weakness  and  insufficiency  for  the  great  work  in  which 
he  was  engaged ;  that  he  was  nothing,  and  that  God  alone 
could  give  the  increase  and  success  desired.  He  expresses  the 
same  thing  in  the  following  words :  "  Not  that  we  are  suffi- 
cient of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  ourselves ;  but  our 
sufficiency  is  of  God."  When  he  speaks  of  the  Corinthians 
receiving  Titus  with  fear  and  trembling,  the  meaning  is,  that 
they  received  him  in  humility  and  lowliness  of  mind,  in  a 
sense  of  their  own  sinfulness  and  unworthiness,  and  readiness 
to  receive  instruction  from  him,  sensible  of  their  ignorance  and 
need  of  being  taught,  in  opposition  to  self-sufficiency  and 
pride,  undervaluing  and  despising  him. 

This  same  apostle  says  to  servants,  "  Be  obedient  unto  them 
who  are  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and 
trembling."  None  can  reasonably  suppose  that  servants  are 
here  commanded  to  act  from  a  servile,  slavish  fear  of  their 
masters,  doing  all  and  obeying  them  out  of  fear  of  their  rod; 
for  this  is  not  a  commendable  spirit  in  servants.  By  fear  and 
trembling  is  evidently  meant  a  spirit  of  humility  and  submission 
to  the  will  of  their  masters ;  willing  to  take  their  own  proper 
place ;  not  setting  up  for  themselves,  but  feeling  their  depend- 
ence upon  their  masters  for  all  temporal  support,  realizing  the 
evil  consequence  of  a  contrary  spirit  and  conduct,  of  pride  and 
self-sufficiency.  And  in  Romans  xi.  20,  he  uses  the  w^oxd.  fear 
to  denote  a  Christian  virtue,  in  opposition  to  pride  and  self- 


WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  611 

confidence:  "  Well,  because  of  unbelief  they  were  broken  off, 
and  thou  standest  by  faith.     Be  not  high  minded,  but  fear." 

And  that  the  meaning  of  fear  and  trembling  in  the  text 
which  has  been  given  is  the  only  true  meaning,  is  evident 
from  the  words  which  immediately  follow  these :  "  For  it  is 
God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure."  This  is  given  as  the  reason  why  they  should  work 
out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  And  this  is 
a  good  reason  why  they  should  do  this  in  a  humbling  sense 
of  their  own  depravity,  unworthiness,  and  moral  inability  to 
work  out  their  own  salvation,  and  continually  maintain  self- 
diffidence,  in  a  sense  of  the  greatness  of  the  work,  and  their 
own  insufficiency,  and  their  entire  dependence  on  God  for  his 
powerful  influence  on  their  hearts,  in  order  to  their  willing 
and  doing,  and  taking  one  step  in  their  Christian  course.  But 
if  these  words  are  not  taken  in  this  sense,  the  propriety  and 
force  of  the  argument  cannot  be  discerned,  and  is  lost.  But 
this  is  to  be  more  fully  considered  under  another  head. 

Having  given  a  summary  of  the  meaning  of  fear  and  trem- 
bling in  the  text,  in  order  more  fully  to  elucidate  this  point  it 
will  be  proper,  if  not  necessary,  particularly  to  show  what  is 
implied  in  this  general  account,  which  may  be  done  under  the 
following  heads  :  — 

1.  Fear  and  trembling  implies  a  trembling  conviction  and 
sense  of  their  own  weakness,  and  total  insufficiency  in  them- 
selves to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  while  they  have  some 
true  view  of  the  greatness,  difiiculty,  importance,  and  necessi- 
ty of  the  work,  and  that  it  must  be  done  by  them,  being  most 
reasonable,  and  their  indispensable  duty. 

This  self-diffidence  every  Christian  feels  and  constantly  ex- 
ercises in  disclaiming  all  moral  power  and  ability  to  do  any 
thing  towards  his  salvation,  if  left  to  himself,  and  is  necessari- 
ly implied  in  that  humility  denoted  by  fear  and  trembling. 

2.  This  is  attended  with  a  thorough  conviction  and  sensible 
acknowledgment  that  this  their  weakness  and  utter  insuf- 
ficiency is  wholly  their  own  fault ;  that  it  consists  in  their 
moral  depravity,  and  the  inexcusable  wickedness  of  their  own 
hearts.  This  conviction  and  view  of  themselves  strikes  death 
to  their  pride,  and  is  an  essential  ingredient  in  Christian  hu- 
mility, and  in  fear  arfd  trembling. 

3.  Consequently,  fear  and  trembling  includes  in  it  an  affect- 
ing conviction  of  their  own  unworthiness  and  ill  desert ;  that 
they  are  utterly  unworthy  of  salvation,  and  of  that  assistance 
and  grace  by  which  alone  they  can  obtain  it,  and  deserve  to 
be  left  of  God  to  fall  into  destruction,  which  would  certainly 
be  the  case,  in  a  moment,  if  God  should  deal  with  them  ac- 


612  WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING. 

cording  to  their  folly  and  crimes,  and  withhold  from  them  that 
assistance  and  sovereign  goodness  which  they  are  constantly 
forfeiting,  and  pour  that  evil  on  their  heads  which  they  are 
provoking  him  to  inflict;  that  they  are,  therefore,  in  the  hands 
of  a  sovereign  God,  who  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.  This  view  and  sense 
of  the  truth  will  not  be  in  the  least  removed  or  abated  by  the 
strongest  well-grounded  hope  and  confidence  that  this  sov- 
ereign God  has  had  mercy  on  them ;  and,  therefore,  does  not 
in  any  degree  exclude  the  humility,  the  fear  and  trembling, 
implied  in  a  real  and  constant  conviction  of  these  truths. 

4.  Fear  and  trembling  implies  a  fearful  and  trembling  sense 
of  the  infinite  and  amazing  dreadfulness  of  endless  destruc- 
tion, which  the  Christian  considers  and  dreads  as  his  certain 
portion,  if  he  should  have  his  desert,  and  not  be  rescued  and 
saved  from  it  by  the  constant  exertion  of  the  mighty  power 
and  sovereign  grace  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  strongest  Christian 
hope  and  assurance  that  they  have  a  divine  promise  that  they 
shall  escape  this  evil,  and  be  kept  by  the  mighty  power  of 
Christ  through  faith  unto  salvation,  will  not  remove  or  abate 
this  awful  view  of  destruction  ;  but  they  who  have  the  highest 
well-grounded  confidence  of  their  salvation,  will  have  the 
greatest  sense  of  the  evil  implied  in  perishing  forever. 

5.  A  belief  and  sense  of  the  infinite  greatness,  power,  and 
terrible  majesty  of  God,  and  a  correspondent  conviction  of 
their  own  littleness  and  nothingness  in  his  sight,  impressing 
an  awe  of  his  displeasure  and  dread  of  sinning  against  him, 
is  implied  in  fear  and  trembling.  This  sense  and  feeling  will 
increase  as  Christians  grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
Jesus  Christ,  whatever  evidence  and  assurance  they  may  have 
of  the  favor  and  love  of  God. 

6.  Tile  Christian  works  out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling  while  he  constantly  views  and  feels  the  dangers 
with  which  he  is  surrounded,  by  which  he  is  liable  to  fall  and 
perish,  and  against  which  he  has  no  strength  and  security  in 
himself;  that  he  is  always  surrounded  by  innumerable  hosts 
of  invisible,  subtle,  potent  enemies,  who  are  seeking  his  eter- 
nal ruin,  and  doing  all  they  can  to  prevent  his  salvation,  while 
he  has  no  more  power  or  skill  in  himself  to  resist  or  escape 
their  rage,  and  destruction  by  them,  tllan  an  infant  has  to 
conquer  a  roaring  lion. 

This  is  the  representation  which  Christ  himself  gives  of  the 
state  and  circumstances  of  a  Christian  while  in  this  world. 
He  speaks  to  every  Christian  of  which  his  church  is  composed 
in  the  following  language :  "  Look  unto  me  from  the  lions' 
dens,  from  the  mountains  of  the  leopards."    (Solomon's  Song, 


WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  613 

iv.  8.)  He  speaks  to  his  church,  and  to  every  believer  of  which 
it  is  composed,  as  dwelling  among  lions,  even  in  their  dens, 
continually  exposed  to  be  devoured  by  them  ;  and  in  the  midst 
of  leopards,  beasts  of  prey,  who  conceal  themselves  in  thickets 
and  on  trees,  from  which  they  suddenly  dart  themselves,  and 
seize  and  devour  men  as  they  pass ;  denoting  that  they  are  in 
such  a  dangerous  state  in  this  world,  and  continually  exposed  to 
be  destroyed  by  powerful,  invisible  enemies,  which  is  fully  repre- 
sented by  persons  lying  in  the  dens  of  hungry,  devouring  lions, 
or  on  mountains  haunted  by  leopards,  every  moment  exposed 
to  be  destroyed  by  them,  having  nothing  to  defend  themselves 
from  them.  He  calls  to  them  to  look  to  him  as  their  only 
refuge  and  deliverer,  letting  them  know  their  dangerous,  help- 
less situation,  and  that  in  him  alone  their  help  is  found. 

7.  This  is  attended  with  a  constant  and  increasing  view  and 
sense  of  the  dangerous  enemies  which  they  have  within  them- 
selves, consisting  in  their  moral  depravity  and  evil  propensities ; 
that  if  Christ  should  leave  them  to  themselves,  they  should 
immediately  turn  his  enemies,  and  join  with  the  devil,  and  be 
on  his  side  and  espouse  his  cause  in  opposition  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  finally  fall  with  him  into  eternal  destruction. 

8.  Fear  and  trembling  is  not  only  consistent  with,  but  neces- 
sarily implies,  a  humble  and  constant  dependence  on  Jesus 
Christ  alone  for  grace  and  strength  to  follow  him  through  all 
these  dangers  and  difficulties,  leaning  on  his  almighty  arm, 
his  infinite  wisdom,  goodness,  truth,  and  faithfulness,  for  par- 
don of  their  sins  through  his  atonement,  and  deliverance  from 
moral  depravity ;  for  power  and  skill  to  restrain  and  conquer 
their  own  lusts,  and  escape  everlasting  destruction ;  trusting 
in  him  to  work  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do  all  that  is  im- 
plied in  their  working  out  their  own  salvation.  This,  and  all 
which  has  been  mentioned  in  the  above  particulars,  is  implied 
in  fear  and  trembling  —  in  that  humility  and  saving  faith  by 
which  the  Christian  lives  and  works  out  his  own  salvation. 
By  this  he  becomes  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of 
his  might.  His  grace  is  sufficient  for  him,  and  by  it  he 
overcomes. 

9.  As  every  Christian  is  coming  vastly  short  in  his  duty  in 
every  thing  which  he  does,  and  is  constantly  guilty  of  much 
sin,  so  he  is  in  danger  of  unthought-of  deviations  from  his 
duty,  and  by  temptations  to  fall  into  particular  gross  sins, 
against  which  he  has  no  security  but  the  promises  of  the 
covenant  of  grace ;  and  to  escape  these  he  depends  upon  the 
sovereign  will  of  God,  who  worketh  in  him  both  to  will  and  to 
do  of  his  own  good  pleasure.  This  is  the  ground  of  a  constant 
dread  of  every  sin  of  omission  or  commission,  and  continual 

VOL.  III.  52 


614  WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING. 

care  and  watching  against  all  sin,  and  fear  of  displeasing  God, 
so  as  to  leave  him  to  commit  some  particular  sin,  in  a  trembling 
sense  of  his  own  weakness,  and  the  certainty  that  he  shall  not 
aVoid  it  unless  God  be  pleased  to  prevent  it,  by  working  in 
him  to  will  and  do  the  contrary.  With  this  view  and  feeling 
the  Christian  ought  daily  to  walk  while  he  is  working  out  his 
own  salvation,  however  assured  he  may  be  that  he  shall  not 
fall  away  finally  and  miss  of  salvation ;  and  this  is  implied  in 
the  fear  and  trembling  recommended  in  the  text. 

10.  While  Christians  are  working  out  their  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling,  they  are  sensible  and  acknowledge 
that  by  their  own  works,  and  the  utmost  they  can  do,  they 
do  not  in  the  least  recommend  themselves  to  God  as  deserving 
any  favor  on  this  account,  but  are  infinitely  ill  deserving  as 
sinners,  for  which  all  they  do  makes  not  the  least  atonement; 
and  so  much  depravity  and  sin  constantly  attends  them  in  all 
they  will  and  do,  that  they  are  continually  adding  to  their 
guilt  and  ill  desert.  They,  therefore,  utterly  renounce  all 
dependence  on  their  own  righteousness,  and  trust  wholly  to 
the  atonement  and  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  pardon 
of  their  sins  and  for  all  the  favor  and  blessings  they  want  and 
hope  for,  willing  and  rejoicing  to  receive  all  this  purely  for  the 
sake  of  his  atonement  and  worthiness,  while  they  are  con- 
sidered in  themselves  as  infinitely  unworthy  of  the  least  favor, 
and  deserving  of  endless  destruction.  This  view  of  them- 
selves, and  cordial  acknowledgment  of  it,  is  agreeably  to  truth, 
and  essential  to  Christian  humility,  while  they  live  by  faith  on 
Jesus  Christ,  and  "  walk  humbly  with  God."  Thus  the  Chris- 
tian saith,  (it  is  the  constant  language  of  his  heart,)  "  In  the 
Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength ; "  strength  to  work 
out  my  own  salvation,  and  righteousness  to  recommend  me 
to  pardon  and  the  favor  of  God.  In  the  exercise  of  this  fear 
and  trembling  the  apostle  Paul  renounced  all  dependence  on 
his  own  works,  desiring  to  be  found  in  Christ,  not  having  any 
righteousness  of  his  own,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith 
of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith.  Such 
only  are  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit  who  tremble  at  the 
word  of  God;  constantly  flying  for  refuge  from  the  wrath  to 
come,  and  laying  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  them  in  Christ 
Jesus.  He  who  trusts  to  himself  that  he  is  righteous,  and 
attempts  to  recommend  himself  to  God,  or  thinks  he  deserveth 
any  favor  for  his  own  works,  exerciseth  that  pride  and  self- 
confidence  which  excludes  fear  and  trembling,  and  is  contrary 
to  living  by  faith. 

What  has  been  now  said,  in  the  description  of  fear  and 
trembling,  may  be  in  a  partial  and  imperfect  manner  repre- 
sented by  the  following  similitude:  — 


WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  615 

A  person  finds  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  hideous  forest  and 
thicket,  in  which  are  impassable  mountains,  swamps,  and 
dreadful  precipices  ;  he  himself  is  sick  unto  death,  and  not  able 
to  walk  a  step,  while  he  sees  liimself  surrounded  by  hungry  lions 
and  innumerable  other  beasts  of  prey  threatening  to  rush  upon 
him  and  devour  him.  And,  on  consideration,  he  finds  he  has 
brought  himself  into  this  dangerous,  wretched  state  by  his  own 
inexcusable  folly,  and  that  his  disorders  and  weakness  are  really 
his  own  fault;  that  he  has  greatly  abused  the  lord  and  owner 
of  the  territory  in  which  he  is,  and  all  things  in  it;  that  he 
might,  therefore,  justly  in  his  displeasure  deliver  him  to  the 
tormentors,  and  to  be  miserably  devoured  by  the  fierce  beasts 
of  prey.  While  he  is  in  this  situation,  giv'ing  himself  up  to 
despair  as  wholly  lost  and  doomed  to  inevitable  destruction, 
the  great  personage,  the  owner  of  the  forest  and  all  that  it 
contained,  appears  to  him,  and  tells  him,  that  though  he  had 
abused  him,  and  had  ruined  himself  by  his  own  inexcusable 
folly,  yet  he  was  ready  to  forgive  him,  and  was  able  and  dis- 
posed to  cure  him  of  his  disorders,  and  give  him  strength 
to  walk,  and  to  extricate  him  from  the  evil  and  dangerous 
state  in  which  he  was,  and  make  him  happy  in  the  most 
agreeable  circumstances.  Upon  this  he  stretched  out  his  hand 
and  bid  him  take  hold  of  it,  and  he  should  be  safely  led  out 
of  this  horrid  place.  The  poor  man  felt  an  invisible  energy 
accompanying  this  proposal  and  command,  by  which  he  was 
strengthened  and  willing  to  lay  fast  hold  of  the  nobleman's 
hand,  and  to  trust  wholly  in  him  as  his  deliverer;  pleased  to 
be  wholly  dependent  on  him  for  all  the  good  he  wanted,  hav- 
ing in  himself  not  the  least  sufficiency  to  help  himself,  and 
being  utterly  unworthy  of  the  favor  now  offered  to  him,  firmly 
believing  the  truth  and  ability  of  his  patron  to  accomplish  all 
he  had  promised. 

The  nobleman  told  him,  that  though  he  depended  wholly 
on  him  for  all  his  strength  to  act  and  walk,  and  every  volition 
to  exert  himself  in  order  to  escape  the  dangers  of  this  wilder- 
ness, resist  the  wild  beasts,  pass  through  the  swamps  and 
miry  marshes,  ascend  the  steep  mountains,  and  stand  firm  on 
the  brink  and  side  of  dreadful  precipices,  and  arrive  to  the 
promised  land,  yet  he  must  be  active,  and  work  out  this  his 
salvation  in  the  exercise  of  his  own  care  and  constant  labor ; 
he  must  resist  the  beasts  of  prey,  and  by  his  watchfulness  and 
exertions  in  every  step  of  the  dangerous,  difficult  way  he  had 
to  go,  he  must  persevere  in  his  work,  and  in  obedience  to  him, 
till  he  should  bring  him  to  a  place  of  safety  and  rest;  that,  in 
a  sense  of  his  own  insufficiency  to  will  or  do  any  thing  in  this 
travel  in  order  to  his  salvation,  and  his  total  and  constant 


616  WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING. 

dependence  on  his  patron  for  disposition  and  strength  to  will 
and  do,  and  persevere  in  the  work  before  him,  he  must  keep 
his  eye  upon  him,  and  place  all  his  trust  in  him,  keeping  hold 
of  his  hand,  or  of  a  strong  cord  which  should  be  fastened 
to  himself,  his  patron,  and  always  be  in  his  reach  when  his 
hand  was  not.  And  in  this  way  he  should  be  carried  safely 
on  to  the  land  of  promise. 

Thus  the  poor  man  set  out,  confiding  in  the  power,  truth, 
and  faithfulness  of  his  patron,  and  disclaiming  all  confidence 
in  himself,  continuing  his  course  through  hideous  swamps,  and 
over  high  and  steep  mountains,  and  on  the  edge  of  dreadful 
precipices,  when,  by  losing  his  hold,  or  taking  one  wrong  step, 
he  should  fall  and  be  dashed  in  pieces  in  a  moment,  unless 
prevented  by  his  guide,  making  use  of  the  strong  cord  when 
his  patron  was  out  of  sight.  Thus  he  went  on  in  the  exercise 
of  constant  care  and  watchfulness,  and  incessant  exertion, 
taking  heed  that  every  step  of  his  should  be  according  to  the 
direction  of  his  leader,  and  found  that  the  efforts  which  he 
made  to  resist  the  wild  beasts  of  prey,  which  continually 
sought  to  devour  him,  were  effectual  to  make  them  fly  from 
him,  and  thus  he  kept  himself  from  their  deadly  touch.  And 
the  farther  he  went,  he  became  more  afraid  of  displeasing  his 
guide,  who  was  so  worthy,  kind,  and  condescending,  and  in- 
creased in  a  sense  of  his  danger  if  left  to  himself,  and  the 
certainty  and  dreadfulness  of  the  destruction  which  would  in 
that  case  await  him,  confiding  altogether  in  the  power,  wis- 
dom, truth,  and  goodness  of  his  patron.  He  sometimes  in  a 
measure  forgot  his  own  weakness  and  constant  dependence 
on  his  patron,  and  attempted  to  stand  and  walk  in  his  own 
strength ;  but  this  always  cost  him  dear,  for,  when  he  thought 
thus  to  stand,  he  certainly  fell,  and  it  proved  the  occasion  of 
shame  and  humiliation.  And  he  made  many  wrong  steps, 
which  he  knew  was  offensive  to  his  patron,  which  filled  him 
with  shame  and  pain,  and  served  to  increase  self-abhorrence 
and  diffidence  in  himself.  Thus  he  went  on  through  all  the 
difficulties  and  dangers  of  the  way,  in  fear  and  trembling, 
increasing  in  self-diffidence  and  humility,  and  in  his  humble 
dependence  and  trust  in  his  able,  faithful  patron,  till  he  came 
to  the  promised  land  of  safety  and  rest,  where  he  is  to  live  a 
happy  and  endless  life. 

From  the  whole  which  has  been  said  in  the  description  of 
fear  and  trembling,  the  result  is,  that  it  consists  most  essen- 
tially in  Christian  humility  and  poverty  of  spirit,  in  a  sense  of 
their  own  weakness  and  insufficiency  to  work  out  their  own 
salvation,  and  a  humble  trust  in  God  for  his  constant,  power- 
ful energy  on   their  hearts,  disposing  and  prompting   them 


WHAT    IS    MEANT    BY    FEAR    AND    TREMBLING.  617 

effectually  to  will  and  to  do  all  that  they  must  will  and  do  in 
order  to  be  saved,  together  with  all  those  views  and  exercises 
which  are  implied  in  this,  according  to  the  various  objects  in 
their  sight,  and  the  circumstances  with  which  they  are  attended. 
This  is  essential  to  the  life  of  all  Christians,  atid  to  the  exer- 
cise of  every  Christian  grace;  and  the  more  they  have  of  this, 
the  stronger  and  more  beautiful  Christians  they  are.  Thus 
the  apostle  Paul  worked  out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling,  while  confident  and  assured  of  the  favor  and  love 
of  God  and  of  eternal  life.  He  felt  himself  to  be  nothing  but 
weakness,  while  he  was  strong  in  the  Lord;  to  be  less  than 
the  least  of  all  saints,  and  that  he  was  nothing,  and  the  chief 
of  sinners.  He  felt  that  all  his  sufficiency  was  of  God;  that 
by  his  grace  working  effectually  in  him  he  was  what  he  was, 
and  did  what  he  did  in  the  Christian  life.  Well  might  he  then 
recommend  this  fear  and  trembling  to  all  Christians,  as  essen- 
tial to  their  character,  without  which  all  their  attempts  to 
work  out  their  own  salvation  would  be  in  vain,  and  end  in  sad 
disappointment. 

And  if  this  apostle  did  work  out  his  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling,  then  the  greatest  and  most  assured  Christian  does 
not  get  beyond  or  above  this ;  but  the  more  he  has  of  it,  the 
greater  is  his  strength  and  excellence.  This  has  been  in  some 
measure  kept  in  view  through  the  whole  of  this  description  of 
fear  and  trembling;  and  the  Christian  who  has  not  an  assur- 
ance of  his  salvation,  but  at  times  is  in  great  doubts  whether 
he  be  a  real  Christian  or  not,  though  he  may  differ  in  some 
respects  in  his  views,  feelings,  and  exercises  from  the  assured 
Christian,  yet  he  is  working  out  his  own  salvation  with  this 
same  fear  and  trembling  which  the  assured  Christian  has, 
while  he  is  attended  with  many  doubts  and  fears,  which  per- 
fect or  a  more  strong  love  would  cast  out. 

From  the  foregoing  view  of  fear  and  trembling,  it  appears 
to  consist  in  a  disposition  and  exercises  of  heart  which  are  in 
direct  opposition  to  a  self-righteous  spirit,  or  a  trust  and  con- 
fidence in  ourselves,  relying  on  our  own  strength  and  sufficiency 
to  work  out  our  own  salvation,  depending  on  this  as  a  right- 
eousness to  recommend  to  divine  favor.  They  who  are  of  this 
disposition  depend  on  themselves  to  move  first,  and  set  them- 
selves to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  hoping  for  all  the  favor 
they  think  they  want,  as  the  consequence  of  their  thus  work- 
ing, and  out  of  regard  to  it.  This  evil  disposition,  which  is 
contrary  to  the  nature  of  Christian  exercises,  our  Savior  sets 
in  a  clear  and  striking  light  in  the  character  and  conduct  of 
the  Pharisee,  who  applies  to  God  in  a  confidence  in  his  own 
sufficiency  and  righteousness,  trusting  in  himself  that  he  is 
52* 


618  GOD    WORKING    IN    MEN    TO    WILL    AND    TO    DO. 

righteous,  valuing  himself  on  his  own  supposed  good  character, 
and  despising  others.  The  publican  is  an  instance  of  humble 
fear  and  trembling. 


SERMON   IV. 

Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God  which, 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  —  Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

III.  The  next  thing  proposed  is,  to  consider  and  show  what 
is  the  meaning  of  God's  working  in  Christians  both  to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  This  may  be  done  by  attend- 
ing to  the  following  particulars  :  — 

1.  Working  in  men  to  will  and  to  do  must  intend  more 
than  affording  them  external  means  and  advantages,  and 
urging  them  by  external  motives  to  will  and  to  do ;  for  this 
cannot  with  any  propriety  be  called  working  in  them,  when 
all  that  is  supposed  to  be  done  is  done  out  of  them  and  exter- 
nally. Some  have  supposed  this  to  be  all  the  meaning  of 
these  words ;  not  because  it  is  the  natural  meaning  of  them, 
for  it  is  a  forced  meaning,  but  because  they  think  man  needs 
no  more  to  be  done  for  him  in  orcu-r  to  his  working  out  his 
own  salvation,  and  that  any  thing  more,  and  an  immediate 
operation  on  the  will,  is  inconsistent  with  his  liberty,  and  his 
actions  being  his  own,  or  really  virtuous.  But  the  absurdity 
of  all  this  has  been  often  fully  shown,  and  will  appear  before 
this  subject  is  finished.  It  is  sufficient  to  observe  here,  that  to 
say  that  an  operation  on  the  human  heart  which  effectually 
influences  men  to  will  and  to  do  —  that  is,  to  act  voluntarily, 
and  consequently  freely — is  inconsistent  with  their  acting  vol- 
untarily, and  willing  and  doing  any  thing  in  the  exercise  of 
all  the  liberty  which  can  in  nature  exist  or  be  conceived  of,  is 
inconsistent  with  human  liberty,  is  as  flat  and  palpable  a  con- 
tradiction as  can  be  made.  If  to  work  in  men  so  as  effectually 
to  prevent  their  willing  and  doing  in  any  particular  instance 
be  inconsistent  with  their  having  or  exercising  any  freedom  in 
that  instance,  then  working  in  them  so  as  effectually  to  make 
them  will  and  do  in  that  instance,  or  any  other,  is  to  promote 
their  liberty,  and  cause  them  to  ad  inrly;  and  to  say  that 
what  men  do  voluntarily  is  not  in  all  cases  their  own  act  and 
deed,  is  to  say  that  men  are  not  capable  of  doing  any  thing 
which  is  their  own  act;  for  they  can  do  nothing  but  what 
they  do  voluntarily,  and  the  stronger  and  the  more  forcibly  the 


GOD    WORKING    IN    MEN    TO    WILL    AND    TO    DO.  619 

motives  are  impressed  on  their  minds  to  induce  them  to  will 
and  act,  the  more  freely  they  act,  and  the  more  sensibly  are 
their  choice  and  actions  their  own,  and  the  more  virtuous  they 
are,  if  agreeable  to  the  truth. 

2.  This  does  not  mean  any  divine  operation  on  man,  which 
respects  his  willing  and  doing,  of  which  willing  and  doing  is 
not  the  certain  consequence,  and  which,  therefore,  is  consistent 
with  his  not  willing  and  doing.  For  any  divine  operation  in 
man,  of  which  his  willing  and  doing  is  not  the  effect,  is  not 
working  in  him  to  will  and  to  do,  because,  notwithstanding 
such  operation,  he  is  left  short  of  willing  and  doing.  To 
work  in  men  to  will  and  to  do,  is  to  do  that  which  is  effectual 
to  produce  the  will  and  the  deed,  so  that  there  is  a  certain 
connection  between  the  former  and  the  latter.  And  this  is 
the  import  of  the  original  word  here  translated  ivorketh.  It 
signifies  to  operate  with  energy,  and  effectually  to  accomplish 
the  end,  and  produce  the  willing  and  doing. 

That  working  in  men  to  will  which  leaves  them  short  of 
willing,  is  the  same  with  working  in  them  to  will  if  they  will, 
which  is  talking  most  absurdly.  Men  are  always  able  to  will, 
if  they  will,  and  need  no  special  assistance  or  influence  on 
them  to  will  what  they  will,  or  if  they  will,  which  is  the  same. 
If  men  are  willing,  or  do  will,  they  have  no  need  of  any  opera- 
tion or  assistance  to  make  them  willing;  for  this  they  have 
already  by  the  supposition,  for  they  at  all  times  can  will,  if  they 
will.  There  can,  therefore,  be  no  such  operation  ;  and  any 
supposed  assistance  or  working  in  them  which  leaves  them 
not  actually  willing  or  doing,  is  not  working  in  them  to  will 
and  to  do. 

3.  God  worketh  in  Christians  to  will  and  to  do,  by  giving 
them  the  powerful  influences  of  his  Spirit,  without  which  they 
would  neither  will  nor  do  those  things  by  which  they  work 
out  their  own  salvation,  and  which  are  effectual  to  cause  them 
to  will  and  do  them,  there  being  a  certain  and  infallible  con- 
nection of  one  with  the  other. 

Men  are  naturally,  while  wholly  destitute  of  such  influ- 
ences, not  only  entirely  destitute  of  ajl  inclination  to  every 
thing  that  is  truly  virtuous  and  holy,  but  their  hearts  or  wiffs 
are  obstinately  set  in  them  to  do  evil,  and  they  run  swiftly  on 
with  all  their  hearts  towards  destruction,  and  they  go  on  in 
this  course  until  God  changes  their  hearts  by  taking  away  the 
heart  6f  stone,  the  obstinaie,  rebellious  heart,  and  giving  them 
a  new  heart,  a  humble,  obedient  heart,  and  thus  makes  them 
willing  to  obey  him  in  the  day  of  his  power,  or  by  his  om- 
nipotent energy  on  their  hearts.  And  when  he  has  begun 
this  great  and  good  work  in  any  whom  he  pleases,  he  carries  it 


620      GOD  WORKING  IN  MEN  TO  WILL  AND  TO  DO. 

Oil  until  the  day  of  Christ,  and  takes  care  constantly  to  grant 
them  that  assistance  and  those  influences  by  which  he  thor- 
oughly and  effectually  worketh  in  them  both  to  will  and  to  do 
all  those  things  whereby  they  work  out  their  own  salvation, 
and  are  prepared  to  dwell  with  Jesus  Christ  in  his  kingdom 
forever.  They  receive  the  spirit  of  Christ  when  they  first  be- 
come Christians,  to  b6  in  and  dwell  with  them  forever,  by 
whom  they  are  led,  and  who  is  the  Author  of  every  holy  exer- 
cise of  heart  which  they  have,  and  of  all  the  good  works  they 
do,  by  which  they  go  on  in  the  way  to  heaven,  and  until  they 
are  made  perfectly  holy.  They  being  interested  in  the  promises 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  their  salvation  is  made  sure,  and 
God  is  engaged  by  promise  never  to  leave  them  or  forsake 
them,  but  to  lead  them  safely  on  to  glory,  and  that  he  will 
keep  them  by  his  mighty  power,  through  their  faith,  by  which 
they  shall  work  out  their  own  salvation. 

That  God  thus  works  in  all  true  Christians  to  will  and  to 
do  all  they  will  and  do  in  working  out  their  own  salvation, 
and  that  they  are  thus  w^iolly  dependent  on  him  for  every 
right  motion  and  choice  of  heart,  and  for  every  good  thing 
they  do,  is  not  only  plainly  asserted  in  the  words  of  the  text, 
—  which  cannot  be  understood  in  any  other  sense  than  that 
which  has  been  given  of  them,  without  straining  and  forcing 
them  to  speak  an  unnatural  sense,  —  but  is  abundantly  con- 
firmed by  innumerable  other  passages  of  Scripture,  which 
speak  the  same  language  and  assert  the  same  thing,  too 
many  to  be  rehearsed  here,  and  of  which  the  careful,  intelligent 
reader  of  the  Bible  cannot  be  ignorant.  And  this  is  expressly 
or  implicitly  acknowledged  by  all  Christians  in  their  prayers, 
however  some  professing  Christians  may  in  their  speculations, 
and  even  in  the  feelings  and  tenor  of  the  exercises  of  their 
hearts,  contradict  it. 

4.  There  appears  to  be  some  intended  difference  between 
willing  and  doing,  when  it  is  said,  God  worketh  in  Christians 
botli  to  will  and  to  do.  Strictly  speaking,  men  are  active  in 
nothing  but  in  the  exercise  of  their  will,  or  in  willing,  and, 
therefore,  do  nothing  else ;  yet  the  effects  and  consequences  of 
the  exertions  of  their  willing,  which  by  divine  constitution  are 
connected  with  their  acts  of  will,  and  their  voluntary  exertions, 
they  are  said  to  do  or  to  be  done  by  them,  and  are  considered 
as  in  some  sense  distinct  from  their  volitions ;  so  that,  when 
their  will  is  carried  into  full  execution,  they  may  be  said  to  do 
what  they  willed,  and  so  both  to  will  and  to  do.  And  when 
any  thing  is  willed,  determined,  or  chosen,  w^hich  will  cannot 
be  immediately  put  into  execution,  but  the  act  or  event  willed  is 
future,  and  at  a  distance,  —  when  such  a  choice  is  executed  and 


GOD    WORKING    IN    MEN    TO    WILL    AND    TO    DO.  621 

effected,  the  person  thus  wilKng  has  both  willed  and  done  the 
action  or  event.  Thus,  when  a  man  wills  and  determines  to 
attend  public  worship  devoutly  the  next  Sabbath,  or  to  visit  one 
of  his  neighbors  and  to  give  him  some  salutary  advice  and 
exhortation,  or  to  give  something  to  the  poor,  he  wills  those 
things ;  but  they  are  not  yet  done  till,  by  a  course  of  acts  of  will, 
they  actually  take  place  and  are  effected,  and  then  he  hath  both 
willed  and  done  them.  These  observations  may  serve  to  show 
the  propriety  of  the  distinction  in  the  words  before  us  between 
willing  and  doing,  and  what  the  distinction  imports.  The 
apostle  makes  this  same  distinction  more  than  once.  He  says, 
"  To  will  is  present  with  me ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which 
is  good,  I  find  not."  (Rom,  vii.  18.)  He  found  a  strong  desire 
and  inclination  to  do  many  good  things,  and  was  hearty  in 
willing  them ;  but  when  he  came  to  put  what  he  willed  into 
actual  execution,  he  failed  of  coming  up  fully  to  what  he 
willed,  and  felt  the  necessity  that  God  should  work  in  him  both 
to  will  and  to  do  ;  and  that,  when  he  faithfully  executed  his 
own  will,  it  was  owing  to  the  effectual  grace  of  God  working 
in  him  not  only  to  will,  but  to  do  it.  He,  writing  to  the  Co- 
rinthians respecting  a  collection  for  the  poor,  says  to  them, 
"  Now,  therefore,  perform  the  doing  of  it ;  that  as  there  was  a 
readiness  to  will,  so  there  may  be  a  performance  also."  (2 
Cor.  viii.  11.) 

5.  The  words  which  are  added,  "  of  his  good  pleasure," 
remain  yet  to  be  explained.  The  meaning  appears  to  be,  that 
God  worketh  in  men  to  will  and  to  do  as  it  pleases  him,  in 
the  exercise  of  his  sovereign  goodness,  who  hath  mercy  on 
whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth. 
In  the  beginning  of  this  work,  he  chooses  whom  he  will  to  be 
the  subjects  of  it,  not  being  under  obligation  to  any,  who  are 
all  wholly  gone  out  of  the  way,  their  hearts  being  set  against 
God  and  every  thing  which  has  the  nature  of  holiness.  God 
waits  not  to  have  them  turn  and  will  that  which  is  right,  for 
this  they  would  never  do  if  left  to  themselves,  whatever  means 
are  used  and  motives  set  before  them  to  persuade  them  to  it. 
He  first  begins,  and  gives  them  a  new  heart,  and  creates  them 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  and  works  in  them  to  will 
and  to  do.  Thus,  not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  they 
had  done,  (for  they  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  altogether 
rebellious,)  but  according  to  his  mercy,  he  saved  them,  by  the 
washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
and  being  thus  made  willing  by  the  powerful  operation  of 
God  on  their  hearts,  according  to  his  sovereign  good  pleasure, 
and  having  begun  the  good  work,  and  they  being  brought  into 
that  covenant,  according  to  which  he  has  in  his  sovereign  grace 


622  GOD    WORKING    IN    MEN    TO    WILL    AND    TO    DO. 

promised  to  carry  it  on  till  it  is  completed,  he  worketh  in  them 
to  will  and  to  do,  so  as  to  insure  and  perfect  their  salvation,  in 
that  manner  and  degree  which  is  according  to  his  sovereign 
good  pleasure. 

The  next  thing  proposed  is,  — 

IV.  To  consider  the  force  of  the  argument  by  which  the 
foregoing  exhortation  is  urged,  or  the  reason  given  why  Chris- 
tians should  work  out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trem- 
bling, introduced  and  denoted  by  the  particle /oy.  "  For  it  is 
God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure," 

In  order  to  set  this  in  the  true  and  best  .light,  what  has  been 
before  observed  must  be  kept  in  view,  viz.,  that  the  design  and 
force  of  the  exhortation  is  not  merely  or  chiefly  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation,  but  to  do  this  in  a  particular  way  and 
manner,  with  fear  and  trembling.  They  began  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation  when  the  apostle  was  with  them,  and  had 
made  great  progress  in  this  work  after  he  had  left  them  ;  and 
he  now  enjoins  upon  them  to  go  on  in  this  great  work,  with 
fear  and  trembling,  with  self-difRdence,  in  a  sense  of  their  own 
insufficiency,  and  their  constant  absolute  dependence  on  God ; 
with  humility  and  poverty  of  spirit,  and  all  those  feelings  and 
exercises  which  are  implied  in  this. 

And  he  urges  this  upon  them  with  this  good  and  forcible 
reason,  "  For  it  is  God  wliich  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  You  have  no  sufficiency  of  your 
own  to  do  or  will  any  thing  right,  but  are  always  and  entirely 
dependent  on  God,  who  is  the  Author  of  every  choice  and 
exertion  by  which  you  are  enabled  to  proceed  in  the  Christian 
life,  who  is  above  all  control,  and  acts  as  an  absolute  Sovereign 
in  this  matter ;  and  without  him  you  can  do  nothing. 

The  sense  of  this  passage  of  Scripture,  as  it  has  been  now 
explained,  may  be  expressed  in  the  following  words :  — 

"  My  beloved  fellow-Christians,  as  you  gave  up  yourselves 
to  Jesus  Christ,  to  obey  and  serve  him,  when  I  was  present 
with  you,  and  have  since,  in  my  absence,  continued  and  made 
great  advances  in  your  obedience,  I  earnestly  exhort  you  to  go 
on  in  your  Christian  course  with  that  holy  fear  and  trembling 
which  implies  a  sense  of  the  difficulty,  greatness,  and  impor- 
tance of  the  work  which  is  before  you,  keeping  in  view  the 
eternal  happiness  and  glory  which  the  gospel  sets  before  you, 
and  the  infinite  evil  that  a-waits  all  who  come  short,  together 
with  a  constant  conviction  of  your  utter  moral  weakness  and 
insufficiency  for  this  work,  and  your  entire  and  constant 
dependence  on  God  for  his  powerful  assistance  in  every  step 
you  take ;  so  that,  if  he  should  leave  you  to  yourselves,  you 


GOD    WORKING    IN    MEN    TO    WILL    AND    TO    DO.  623 

would  certainly  come  short  and  perish.  Be  on  your  constant 
guard  against  the  least  confidence  and  trust  in  yourselves ;  be 
not  high  minded,  because  you  have  been  thus  distinguished, 
and  have  continued  in  your  obedience,  making  advances  in 
the  Christian  life,  but  fear;  be  humble,  and,  in  a  constant 
sense  of  your  own  utter  insufficiency  to  do  the  least  thing 
towards  your  salvation  of  yourselves,  put  your  whole  trust  in 
God  at  all  times  for  his  constant  influence  and  help,  by  which 
alone  you  will  be  able  to  work  out  your  own  salvation. 

"  This  caution  and  exhortation  to  go  on  in  your  Christian 
course  with  this  fear  and  trembling  is  proper  and  important,  as 
it  is  natural  to  man  to  be  high  minded  and  to  trust  in  him- 
self; and  even  Christians,  through  their  remaining  depravity, 
are  in  danger  of  a  criminal  degree  of  this,  in  a  measure,  for- 
getting their  own  weakness  and  insufficiency  and  dependence 
on  God,  by  which  they  greatly  injure  themselves,  and  because 
thus  to  fear  and  tremble  is  essential  to  the  life  of  a  Christian, 
and  cannot  be  exercised  in  too  high  a  degree ;  for  the  more  a 
Christian  has  of  this,  the  more  beautiful  and  perfect  is  his 
character,  and  he  will  work  out  his  own  salvation  with  greater 
safety,  strength,  and  activity;  and  there  is  the  highest  reason 
and  the  strongest  motive  for  Christians  to  Vv^ork  out  their  own 
salvation  with  this  fear  and  trembling  to  which  I  am  exhorting, 
because  they  are  in  fact  thus  entirely  and  always  dependent 
on  God  for  every  right  motion  of  their  heart  and  all  they  do 
in  this  work,  as  all  they  will  and  do  is  the  eftect  of  a  divine 
operation  effectually  working  in  them  both  to  will  and  do,  and 
that  of  his  sovereign  good  pleasure,  and  entirely  independent 
of  them." 

The  apostle  exhorts  them  to  maintain  a  humbling  sense  of 
their  depravity,  moral  weakness,  and  utter  insufficiency  to  the 
work  in  which  they  were  engaged  and  had  made  considerable 
progress,  and  their  entire  dependence  on  God  for  every  right 
exercise  of  heart;  to  remember  and  realize  that  all  they  had 
attained  to  in  the  Christian  life  was  to  be  ascribed  to  God 
working  in  them  to  will  and  to  do  it,  and  that  they  were  still 
thus  dependent  on  him  for  every  right  choice  and  action ;  so 
that,  if  God  should  cease  to  work  in  them  both  to  wnll  and  to 
do,  they  would  immediately  fall  away  and  perish. 

The  apostle  was  sensible  of  the  disposition  in  man  to  over- 
look his  dependence  on  God  every  moment  for  every  right 
motion  of  his  will,  and  to  trust  in  himself,  relying  on  his  own 
strength  and  sufficiency;  and  he  knew  how  iatal  this  disposi- 
tion was  to  the  souls  of  men,  if  it  were  not  counteracted  and 
mortified,  and  that  Christians  had  need  to  be  reminded  of  this. 
He  therefore  warns  the  Christians  at  Philippi  to  avoid  this  fatal 


624  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

rock,  and  at  the  same  time  marks  out  the  only  true  and  safe 
way  to  heaven.  And  happy  would  it  have  been  for  many 
professing  Christians  since,  if  they  had  attended  to,  understood 
and  conformed  to,  this  apostolic  direction  ;  who,  contrary  to 
this,  have  thought  themselves  something  when  they  were 
nothing,  and  have  attempted  to  work  out  their  own  salvation 
in  their  own  strength,  relying  on  their  own  sufficiency  to  will 
and  to  do,  and  consequently  never  have  willed  and  done  any 
thing  right  and  really  holy,  but  have  perished  in  the  foolish, 
presumptuous  attempt. 

Having  attempted  to  explain  these  words  under  the  four 
preceding  heads,  as  was   proposed,  we  come  now, — 

V.    To  improve  the  subject  to  practical  purposes. 

I.  From  the  explanation  which  has  been  given  of  this 
important  passage  of  Scripture,  if  it  be  in  any  measure  just 
and  r/ight,  we  learn  that  many  have  overlooked  the  true  sense 
of  these  words,  have  put  a  wrong  meaning  upon  them,  and 
perverted  them  to  very  bad  purposes. 

They  are  such  who  assert  man's  sufficiency  to  work  out  his 
own  salvation  of  himself,  without  any  distinguishing,  effica- 
cious influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  effectually  working  in. 
him  both  to  will  and  to  do  all  that  is  necessary  for  his  salva- 
tion, and  deny  that  man  is  absolutely  and  wholly  dependent 
on  God  in  working  out  his  own  salvation,  but  hold  that  he 
who  does  this  distinguishes  himself  independent  of  God's 
assistance,  of  which  he  has  no  more  than  they  have  who  do 
not  work  out  their  own  salvation.  They  who  espouse  and 
contend  for  this  sentiment  are  wont  to  appeal  to  the  first 
words  of  the  passage  before  us,  —  "work  out  your  own  sal- 
vation," —  and  think  this  sufficiently  supports  their  cause,  and 
asserts  that  men  are  of  themselves  lo  work  out  their  own  sal- 
vation, independent  of  any  internal  divine  influence  on  their 
hearts  efTectually  to  will  and  to  do.  At  the  same  time  they 
wholly  overlook  the  following  words,  or,  if  they  are  urged 
against  them,  they  put  an  unnatural  and  forced  meaning  upon 
them,  which  has  been  shown  cannot  be  the  meaning,  in  the 
foregoing  explanation. 

Thus  this  text  is  wholly  perverted  to  support  and  establish 
a  doctrine  which  has  a  most  pernicious  and  destructive 
tendency,  is  contrary  to  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture,  and 
directly  contrary  to  this  very  text,  taken  together  and  rightly 
understood  ;  which,  it  is  thought,  clearly  appears  from  the 
foregoing  explanation.  This  is  a  most  dangerous  and  de- 
structive perversion  of  Scripture  ;  for  every  one  who  believes 
in  his  heart  he  is  so  sufficient  to  work  out  his  own  salvation, 
and  to  distinguish  himself  from  those  who  neglect  to  do  this, 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  625 

without  any  distinguishing  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
working  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do,  and  thinks  he  is  thus 
by  his  own  self-sufficiency  actually  working  out  his  own  sal- 
vation, is  deceiving  himself,  and  trusting  in  man,  and  making 
flesh  his  arm.  He  is,  therefore,  accursed,  and  will  sink  into 
destruction.  How  lamentable  that  such  doctrine  should  be 
advocated  by  any  —  yea,  by  so  many  I  How  unhappy  that 
such  multitudes  should,  through  the  moral  blindness,  selfish- 
ness, and  pride  of  their  hearts,  be  led  astray  by  these  false 
teachers!  Surely  the  blind  are  leading  the  blind,  and  they 
both  will  fall  into  the  ditch  of  endless  destruction. 

There  have  been  those  who  have  understood  these  words 
as  a  direction  to  unrenewed  sinners  to  begin  and  work  out 
their  own  salvation,  enforced  with  a  strong  encouragement, 
if  not  a  promise,  that  if  they  thus  set  out  in  earnest,  and  do 
what  is  called  their  part,  God  will  give  them  all  needed  assist- 
ance to  go  on  so  as  to  obtain  salvation,  or  do  his  part.  This 
they  understand  by  his  working  in  them  both  to  will  and  to 
do.  Thus,  according  to  them,  God  waits  to  have  them  set 
out  and  begin  to  will  and  to  do,  and  then  he  sets  in  to  assist 
them  to  go  on.  It  is  sufficient  to  show  every  considerate  per- 
son, surely,  that  to  put  such  a  meaning  on  these  words  is 
wholly  to  pervert  them,  only  to  mention  it.  The  words  are 
spoken  to  Christians,  in  whom  God  had  already  begun  a 
good  work,  by  working  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  and  who 
had  made  great  progress  in  the  Christian  life.  And  what  he 
teaches  them  is  their  own  insufficiency  to  will  and  to  do,  and 
that  they  did  not  begin  in  this  work  till  God  first  wrought  in 
them  both  to  will  and  to  do,  nor  go  one  step  without  his  effi- 
cacious agency  on  their  hearts ;  and,  therefore,  they  ought  to 
maintain  a  humbling  sense  of  this  on  their  minds,  and  put 
their  whole  trust  in  God,  who  only  can  work  in  them  to  will 
and  to  do  that  by  which  they  must  work  out  their  own  salva- 
tion. To  apply  these  words  to  sinners,  to  encourage  them  to 
a  proud  conceit  of  their  own  moral  strength  and  sufficiency, 
and  to  trust  in  themselves  to  work  out  their  own  salvation, 
is  as  direct  and  gross  a  perversion  of  them  as  can  well  be 
imagined. 

There  are  others,  who,  though  they  have  rightly  considered 
the  exhortation  in  the  text  to  be  addressed  to  Christians,  yet 
have  mistaken  the  proper  meaning  and  force  of  the  exhorta- 
tion of  fear  and  trembling,  and  of  the  reason  given  by  which 
the  exhortation  is  urged,  and,  therefore,  have  overlooked  the 
true  sense  of  the  text,  and  really  perverted  it.  Without  at- 
te^iding  to  the  true,  or  any  precise  and  determinate,  meaning 
of  fear  and  trembling,  they  consider  the  exhortation  to  Chris- 
voL.  III.  53 


626  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

tians  to  work  out  their  own  salvation  as  directing  them  to  do 
what  they  call  their  part,  which  they  are  to  perform  without 
taking  any  notice  of  the  manner  in  which  they  are  exhorted 
to  do  it;  and,  consequently,  represent  God's  working  in  them 
to  will  and  to  do  rather  as  the  consequence  of  their  working, 
in  which  he  will  assist  them  in  their  endeavors  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation ;  so  that  the  meaning  of  these  words, 
according  to  them,  is  this  :  Work  out  your  own  salvation  ;  do 
your  part;  for  then,  and  on  this  condition,  God  will  do  his 
part,  and  work  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do. 

He  who  has  attended  to  and  understood  the  explanation  of 
these  words,  which  has  been  attempted  in  the  preceding  dis- 
courses, and  approves  of  it,  must  be  sensible  that  the  above 
representation  of  the  meaning  of  the  text  wholly  overlooks  the 
true  design  and  force  of  it,  and  is  a  total  perversion  of  it,  and 
may  justly  be  said  to  "darken  counsel  by  words  without 
knowledge." 

On  the  whole,  it  appears  that  they  who  attend  only  to  the 
first  part  of  the  passage,  .which  has  been  explained,  as  exhort- 
ing men  to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  without  bringing 
into  view  the  following  words,  —  not  attending  to  the  words 
"  fear  and  trembling,"  as  expressing  the  manner  in  which  this 
work  is  to  be  done,  or  giving  a  wrong  sense  to  them,  —  have 
not  given  the  true  import  and  force  of  the  exhortation,  and 
have  not  improved  it  to  promote  the  purpose  designed  by  it, 
and  many  have  in  this  way  perverted  it  to  establish  delusion 
and  falsehood;  and  that  they  also  who  have  attended  to  the 
last  words,  —  "  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will 
and  to  do,"  —  without  attending  to  their  connection  with  the 
foregoing  exhortation,  and  the  true  meaning  of  fear  and  trem- 
bling, and  the  force  of  the  reason  and  argument  from  thence 
expressed  in  the  particle  /or,  have,  at  best,  not  given  the  true 
and  important  meaning  of  the  whole  passage,  and  have  over- 
looked the  design  and  force  of  it,  and  the  most  interesting 
and  practical  truths  contained  in  it,  if  they  have  not  improved 
it  to  promote  error  and  delusion. 

In  short,  this  text  cannot  be  understood,  unless  it  be  consid- 
ered in  the  connection  of  each  part  of  it,  and  in  the  true 
meaning  of  every  expression  and  word  contained  in  it.  Bat 
when  this  is  done  with  proper  care  and  judgment,  it  will  be 
found  to  be  clear,  easy,  consistent,  and  harmonious,  and  to 
exhibit  true  religion  both  in  theory  and  practice,  and  the  real 
character  of  a  Christian,  as  distinguished  from  all  counterfeits. 

In  this  view,  the  preceding  particular  explanation  has  been 
attempted,  and  is  to  be  yet  further  improved. 

II.  From  this  passage  of  Scripture,  as  it  has  been  explained, 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  627 

several  doctrines  are  expressed  or  implied,  and  the  objections 
which  have  been  made  to  them  appear  to  be  wholly  without 
foundation,  and  very  unreasonable.  Some  of  these  will  be 
particularly  mentioned  and  considered. 

1.  As  God  is  here  said  to  produce  every  good  volition  and 
exercise  in  the  Christian  by  which  he  works  out  his  own  sal- 
vation, it  has  been  objected,  that  according  to  this  the  work  is 
all  done  by  God,  and  not  by  the  Christian,  which  renders  the 
text,  taken  together,  wholly  inconsistent  and  absurd;  as  if  it 
were  said,  "  Work  out  your  own  salvation ;  but  at  the  same 
time  remember  that  you  can  do  nothing,  and  really  have  noth- 
ing to  do  ;  for  it  is  God  who  must  do  all,  by  producing  the 
will  and  the  deed." 

The  mere  mentioning  of  this  objection  is  sufficient  to  ex- 
pose the  unreasonableness  and  absurdity  of  it.  If  God  works 
in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  then  they  both  will  and  do,  and  this 
is  as  much  their  own  will  and  deed,  as  much  their  own  exer- 
tion and  work,  as  it  could  be  were  there  no  previous  exertion 
of  God,  as  necessary  in  order  to  their  thus  willing  and  doing. 
Christians  do  nothing  in  working  out  their  own  salvation  till 
they  begin  to  will  and  act ;  and  when  they  do  this,  it  is  as 
much  their  own  act  and  deed  as  in  the  nature  of  things  any 
thing  that  is  willed  and  done  can  be,  whatever  God  may  do 
in  working  in  them  thus  to  will  and  to  do.  The  latter  is  the 
work  of  God,  and  not  theirs;  the  former  is  as  much  their  own 
exertion  and  work  as  if  God  did  nothing  in  them,  and  is  en- 
tirely distinct  from  what  God  does.  Their  own  exertions, 
their  willing  and  doing  in  working  out  their  own  salvation, 
are  as  necessary  as  if  they  were  independent  of  God,  and  he 
did  not  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do ;  and,  therefore,  this 
is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  will  and  work,  but  sit  still 
and  do  nothing,  but  is  a  good  reason  why  they  should  work, 
and  do  what  they  do  with  fear  and  trembling,  not  trusting  in 
themselves,  but  in  God  alone,  to  enable  them  to  go  through 
and  perfect  this  work. 

2.  This  doctrine  of  absolute  dependence  on  God  for  every 
volition  and  exertion  in  working  out  our  own  salvation,  which 
is  implied  and  asserted  in  the  explanation  which  has  been 
given  of  this  text,  has  been  represented  and  objected  to  as  a 
very  discouraging  doctrine,  tending  to  lead  persons  to  sit  still 
and  not  attempt  to  do  any  thing  towards  their  salvation. 

It  is  granted  that  the  view  of  the  text  which  has  been  given 
does  tend  to  discourage  persons  from  attempting  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation  in  their  own  strength  and  sufficiency,  in- 
dependent of  God  and  his  effectual  operation  on  their  hearts 
to  will  and  to  do,  and  will  effectually  do  it  where  it  has  its 


628  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

proper  influence  on  the  hearts  of  men.  But  this  affords  no 
real  ground  of  objection  to  the  doctrine,  but  is  rather  in  favor 
of  it.  It  is  necessary  that  men  should  be  discouraged  from 
working  out  their  salvation  in  this  way,  and  relinquish  it,  in 
order  to  their  being  saved ;  and  the  sooner  and  more  thor- 
oughly they  are  discouraged,  the  better.  Such  discourage- 
ment is,  indeed,  given  in  the  text,  and  in  a  vast  number  of 
other  passages  in  the  Bible,  being  rightly  understood ;  for  men 
are  every  where  in  Scripture  represented  as  wholly  dependent 
on  God  for  the  effectual  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  order 
to  do  that  which  is  necessary  to  be  done  by  them  for  their 
salvation. 

But  to  him  who  feels  his  own  moral  depravity  and  utter 
insufficiency  to  will  and  do  any  thing  by  which  he  may  be 
saved  without  the  powerful  operations  of  God  to  work  in  him 
to  will  to  do  it,  this  doctrine  will  open  the  only  ground  of 
hope  and  encouragement  to  do  or  attempt  to  do  any  thing. 
If  a  child  or  any  person  were  called  to  do  some  great  thing, 
to  which  he  knew  he  was  wholly  unequal,  being  utterly  insuf- 
ficient to  such  a  work  of  himself,  he  would  not  have  any  cour- 
age to  attempt  it  until  he  knew  that  one  stood  by  him  who 
was  able  and  promised  to  give  him  all  necessary  assistance, 
if  he  would  rely  wholly  on  him  for  it ;  but  this  would  give  him 
sufficient  encouragement  to  engage  in  the  work  with  hope  of 
success,  and  would  be  the  only  ground  of  encouragement 
and  hope. 

Jesus  Christ  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Without  me  ye  can  do 
nothing."  Surely  he  did  not  say  this  to  discourage  them  and 
lead  them  to  sit  still  and  do  nothing,  but  to  encourage  them 
to  trust  in  him,  and  to  engage  in  the  work  assigned  to  them 
with  alacrity,  courage,  and  hope.  The  apostle  Paul  knew  that 
he  was  what  he  was  by  the  grace  of  God  working  mightily 
and  effectually  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do ;  that  he  had  no 
sufficiency  of  himself  for  any  good  thing,  but  that  all  his 
sufficiency  was  of  God ;  that  without  the  powerful  assistance 
of  Christ  he  could  do  nothing.  Did  this  discourage  him  from 
attempting  to  do  any  thing?  No;  directly  the  contrary:  from 
this  he  took  his  sole  encouragement,  and  \t''as  animated  to 
pursue  his  work  with  activity  and  diligence,  and  labored  more 
than  all  tiie  other  apostles,  knowing  that,  through  Christ  who 
strengthened  him,  he  could  do  all  things. 

Thus  it  appears,  not  only  that  the  objection  under  consid- 
eration is  altogether  without  any  ground  or  reason,  but  that  it 
is  made  against  a  passage  of  Scripture  which,  according  to 
the  explanation  which  has  been  given,  affords  the  only  ground 
of  hope  to  sinners,  and  gives  sufficient  and  the  only  encourage- 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  629 

ment  to  work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling, 
and  which  does  contain  a  complete  answer  to  the  objection, 
and  that  it  is  as  direct,  great,  and  mischievous  a  perversion 
and  abuse  of  the  text  as  can  be  imagined.  Let  it,  therefore, 
be  rejected  by  all  with  abhorrence,  and  silenced  forever. 

3.  The  objection  which  has  been  made  that  this  doctrine  of 
man's  dependence  on  the  powerful  operation  of  God  for  every 
virtuous  and  holy  act  of  Vidll,  so  that  it  is  really  produced  by 
him,  and  could  not  exist  did  not  God  work  in  him  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  is  inconsistent  with  human  liberty,  and  makes 
man  a  mere  machine,  who  is  acted  upon  in  all  he  wills  and 
does,  is  really  answered  and  refuted  in  the  words  themselves, 
as  they  have  been  explained. 

Human  liberty  consists  in  willing  and  doing,  or  in  acting 
voluntarily.  To  act  freely,  and  to  act  voluntarily,  are  synony- 
mous terms,  meaning  the  same  thing,  and  it  is  impossible  to 
exercise  or  conceive  of  any  other  real  liberty  than  this.  All 
the  liberty  of  any  moral  agent  consists  in  acting  voluntarily. 
There  is  no  other  liberty  in  nature  possible.  Therefore,  lib- 
erty does  not  consist  in  any  thing  which  takes  place  before 
the  actual  exertion  of  willing;  man  does  not,  he  cannot,  exer- 
cise freedom  antecedent  to  his  acting  voluntarily,  or  when  he 
ceases  to  will  and  to  do.  Therefore,  when  God  worketh  in 
men  to  will  and  do  what  otherwise  they  would  not  will  and 
do,  their  liberty  is  so  far  from  being  obstructed  by  this,  that  it 
is  promoted,  and  the  consequence  is,  their  actually  willing  and 
doing,  and,  consequently,  exercising  all  the  liberty  of  which 
any  creature  is  or  can  be  made  capable.  How  groundless 
and  unreasonable,  then,  is  this  objection !  It  amounts  to  this, 
that  man  cannot  be  free  in  that  which  is  the  only  exercise  of 
liberty,  because  he  never  would  have  acted  thus  freely  in  that 
instance  did  not  God,  by  working  in  him,  induce  him  to  exer- 
cise all  the  freedom  of  which  he  is  capable  in  actually  willing 
and  doing. 

It  is  evident  that  many  puzzle  and  bewilder  themselves 
about  human  liberty,  and  think  many  facts  and  doctrines  con- 
tained in  the  Bible  to  be  inconsistent  with  liberty,  or  at  least 
confess  themselves  unable  to  conceive  how  they  can  be  con- 
sistent with  it,  because  they  have  never  attended  so  much  to 
the  nature  of  human  liberty  as  to  be  able  to  determine  pre- 
cisely in  what  it  does  consist,  and  imagine  it  consists  in  some- 
thing of  which  they  have  no  clear  and  consistent  idea,  and 
which  is  really  impossible,  and  never  did  or  can  exist.  If  they 
would  carefully  consult  their  own  feelings  to  find  what  that  is 
which  they  feel  and  exercise  when  they  consider  themselves 
perfectly  free  in  what  they  do,  they  would  find  that  when  they 

Do 


630  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

acted  voluntarily  or  of  choice,  and  did  as  they  pleased,  they 
acted  freely,  and  possessed  all  the  freedom  they  could  desire 
or  have  any  consistent  conception  of;  therefore,  that  though 
God  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  or  whatever  were  the 
previous  cause  of  their  willing  and  acting  as  they  did,  yet 
they  were  perfectly  free  in  their  choice  and  conduct ;  and  that 
it  was  as  much  their  own  will  and  choice  as  it  could  be  on 
any  supposition  whatever,  and  they  themselves  wholly  ac- 
countable for   what  they  will  and  do. 

This  jjassage,  therefore,  is  so  far  from  being  inconsistent 
with  human  liberty,  that  it  supposes  and  asserts  that  persons 
have  and  exercise  all  the  liberty  in  the  practice  of  morality  and 
religion  of  which  man  is  capable,  and  carries  in  the  face  of  it 
a  complete  confutation  of  the  objection  under  consideration ; 
and  let  no  one  imagine  he  has  not  all  the  freedom  that  is 
desirable,  or  that,  in  the  nature  of  things,  can  be  possessed  and 
exercised,  while  he  feels  and  knows  that  he  acts  voluntarily, 
or  does  as  he  pleases.  And  if  he  does  both  will  and  do  that 
which  is  really  working  out  his  own  salvation,  let  him  ascribe 
it  wholly  to  the  sovereign  mercy  of  God,  who  worketh  in  him 
thus  to  will  and  do  of  his  good  pleasure. 


SERMON   V. 

Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God  which, 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  —  Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

Having  considered  three  objections  to  the  text,  as  it  has 
been  explained  in  the  preceding  discourse,  it  is  proposed  in 
this  to  answer  several  more. 

4.  It  is  objected,  that  if  men  are  not  and  cannot  be  willing 
to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  unless  God  first  work  in  them 
to  will  and  to  do,  then  they  cannot  be  blamable  for  not 
willing  and  doing. 

To  this  objection  there  is  a  full  solution  and  answer  in  the 
words  to  which  it  is  made.  If  none  do  any  thing  towards 
working  out  their  own  salvation  till  God  worketh  in  them  to 
will  and  to  do,  this  supposes  that  previous  to  this  they  are 
unwilling,  and  that  this  unwillingness,  or  opposition  of  will  to 
this  work,  is  the  only  difficulty  in  the  way  of  their  willing  and 
doing  that  by  which  they  would  be  saved ;  and  were  it  not 
for  this  opposition  of  heart  or  will  to  do  that  by  which  they 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OP    THE    SUBJECT.  631 

would  be  saved,  there  would  be  no  need  that  God  should  thus 
work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  which  otherwise  they  volun- 
tarily refuse  to  do.  It  is,  therefore,  supposed  that  they  act 
freely  in  willing  and  doing  that  which  is  contrary  to  working 
out  their  salvation,  and,  consequently,  that  they  are  wholly 
blamable  for  voluntarily  opposing  that  by  which  they  might 
be  saved,  if  they  were  willing  to  comply  with  it.  For  we  have 
no  other  idea  of  blame  or  crime  but  that  which  consists  in 
willing  and  doing  that  which  is  contrary  to  reason  and  truth 
and  the  command  of  God,  when  nothing  is  in  the  way  of 
willing  and  doing  that  which  is  right  and  wise  but  their 
unwillingness  or  opposition  of  heart  or  will  to  that  which  is 
required  ;  and  the  greater  the  degree  of  opposition  of  will  there 
is  to  that  which  is  right  and  good,  and  the  stronger  the  pro- 
pensity and  inclination  is  to  the  contrary,  the  more  blamable 
and  guilty  such  persons  appear  to  be  to  all  who  exercise  reason 
or  common  sense;  and  the  more  fixed  in  the  strong  and  con- 
stant opposition  of  their  hearts  they  are  to  that  which  is  wise 
and  good,  and  propensity  to  do  evil,  so  that  they  are  perfectly 
deaf  to  all  warnings  and  counsels  and  motives  which  can  be 
set  before  them  to  choose  and  do  that  which  is  right  and  would 
make  them  happy,  and  they  cannot  be  reclaimed  by  any  means 
whatsoever  that  can  be  used  with  them,  the  more  odious  and 
blameworthy  they  are,  according  to  the  feelings,  judgment, 
and  consent  of  all. 

If  a  child  be  disobedient  to  his  parents,  and  wholly  refuses 
to  pay  any  respect  to  them  and  regard  their  dictates,  the  more 
obstinate  he  appears  to  be  and  fixed  in  his  rebellion,  under  all 
possible  means  used  with  him  to  reclaim  him,  —  this  is  so  far 
from  being  any  excuse,  or  extenuation  of  his  blame  or  guilt, 
that  it  is  considered  by  all,  unless  it  be  those  who  are  joined 
with  him  in  the  same  disobedience,  as  an  aggravation  of  his 
guilt.  Who  ever  thought  of  excusing  a  murderer  or  thief,  and 
could  think  him  blameless  or  the  less  guilty,  because  he  had 
long  persisted  in  his  evil  practices,  and  could  not  be  reclaimed 
by  all  the  persuasions,  threats,  and  severe  corrections  which 
could  be  administered  or  devised?  Can  any  one  avoid  think- 
ing him  the  worse,  and  more  odious  and  blamable,  the  more 
his  inclination  to  murder  or  steal  is  proved  to  be  fixed  and 
incurable  ?  It  is  possible  the  person  himself  might  plead  this 
as  an  excuse;  and  his  companions  in  the  same  wickedness 
might  join  with  him  in  exculpating  him  and  themselves, 
because  they  had  such  a  strong  inclination  to  persist  in  their 
practices,  and  were  so  utterly  averse  from  a  reformation,  and 
so  far  from  having  the  least  disposition  to  any  thing  of  the 
kind,  that  they  could  not  be  willing  to  hearken  to  advice  and 


632  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

reform.  But  all  who  are  not  murderers  nor  thieves  would 
consider  their  attempting  to  make  such  an  excuse  as  an 
aggravation  of  their  crimes,  and  an  increase  of  their  blame- 
worthiness. 

This  is  applicable  to  the  case  before  us,  and  may  serve  to 
illustrate  it.  Mankind  are  all  rebels  against  God,  and  are  sunk 
into  total  moral  depravity,  in  which  they  have  a  strong,  fixed, 
and  incurable  propensity  to  rebellion,  and  a  proportionable 
aversion  from  God  and  holiness,  and  will  not  come  to  Christ 
that  they  might  be  saved.  This  depravity  and  obstinacy  is 
incurable,  —  that  is,  by  any  thing  in  themselves,  —  for  their 
whole  inclination,  and  all  their  exertions,  are  an  opposition  to 
turning  to  God,  or  a  willingness  to  embrace  the  gospel;  it  is 
incurable  by  any  means  that  can  be  used  with  them,  or  by 
any  thing  that  can  be  done  for  them,  by  any  creature.  The 
removal  of  this  rebellious  disposition  is  infinitely  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  power  of  men  or  angels.  He  only  can  do  it 
who  created  all  things,  and  is  able  to  take  away  the  hard, 
obstinate  heart,  and  give  an  obedient  one,  and  work  in  men  to 
will  and  to  do  that  to  which  they  are  naturally  totally  averse. 
Nothing  is  or  can  be  in  the  way  to  prevent  any  persons  being 
willing  to  embrace  the  gospel  but  a  contrary  will  and  choice, 
and  aversion  of  heart  from  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel ;  and 
if  this  be  not  in  the  nature  of  it  criminal,  and  blamable  in 
every  degree  of  it,  then  there  can  be  no  such  thing  as  blame 
or  crime  in  nature ;  and  if  the  strong  degree  of  opposition  to 
that  which  is  right  and  wise,  and  inclination  to  the  contrary, 
so  as  to  render  it  incurable,  in  the  sense  explained,  does  render 
the  person  innocent,  then  every  the  least  degree  of  such  incli- 
nation is  not  criminal ;  so  there  can  be  no  such  thing  as  sin, 
unless  men  can  sin  without  any  inclination  to  sin,  and  may 
incur  blame  when  they  exercise  no  choice. 

All  this  is  supposed  and  really  asserted  in  our  text:  that 
mankind  are  wholly  and  obstinately  opposed  in  their  will  and 
affections  to  that  which  is  right  and  wise  and  necessary  to  be 
chosen  in  order  to  their  salvation ;  that  this  is  the  only  and  all 
the  difficulty  in  the  way  of  their  salvation,  and  is  the  only 
thing  which  renders  it  necessary  that  God  should  powerfully 
work  in  them  to  make  them  willing  to  embrace  the  way  of 
salvation.  The  objection  is,  therefore,  contrary  to  the  passage 
objected  to,  which,  when  considered,  contains  a  full  answer  to 
it;  and  the  objection  appears  not  to  have  the  least  foundation, 
if  all  blame  consists  wholly  in  having  no  inclination  to  that 
which  is  right  and  wise,  and  in  an  inclination  and  choice  which 
is  directly  contrary;  and  nothing  can  be  blamable  but  this; 
and  the  stronger  this  inclination  is,  and  the  more  there  is  of  it, 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  633 

the  more  and  greater  is  the  guilt;  which  no  man  can  deny, 
without  contradicting  the  plainest  dictates  of  reason  and  com- 
mon sense. 

When  it  is  said  in  the  objection,  that  if  men  cannot  embrace 
the  gospel  unless  God  work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do  it,  this 
must  render  them  blameless,  if  by  this  any  difficulty  is  designed 
to  be  expressed  which  does  not  wholly  consist  in  their  unwil- 
lingness to  this,  and  is  not  the  same  with  their  vMl  7iof,  it  is 
not  true  that  they  cannot;  for,  as  has  been  observed,  there 
can  be  no  other  bar  in  the  way  of  their  embracing  the  gospel 
but  a  fixed  opposition  of  will  to  it ;  and  this  is  supposed  and 
even  asserted  in  the  text,  as  nothing  else  or  more  is  necessary 
to  work  out  their  salvation  but  a  will  to  do  it ;  and  when  it  is 
said  they  cannot  be  willing,  the  meaning  is,  that  they  are 
wholly  destitute  of  the  least  inclination  or  real  desire  to  com- 
ply, and  have  such  a  strong,  fixed  opposition  to  it,  that  they 
cannot  be  willing  to  embrace  the  gospel,  such  opposition  of 
will  being  entirely  inconsistent  with  it  so  long  as  it  continues; 
and  they  being  without  the  least  inclination  or  desire  to  remove 
this  opposition,  but  acquiesce  in  it  with  all  their  hearts,  it  can- 
not be  removed  by  any  thing  short  of  the  power  of  God  working 
in  them  to  will  and  to  do.  But  if  this  be  all  that  the  objector 
means  by  his  cannot,  this  is  so  far  from  being  any  excuse  for 
not  being  willing  to  embrace  the  gospel,  that  this  is  the  very 
thing  in  which  all  blame  consists  ;  and  the  more  there  is  of  this 
ivill  not,  and  the  stronger  the  inclination  is  to  oppose  and 
reject  the  gospel,  the  greater  is  the  guilt  and  blameworthiness, 
as  has  been  before  observed,  and  cannot  be  denied  by  any 
who  will  allow  that  there  is  any  such  thing  as  guilt  and  blame 
in  nature.  In  this  sense  the  words  of  Christ  are  to  be  under- 
stood, when  he  says,  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the 
Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  (John  vi.  44.)  The 
Savior  of  the  world  does  not  say  this  to  excuse  men  as  blame- 
less in  not  coming  to  him,  but  rather  to  express  their  total 
depravity  and  the  greatness  of  their  guilt,  asserting  that  there 
is  such  opposition  of  the  will  or  heart  of  all  men  naturally  to 
him  that  they  are  disposed  to  reject  the  gospel,  and,  while 
this  is  the  case,  no  man  can  with  such  a  heart  come  to  Christ, 
as  this  implies  a  contradiction ;  and  this  depravity  and  oppo- 
sition of  heart  is  so  great  and  fixed,  that  no  man  will  come  to 
him,  unless  it  be  removed  by  the  power  of  God  working  in 
him  to  will  and  do  that  which  he  would  otherwise  continue 
utterly  to  refuse.  That  these  words  are  thus  to  be  understood, 
is  certain  from  what  Christ  saith  elsewhere  on  this  subject. 
He  said  to  the  Jews,  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might 
have  life.     How  can  ye  believe,  who  receive  honor  one  of 


634  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God  only?" 
In  which  words  he  asserts,  that  the  only  thing  in  the  way  of 
their  coming  to  him  was,  that  it  was  contrary  to  their  inclina- 
tion or  will,  and  that  their  inability  to  believe  on  him,  which 
is  the  same  with  coming  to  him,  or  the  only  reason  why  they 
could  not  believe,  was  nothing  but  an  opposite  inclination  to 
desire  and  seek  that  which  was  contrary  to  believing  on  him 
and  coming  to  him.  We  are  certain  that  Jesus  Christ  did 
consider  this  inability  to  come  to  him,  though  so  fixed  and 
great  that  it  could  not  be  removed  by  any  power  short  of  that 
divine  energy  which  can  give  a  new  heart,  as  any  excuse 
for  not  coming  to  him ;  for  he  asserts  their  not  believing  on 
him  and  refusing  to  come  to  him  to  be  the  greatest  crime,  for 
which  they  might  justly  be  condemned  to  perish  forever.  Hear 
his  words :  "  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already, 
because  he  hath  not  believed  on  the  name  of  the  only-begotten 
Son  of  God.  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is 
come  into  the  world,  and .  men  loved  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  And  when  he  (the  Spirit) 
is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin  because  they  believe 
not  on  me." 

If  they  who  make  the  objection  under  consideration  would 
attend  to  all  this,  and  consider  it  well,  they  would  know  that 
they  were  as  really  objecting  against  Jesus  Christ  himself  as 
against  our  text,  as  it  has  been  explained,  —  for  he  saith  the 
same  things  in  the  words  which  have  been  cited,  —  and  they 
would  at  the  same  time  be  convinced  that  the  objection  is 
contrary  to  all  reason  and  the  common  sense  of  mankind,  and 
implies  the  greatest  absurdity  and  contradiction  to  all  moral 
truth. 

Many  bewilder  themselves,  and  put  a  stumbling  block  be- 
fore their  faces,  and  make  great  and  hurtful  mistakes,  by 
using  the  words  cannot  and  inability  in  a  sense  which  is  in- 
consistent with  blame,  and  wholly  excuses  for  not  doing 
what  a  person  cannot  do.  That  which  a  person  cannot  do, 
though  ever  so  much  inclined  to  do  it,  and  however  willing  he 
is  to  do  it,  were  it  in  his  power,  he  cannot  be  blamed  for  not 
doing.  And  this  is  the  sense  in  which  mankind  commonly 
use  the  words  cannot  and  inability.  But  when  these  words 
are  used  in  a  moral  sense,  so  as  to  imply  no  difficulty  in  com- 
plying with  what  is  required  but  want  of  inclination  and  de- 
sire to  do  it,  or  an  actual  opposition  of  will  to  it,  —  which  is 
quite  a  different  and  o|)posite  sense  from  the  other,  —  such  a 
want  of  ability  or  power  to  comply  with  that  which  is  rea- 
sonable and  right  docs  not  excuse  a  refusal  to  comply,  but 
necessarily  implies  blame,  and  the  person  is  criminal  in  pro- 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  635 

portion  to  the  degree  of  his  inability  to  comply,  or  the  strength 
and  fixedness  of  the  opposition  of  his  heart  to  that  which  is 
required,  in  which  all  the  difficulty  of  this  compliance  consists. 

This  may  be  illustrated  by  the  following  instance  :  A  poor 
man,  a  real  object  of  charity,  suffering  for  want  of  the  necessa- 
ries of  life,  who  must  perish  soon  if  he  had  not  speedy  relief, 
begged  the  compassion  and  help  of  two  neighbors  who  then 
were  together.  One  of  them  was  a  kind,  benevolent  man,  and 
felt  for  the  sufferer,  and  ardently  wished  it  were  in  his  power 
to  relieve  him  ;  but  he  was  poor  himself,  and  had  nothing  to 
give  to  his  distressed  brother.  The  other  was  rich,  and  able 
immediately  to  help  the  suffering,  perishing  man,  if  he  had 
been  willing  to  do  it ;  but  he  was  a  stranger  to  benevolence, 
and  had  the  greatest  aversion  from  giving  or  doing  any  thing 
for  the  relief  of  any  of  his  fellow-men,  and  never  had  felt  the 
least  compassion  to  the  distressed,  or  given  so  much  as  a 
penny  for  the  relief  of  any,  though  he  had  many  opportunities 
to  do  it,  and  not  a  few  had  perished  by  his  refusing  to  afford 
them  any  help.  He,  therefore,  in  this  instance  hardened  his 
heart,  and  felt  not  the  least  compassion  for  the  perishing  man, 
and  refused  to  save  this  beggar  from  death,  which  was  in  his 
power,  had  he  been  willing  to  give  him  what  he  could  easily 
spare. 

Who  can  avoid  pronouncing  the  former  blameless,  or  con- 
sidering the  latter  as  very  criminal  and  blameworthy?  And 
the  farther  he  was  from  any  inclination  to  help  the  distressed, 
and  the  more  fixed  and  obstinately  set  he  was  against  giving 
any  thing  to  the  poor,  the  more  vile  and  criminal  he  must 
appear  to  all.  The  latter  cannot  be  liberal,  and  delight  in 
distributing  what  he  possesses,  until  he  has  a  new  heart,  and 
is  possessed  with  a  disposition  directly  contrary  to  that  which 
now  governs  him  in  all  his  thoughts  and  desires.  And  his 
heart  is  wholly,  and  with  all  its  strength,  opposed  to  a  benevo- 
lent, generous  heart,  and,  therefore,  he  cannot  have  the  least 
inclination  and  desire  to  have  such  a  heart,  but  is  entirely 
satisfied  and  pleased  with  his  present  selfish  disposition.  And 
if  he  should  pretend  to  desire  and  attempt  to  obtain  a  good, 
benevolent  heart,  all  his  desires  and  attempts  would  really  be 
notlung  but  the  exercise  of  his  selfishness,  and  the  gratification 
of  his  evil,  covetous  disposition,  and,  therefore,  would  be 
nothing  but  real  opposition  to  a  good  heart.  So  that  it  may 
be  truly  said  of  him,  he  is  utterly  unable  to  change  his  own 
heart  from  a  selfish  to  a  benevolent  one.  Yet  who  can  think 
him  the  less  criminal  and  blamable  on  this  account?  Must 
not  all  look  upon  him  as  guilty  and  odious  in  proportion  to 
the  fixed  strength  of  his  selfish,  cruel  disposition,  and  his 
inability  by  this  to  become  benevolent  and  kind  ? 


636  AN    IMPROVEMExXT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

The  difficulty  which  is  in  the  way  of  his  helping  the  poor 
man  may  be  as  great,  and  his  inability  to  do  a  generous  action 
as  real,  and  as  much  insurmountable  and  immovable  by  him, 
for  the  reason  which  has  been  mentioned,  as  the  inability  of 
the  former  to  relieve  him.  It  may  be  said,  agreeable  to  truth, 
of  both  of  them,  that  they  cannot  relieve  the  distressed  suf- 
ferer. But  their  inability  is  so  entirely  ditferent,  and  of  so 
opposite  a  nature  and  kind,  that  the  inability  of  the  former 
excuses,  and  that  of  the  latter  is  so  far  from  excusing  that  it 
is  the  very  thing  in  which  his  crime  and  blame  consist.  And 
they  who  attend  to  all  that  has  been  offered  or  can  be  said  on 
this  point,  and  yet  will  not  see  the  difference  and  opposition 
between  these  two  kinds  of  inability,  but  persist  in  asserting 
that  there  is  no  difference,  and  that  they  equally  render  a  man 
blameless  for  not  doing  what  he  is  unable  to  do,  —  that  the 
inability  of  the  latter  of  these  two  men  to  relieve  a  distressed 
person  is  as  blameless  and  excusable  as  that  of  the  former, — 
are  not  capable  of  being  reasoned  with,  or  of  making  any 
proper  use  of  common  sense ;  which  cannot  be  accounted  for 
but  by  supposing  that  their  inability  to  see  and  make  this 
-distinction,  and  reason  properly  upon  it,  is  not  owing  to  any 
defect  in  their  natural  capacity  and  reasoning  powers,  but  to 
an  inclination  of  heart,  or  propensity  of  will,  which  perverts 
their  reason,  and  shuts  their  eyes  against  the  light  of  truth,  so 
that  they  cannot  see  it,  however  clearly  it  shines ;  which  is  the 
criminal  inability  that  has  been  described. 

Every  degree  of  inclination  to  sin  is  opposition  to  the  con- 
trary, and  is  a  difficulty  in  the  way  of  a  holy  inclination  and 
choice;  and  the  former  necessarily  weakens  the  latter  in  pro- 
portion to  the  degree  of  it,  so  that  perfect  holiness  cannot  be 
exercised  so  long  as  any  degree  of  the  opposite  inclination 
exists.  And  the  difficulty  or  inability  to  be  perfectly  holy  is 
greater  or  less  in  proportion  to  the  greater  or  less  degree  of 
the  opposite  inclination  to  sin.  This,  the  apostle  Paul  says, 
is  the  case  with  Christians  in  this  world.  "  The  flesh  lusteth 
against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh  :  and  these 
are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other;  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
things  that  ye  would."  (Gal.  v.  17.)  None  will  suppose,  it  is 
presumed,  that  the  apostle  said  this  to  excuse  Christians  for 
not  being  perfectly  holy,  or  designed  to  represent  the  lusting 
of  the  flesh,  or  inclination  to  sin,  as  blameless,  by  saying  that 
they  could  not  do  the  things  that  they  would;  for  if  the  lust- 
ing of  the  flesh  be  not  sinful  and  blamable,  then  there  cannot 
be  any  such  thing  as  sin  or  blame.  When  the  apostle  says,  "  ye 
cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  would,"  he  does  not  offer  this 
as  an  excuse  for  their  not  doing  them,  since  all  the  difficulty  in 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  637 

the  way  of  their  doing  them  was  their  sin.  It  was,  therefore,  a 
wholly  blamable,  sinful  cannot;  it  was  a  difficulty  and  inabil- 
ity to  be  perfectly  holy  which  was  criminal  and  wholly  blama- 
ble in  every  degree  of  it,  and  that,  too,  in  proportion  to  the 
strength  and  degree.  Christians  had  a  degree  of  holiness 
which  was  exercised  in  opposing  all  sinful  inclination,  and 
desiring  to  be  perfectly  holy.  They  would  be,  they  had  a 
desire  to  be,  so  holy  as  to  do  all  the  things  which  were  re- 
quired of  them  in  a  perfect  manner  and  degree ;  but  a  con- 
trary propensity  to  sin  still  worked  in  them,  and  rendered 
them  unable  to  do  what  they  would,  so  that,  in  every  exertion, 
they  fell  short.  This,  therefore,  was  a  sinful  inability,  —  a 
cannot  wholly  blamable,  —  for  it  consisted  in  their  inclination 
to  sin. 

The  unregenerate  sinner  is  nothing  but  flesh,  in  the  apos- 
tle's sense  of  the  word  here  and  in  many  other  places;  that 
is,  corrupt  human  nature.  All  his  inclinations  and  desires  are 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  in  which  there  is  no  good  thing.  This  his 
carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  is  not  subject  to  the  law 
of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  He  has  no  inclination  or 
desire  to  be  holy  —  to  oppose  the  carnal  mind;  which,  there- 
fore, has  the  whole  dominion  in  his  heart,  and  reigns  there 
without  control.  The  diificulty  and  inability  he  is  under  to 
will  and  to  do  that  which  is  good,  is  total  and  complete  ;  and 
as  the  Christian  cannot  do  the  things  that  he  would,  —  can- 
not be  perfectly  holy,  —  the  sinner  cannot  have  the  least  incli- 
nation or  desire  to  be  holy,  or  will  and  do  any  thing  towards 
his  salvation.  And  as  the  partial  inability  in  the  Christian  to 
be  perfectly  holy  is  altogether  his  sin,  and  consists  in  it,  so  the 
total  inability  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  is  holy  in  the  sin- 
ner is  all  of  it  his  sin,  and,  therefore,  consists  wholly  in  that 
which  is  blameworthy.  His  inability,  his  "  cannot,"  is  all  sin, 
and  nothing  else.  And  to  ofler  this  as  an  excuse,  as  render- 
ing the  sinner  wholly  blameless,  is  so  unreasonable,  absurd, 
and  perverse,  that  it  cannot  be  done  by  an  honest,  discerning 
mind. 

So  much  has  been  said  in  answer  to  this  objection,  perhaps 
too  much,  and  some  repetitions  have  been  made,  it  may  be 
too  many,  because  it  is  so  much  in  the  mouths  of  many,  origi- 
nates from  delusion,  and  has  a  most  pernicious  tendency. 

5.  The  objection  which  is  often  made  that  it  is  unreason- 
able to  command  or  exhort  sinners  to  do  that  which  they  have 
no  power  to  do,  and  camiot  do  unless  assisted  and  enabled  to 
do  it  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  appears  to  be  groundless  from  our 
text  itself,  when  rightly  understood,  and  is  fully  refuted  in  the 
answer  to  the  last  objection.  When  it  is  well  understood 
VOL.  III.  54 


638  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

what  is  meant  by  want  of  power  to  obey  what  is  commanded, 
and  comply  with  the  exhortation,  —  that  it  means  nothing  but 
want  of  will,  and  an  opposite  inclination, — the  objection  van- 
ishes, as  nothing  to  the  purpose.  It  means  a  want  of  ability 
to  obey,  which  is  itself  sin,  and  that  in  which  blamableness 
consists,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  an  excuse  for  not  obeying. 
Therefore,  as  this  kind  of  inability  is  only  a  sinful  opposition 
of  heart  to  that  which  is  right  and  duty,  it  does  not  remove 
or  lessen  the  obligation  to  obedience  and  to  comply  with  duty. 
Surely  none  can  think  that  a  person  may  not  with  reason  and 
propriety  be  exhorted  and  commanded  to  do  that  which  is 
right  and  his  duty,  and  for  his  interest  to  do,  merely  because 
he  is  not  willing  to  do  it.  For  if  so,  then  no  man  may  be 
commanded  or  exhorted  to  that  which  he  is  not  inclined  or 
willing  to  do ;  which  denies  the  existence  of  any  law,  except 
it  be  a  man's  own  inclination  and  will.  If  God  may  not  com- 
mand a  creature  to  do  what  he  is  not  willing  to  do,  there  is 
an  end  to  all  divine  laws  and  moral  government,  and  a  man's 
own  inclination  and  will  is  his  only  law  or  rule  of  conduct; 
consequently,  there  can  be  no  sin,  unless  it  be  doing  that  which 
is  contrary  to  a  person's  will  and  choice;  which  is  impossible. 

But  it  may  be  asked.  Where  is  the  propriety  of  commanding 
or  exhorting  sinners  to  do  that  which  they  never  will  do,  unless 
they  have  a  new  heart  given  to  them  by  God,  and  he  work  in 
them  to  will  and  do  it?  or  what  end  will  this  answer? 

Reply.  The  reason  and  propriety  of  this  has  been  already 
shown,  and  that,  if  this  were  not  reasonable  and  proper,  there 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  law  and  moral  government ;  and  this  is 
suited,  and  even  necessary,  to  answer  the  following  ends :  — 

First.  If  there  were  no  law  and  commands,  and  these  were 
not  set  before  sinners,  pointing  out  their  duty,  and  urging  them 
to  do  what  is  necessary  to  their  salvation,  they  could  not  know 
what  the  law  is  and  what  is  their  duty,  and  what  is  necessary 
to  be  done  by  them  in  order  to  be  saved;  which  is  important 
and  necessary.  Without  this  they  would  not  be  under  advan- 
tage to  know  the  character  of  God,  of  Jesus  Christ,  nor  their 
own  character,  nor  what  they  must  be  and  do  to  be  saved. 
"  For  how  shall  they  believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not 
heard?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher?" 

Second.  If  commands  and  exhortations  to  obedience  were 
not  applied  to  sinners,  they  would  not  know  that  they  are 
sinners,  and  how  depraved  and  corrupt  they  are,  and  how  oppo- 
site their  hearts  are  to  the  gospel,  and  that  they  are  undone 
forever,  unless  sovereign  grace  give  them  a  new  heart  and 
make  them  willing  in  the  day  of  divine  power;  all  which  it 
is  important  and  even  necessary  the  sinner  should  know,  in 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  639 

order  to  his  being  saved.  The  apostle  Paul  said,  "  I  had  not 
known  sin  but  by  the  law ; "  and  this  is  true  of  every  one,  for 
by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin  ;  and  they  cannot  know 
that  their  hearts  arc  strongly  opposed  to  the  gospel,  the  way 
of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ,  until  they  have  the  offer,  and  are 
invited  and  exhorted  to  believe  on  him. 

Third.  Therefore,  the  gospel  is  to  be  preached  to  all  men, 
and  every  man  is  to  be  instructed,  warned,  and  exhorted  to 
believe,  that  he  may  escape  the  wrath  to  come,  whether  they 
will  hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear  or  refuse  to  hear.  This 
is  the  way  which  God  takes  to  answer  his  wise,  benevolent 
purposes.  They  to  whom  he  in  his  wisdom  is  pleased  to  give 
a  heart  to  believe  will  embrace  the  gospel,  and  be  saved; 
and  under  a  conviction  of  their  guilty,  lost  state  by  nature, 
and  that  they  should  have  justly  perished  had  not  God  given 
them  a  heart  to  believe,  will  ascribe  the  whole  of  their  salva- 
tion to  sovereign  grace,  and  give  all  the  glory  of  it  to  God 
forever.  They  who  do  not  hear  and  embrace  the  gospel, 
but,  according  to  the  criminal  choice  of  their  own  hearts,  reject 
the  great  salvation,  will  perish,  under  the  aggravated  guilt  of 
slighting  Jesus  Christ,  and  abusing  his  grace  and  love,  and 
will  exhibit  a  striking  manifestation  of  the  exceeding,  amazing 
depravity  and  wickedness  of  the  human  heart,  and  of  the 
justice  of  God  in  their  eternal  destruction. 

It  has  been  observed,  that  the  text  contains  an  answer  to 
the  objection  now  under  consideration,  and  it  has  been  shown 
how  it  is  answered.  But  an  answer  is  found  in  it  in  another 
view  of  it.  The  apostle  tells  Christians  that,  if  God  did  not 
work  in  them  to  will  and  to  do,  they  would  not  will  and  do 
any  thing  towards  their  own  salvation ;  and  at  the  same  time 
exhorts  both  to  will  and  to  do,  and  work  out  their  own  salva- 
tion with  fear  and  trembling.  This  is  directly  in  the  face  of 
the  objection.  For  though  they  could  have  no  will  to  work 
unless  God  gave  it  to  them,  yet  they  are  exhorted  and  com- 
manded to  be  willing  and  to  work  out  their  own  salvation. 
Why,  then,  may  not  the  sinner,  who  can  have  no  will  to  do 
any  thing  towards  his  salvation  unless  God  work  it  in  him,  be 
exhorted  and  commanded  to  will  and  to  do?  Is  it  possible  to 
make  any  objection  to  this,  which  is  not  really  against  the 
exhortation  in  the  text? 

6.  It  may  be  further  objected,  that  the  text,  as  it  has  been 
explained,  implies  the  doctrine  of  the  certain  perseverance  of 
all  true  Christians  unto  eternal  life ;  which  doctrine  tends  to 
make  them  who  think  themselves  Christians  careless  about 
their  salvation,  and  leads  them  to  indulge  themselves  in  sin, 
since,  having  once  believed,  they  shall  be  saved,  whatever  life 
they  live. 


640  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

Answer.  The  text,  as  it  has  been  understood,  it  is  granted, 
does  imply  the  doctrine  of  the  perseverance  of  all  real  Chris- 
tians ;  for  if  they  depend  wholly  on  God  to  renew  their  will  to 
holy  exercises,  by  which  they  are  born  again,  made  new  crea- 
tures, and  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  there  is 
no  reason  to  think  he  will  forsake  such  a  work,  and  suffer  it  to 
come  to  nothing, as  there  is  an  apparent  inconsistency  in  this: 
it  may,  therefore,  be  relied  upon  as  certain,  that  Infinite  Wis- 
dom and  unchangeable  Power  and  Goodness  never  begins  this 
great  and  good  work,  by  which  men  are  brought  into  a  state 
of  salvation  and  become  real  friends  to  God,  and  are  pardoned 
and  have  his  favor,  without  a  design  to  carry  it  on  till  it  is 
completed  in  their  perfect  holiness  and  endless  happiness,  as 
this  work  from  beginning  to  end  depends  wholly  on  him.  The 
contrary  supposition  appears  most  unreasonable  and  unworthy 
of  God,  and  dishonorable  to  him.  Moreover,  the  expression 
itself  denotes  a  constant  work  which  God  is  carrying  on  in 
Christians,  without  ceasing  or  relinquishing  it.  "  It  is  God 
which  worketh  in  you  to  will  and  to  do;"  that  is,  continually, 
not  at  one  time  only,  but  always,  to  the  end  of  life.  It  is  not 
said,  God  did  once  work  in  them,  or  that  he  did  work  in  them 
sometimes,  but  not  always ;  but  he  worketh  in  you,  as  being 
common  to  all  Christians,  and  at  all  times ;  and  in  this  view 
only  it  can  be  a  reason  and  encouragement  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  as  it  has  been 
explained. 

But  if  the  doctrine  of  the  certain  perseverance  of  all  true 
Christians  to  final  salvation  were  not  implied  in  the  words  of 
the  text,  when  considered  alone,  yet  it  is  established  with  the 
utmost  certainty  when  they  are  viewed  in  connection  with 
what  the  apostle  had  before  said  to  these  Christians  in  this 
epistle.  His  words  are,  "  Being  confident  of  this  very  thing, 
that  he  who  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it 
until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  (Phil.  i.  6.)  The  good  work 
is  that  spoken  of  in  the  text,  by  which  God  was  working  in 
them  both  to  will  and  to  do.  The  apostle,  under  inspiration, 
was  confident,  which  amounts  to  a  certainty,  that,  wherever 
he  begins  this  work,  he  will  carry  it  on  to  perfection.  We, 
therefore,  may  be  confident  and  certain,  that,  wherever  God 
begins  to  work  in  men  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  is  good 
and  holy,  he  designs  to  carry  this  work  on  to  perfection ;  that 
he  will  eoiuplftely  finish  what  he  once  begins.  And  this  same 
truth  is  abundiintly  asserted  many  ways  in  the  Bible,  to  which 
it  is  needless  now  particularly  to  attend. 

It  is  objected  to  this  doctrine,  that  it  tends  to  make  Chris- 
tians careless,  and  is  a  temptation  to  indulge  in  sin,  seeing. 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  641 

according  to  this  doctrine,  their  salvation  is  secured  to  them, 
let  them  live  as  they  will,  x^n  answer  to  this  is  found  in  the 
words  of  the  text  in  which  this  doctrine  is  contained,  as  has 
been  shown ;  for,  at  the  same  time.  Christians  are  told  that 
God  had  begun  a  good  work  in  them,  which  he  would  finish, 
carrying  it  on  to  perfection  :  they  are  exhorted  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling;  and  that,  too, 
for  this  very  reason,  that  God  was  working  in  them  so  as 
effectually  to  secure  salvation  to  them.  They  are  informed 
that  their  working  out  their  own  salvation  in  this  particular 
manner  was  as  necessary  to  their  salvation  as  if  God  did  not 
intend  their  salvation ;  that  there  was  no  other  way  to  be 
saved ;  and  that  God  thus  working  in  them  both  to  will  and 
to  do,  with  an  intention  to  go  on  and  perfect  it,  was  the  only 
encouragement,  and  a  strong  and  cogent  motive,  thus  to  work 
out  their  own  salvation. 

The  objection  before  us  is,  therefore,  made  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  the  words  of  the  text,  in  which  the  doctrine  of  the 
saints'  perseverance  is  improved  as  a  motive  to  every  Christian 
duty  in  the  practice  of  real  holiness  ;  it  is,  therefore,  impossible 
to  encourage  the  contrary.  This  apostle  always  speaks  in  the 
same  strain.  He  says  of  himself,  in  this  same  epistle,  "  Not  as 
though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect ; 
but  I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  also 
I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus.  Reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  The  apostle  con- 
sidered himself  as  apprehended,  or  laid  hold  of,  by  Jesus  Christ 
when  he  was  converted  and  became  a  Christian,  with  intent 
to  keep  his  hold  of  him  till  he  had  brought  him  to  possess  the 
prize  of  eternal  life.  This  was  so  far  from  making  him  care- 
less and  inactive  in  the  duties  of  the  Christian  life,  that  he 
improved  it  as  an  encouragement  and  motive  to  activity,  zeal, 
and  engagedness  in  running  the  Christian  race,  that  he  might 
obtain  perfect  holiness  and  the  prize  which  his  Savior  intend- 
ed for  him,  and  so  work  out  his  own  salvation,  of  which  he 
was  assured,  by  what  Jesus  Christ  had  already  done  for  him 
by  working  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do  those  things  which 
accompany  salvation,  being  infallibly  connected  with  it.  In 
the  same  view  he  writes  to  the  Christians  at  Thessalonica : 
"  Let  us  who  are  of  the  day  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breast- 
plate of  faith  and  love,  and  for  an  helmet  the  hope  of  salva- 
tion. For  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain 
salvation  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Here  he  writes  in  the 
same  manner  as  in  our  text.  He  urges  them  to  the  practice 
of  Christian  holiness  from  the  encouragement  and  motive  that 
54* 


642  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

God  had  designed  them  for  salvation,  giving  them  the  charac- 
ter of  his  children,  by  which  they  were  interested  in  the  ever- 
lasting covenant  of  grace,  by  which  salvation  was  insm-ed  to 
them. 

This  objection  not  only  has  an  answer  in  these  and  innu- 
merable other  passages  of  Scripture,  but  it  is  also  confuted  by 
the  inconsistency  and  unreasonableness  of  it.  It  carries  this 
inconsistency  in  it,  that  if  the  perseverance  of  Christians  in 
holiness  is  made  certain  by  God,  on  whom  they  depend  for  it, 
and  he  has  determined  they  shall  work  out  their  ow^n  salva- 
tion, then  it  is  not  necessary  that  they  should  live  a  holy  life, 
and  work  out  their  salvation,  and  they  may  be  saved  without 
all  this,  and  however  much  they  neglect  their  own  salvation, 
and  indulge  themselves  in  all  manner  of  iniquity ;  or,  if  it  be 
made  certain  that  they  shall  persevere  in  a  holy  life  that  they 
may  be  saved,  then  they  may  as  well  and  certainly  be  saved 
without  persevering  in  a  holy  life,  and  though  they  fall  away 
into  sin  ;  and  this  will  encourage  Christians  not  to  attempt  or 
desire  to  persevere  in  obedience,  and  to  live  in  sin.  They 
who  can  argue  thus  have  given  up  the  use  of  reason  to  em- 
brace the  most  palpable  absurdity. 

The  objector  also  falls  into  another  inconsistency,  by  sup- 
posing that  a  Christian  may  have  assurance  that  he  is  a  real 
Christian,  and,  therefore,  shall  be  saved,  when  he  is  so  inclined 
to  sin  as  to  prefer  living  in  sin  and  the  indulgence  of  his  lusts 
to  a  holy  life,  and  that  he  may  maintain  his  assurance  while 
he  neglects  religion  as  a  task,  and  lives  a  careless,  wicked 
life,  which  is  contrary  to  truth,  to  Scripture,  and  the  reason 
and  nature  of  things.  If  it  were  possible  that  a  real  Chris- 
tian could  be  in  such  a  frame,  and  have  such  a  prevailing  dis- 
position, and  continue  in  it,  it  would  be  impossible  that  he 
should  have  any  just  and  well-grounded  assurance  of  his  being 
a  Christian  ;  for  he  can  have  no  evidence  of  this  but  from  a 
disposition  and  exercises  directly  contrary  to  a  preference  of  a 
life  of  sin,  viz.,  exercises  of  real  holiness,  disposing  to  work 
out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  The  hypo- 
crite, who  has  no  true  grace,  may  be  so  deluded  as  to  think 
and  presume  he  is  a  real  Christian,  and  abuse  the  doctrine  of 
the  certain  salvation  of  all  who  are  once  Christians,  to  in- 
dulge in  sin,  because  he  has  really  no  love  to  holiness,  and 
prefers  a  life  of  sin  to  the  life  of  a  Christian.  But  it  is  incon- 
sistent to  suppose  that  a  real  Christian  should  have,  or  think 
he  has,  evidence  that  he  is  a  Christian,  while  he  is  in  a  care- 
less frame,  and  loves  the  pleasure  of  sin  rather  than  God  and 
holiness. 

The  Scripture  asserts  that  assurance  of  being  a  Christian, 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  643 

and  of  salvation,  is  to  be  attained  and  maintained  in  no  other 
way  but  the  exercise  of  holiness,  and  great  care  and  diligence 
in  living  a  holy  life.  The  apostle  John  says,  "  My  little  chil- 
dren, let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed 
and  in  truth.  And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth, 
and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him."  (1  John  iii.  18,  19.) 
The  apostle  Peter  exhorts  professing  Christians  to  take  care 
to  live  and  abound  in  the  exercise  of  every  Christian  grace,  in 
order  to  have  and  maintain  an  assurance  of  their  real  Chris- 
tianity, and  concludes  with  these  words :  "  Wherefore,  the 
rather,  brethren,  give  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  elec- 
tion sure  ;  for  if  ye  do  these  things,  ye  shall  never  fall."  (2  Pet. 
i.  5-10.)  This  is  the  scriptural  way  of  assurance;  and  they 
who  think  they  have  an  assurance  that  they  are  Christians  in 
any  other  way,  and  from  some  other  proposed  evidence,  are 
presuming,  and  deceiving  themselves  to  their  own  destruction. 

And  it  must  be  further  observed,  that  it  is  not  only  incon- 
sistent with  the  character  of  a  true  Christian  at  any  time  to 
prefer  a  neglect  of  religion  and  a  living  in  allowed  sin  to  a 
holy  life,  if  the  former  were  as  sure  a  way  to  salvation  as  the 
latter,  —  so  that  an  assurance  that  he  shall  be  saved  will  be  no 
inducement  to  him  to, live  a  careless,  sinful  life,  —  but  it  is  yet 
a  greater  inconsistency  and  contradiction  to  suppose  a  Chris- 
tian, in  that  strong  and  lively  exercise  of  grace,  and  love  of 
holiness,  which  always  attends  a  true  assurance  that  he  is  a 
Christian  and  shall  be  saved,  should  then  and  for  that  reason 
prefer  a  life  of  sin  to  a  holy  life,  and  from  this  assurance  be 
led  into  sin.  This  is  impossible ;  and  directly  the  reverse  is 
certain,  viz.,  that  such  an  assurance  is  not  only  accompanied 
by  a  strong  desire  and  engagedness  to  live  a  holy  life,  —  as 
without  this  there  can  be  no  real  assurance,  as  has  been 
shown,  —  but  the  assurance  itself  will  greatly  add  to  the 
strength  of  desire  and  engagedness  to  live  a  holy  life,  to  the 
honor  of  God,  and  for  his  own  comfort,  were  it  not  necessary 
in  order  to  be  saved. 

There  are  not  only  these  inconsistencies  in  the  objection, 
but  the  objector  supposes  that  the  true  Christian  is  wholly 
selfish  and  mercenary  in  all  he  does,  and  is  always  disposed 
to  prefer  a  life  of  sin  to  a  holy  life,  if  he  may  be  as  sure  of  his 
own  salvation  by  living  in  sin  as  by  the  contrary.  Therefore, 
having  no  true  love  to  God  and  regard  for  his  honor,  nor  any 
delight  in  the  law  of  God,  or  love  of  holiness  for  its  own  sake, 
if  he  can  obtain  a  promise  that  he  shall  be  saved,  he  will  have 
no  motive  to  serve  God,  or  have  any  concern  for  his  character 
and  glory,  but  will  choose  to  live  a  life  of  enmity  to  God,  by 
serving  himself  and  his  own  lusts.     It  is  certain  there  never 


644  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

was,  and  never  will  be,  such  a  real  Christian,  though  thou- 
sands have  with  the  objector  supposed  it,  and  are  hoping  for 
heaven  by  living  in  the  exercise  of  a  selfish  religion,  which  is 
abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  will  certainly  lead  them 
to  destruction. 

The  doctrine  of  the  certain  perseverance  of  all  real  Chris- 
tians in  a  life  of  holiness  to  salvation,  secured  to  them  in  the 
covenant  of  grace,  is  a  comfortable  and  pleasing  doctrine  to 
the  true  Christian.  He  knows  his  own  insufficiency,  and  ab- 
solute and  constant  dependence  on  God  for  all  holy  exercises 
and  conduct,  and  that,  if  God  should  leave  him  to  himself,  he 
should  fall  into  sin  and  ruin.  And  when  he  finds  a  promise 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  that  all  true  Christians  shall  be  kept 
by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  and  that 
where  he  has  begun  a  good  work  he  will  carry  it  on  to  the 
day  of  complete  redemption,  he  lays  fast  hold  of  it  as  the  only 
ground  of  hope  that  he  shall  persevere  unto  salvation,  and 
would  not  be  without  it  for  a  thousand  worlds.  But  the  self- 
confident  hypocrite,  who  never  knew  his  own  heart,  but  thinks 
he  can  stand  in  his  own  strength,  and  distinguish  himself 
from  others  who  have  the  same  assistance  which  he  has,  and 
by  his  own  exertions  embrace  the  gospel  and  live  a  holy  life 
(in  which  he  himself,  not  God,  determines  whether  he  shall 
be  saved  or  not)  by  his  own  independent  obedience,  or  by  the 
abuse  of  the  assistance  he  has, — to  such  this  doctrine  is  most 
displeasing,  and  they  will  oppose  it  with  all  their  might,  be- 
cause it  takes  away  their  god  in  which  they  trust,  their  own 
selves,  and  makes  their  salvation  altogether  dependent  on  God 
from  first  to  last.  For  the  same  reason  they  oppose  the  doc- 
trines of  the  divine  decrees  and  of  election,  as  these  represent 
men  as  wholly  dependent  on  God,  especially  for  salvation  ;  as 
according  to  this  he  determines  who  shall  be  saved,  and  who 
shall  not,  independent  of  man,  according  to  his  own  pleasure. 
This  is  the  only  reason  that  can  be  justly  assigned  for  their 
displeasure  at  these  doctrines,  and  their  opposition  to  them  ; 
and  if  persons  of  this  character  do  not  trust  in  man,  and  rely 
on  an  arm  of  flesh,  even  themselves,  —  and  that  in  a  matter 
of  the  greatest  importance  and  magnitude,  infinitely  more  so 
than  their  own  existence,  or  any  other  of  their  concerns,  —  it 
will  be  difficult,  yea,  impossible,  to  conceive  what  is  meant  by 
trusting  in  man.  How  is  it  possible,  then,  that  they  should 
escape  the  awful  curse  pronounced  by  God  — "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm  "  ?    (Jer.  xvii.  5.) 

7.  It  is  objected  that  these  doctrines,  —  of  man's  entire  de- 
pendence on  God  in  doing  any  thing  towards  his  own  sal- 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  645 

vation,  of  election,  and  the  certain  perseverance  of  all  true 
Christians,  —  if  tiiey  be  true,  had  better  not  be  preached,  since 
they  will  not  be  understood  by  people  in  general,  and  are 
very  offensive  to  many,  by  which  they  are  prejudiced  against 
religion  ;  and  by  many  who  believe  them  are  abused  to  very 
bad  purposes,  and,  on  the  whole,  do  much  more  hurt  than 
good. 

Answer.  This  objection  is  really  against  the  Bible  itself, 
and  particularly  against  the  text  we  are  considering,  in  which 
these  doctrines  are  all  either  expressed  or  implied,  as  has  been 
shown.  Therefore,  the  whole  Bible,  and  more  especially  our 
text,  is  to  be  adduced  as  containing  a  complete  answer. 

If  these  doctrines  are  not  to  be  preached,  inculcated,  or 
mentioned,  why  are  they  contained  in  the  Bible?  why  has 
God  published  ihcm  to  the  world?  If  the  preaching  of  these 
doctrines  tends  to  do  hurt,  then  their  being  published  in  the 
Bible,  which  is  to  be  read  by  all,  has  an  evil  tendency.  They 
who  make  this  objection,  who  are  not  a  few,  would  drop  it 
immediately  if  they  had  any  proper  regard  for  the  Bible,  as  it 
is  levelled  against  divine  revelation  and  the  Author  of  it. 

If  these  doctrines  be  not  understood  by  any  preachers  or 
hearers,  this  must  be  their  own  fault ;  for  nothing  is  revealed 
which  may  not  be  understood,  so  far  as  it  is  revealed,  by  the 
honest,  attentive  reader  of  the  Bible,  in  the  assiduous  use  of 
all  the  helps  in  his  reach.  And  if  they  be  not  understood,  the 
fault  nmst  be  in  the  hearer  or  the  preacher,  or  perhaps  in  both. 

That  these  doctrines  are  improved  to  increase  the  prejudices 
of  many  against  religion,  and  are  abused  by  others  to  evil 
purposes,  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  be  taught,  ex- 
plained, and  vindicated, —  since  this  is  an  equal  reason  why 
none  of  the  important  truths  of  the  Bible  should  be  taught, — 
for  there  is  no  truth  in  divine  revelation  which  is  not  liable  to 
abuse,  and  has  not  been  abused  by  men  to  their  own  hurt.  It 
is  no  new  thing  for  men  to  pervert  the  writings  of  inspiration 
to  their  own  destruction.  Shall  they,  therefore,  be  laid  aside, 
and  not  studied  and  inculcated  ?     Let  the  objector  judge. 

Let  who  will  think  these  truths  to  be  of  little  consequence, 
and  not  suitable  to  be  maintained  and  preached,  or  doubt  or 
disbelieve  them,  or  abuse  them  to  the  worst  purposes,  yet  they 
remain  highly  important  and  useful ;  they  have  been  found  to 
be  so  by  thousands  and  millions  :  and  the  heart  of  every  true 
Christian  is  formed  upon  them,  or  agreeable  to  them,  whatever 
his  speculations  may  be  ;  and  there  is  no  other  way  to  heaven 
than  that  which  is  marked  out  in  our  text.  This  leads  to  the 
next  head  of  improvement. 


646  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 


SERMON   VI. 

Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  For  it  is  God  which 
worketh  in  you  both  to  wiU  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.  —  Phil.  ii.  12,  13. 

III.  This  subject  is  to  be  improved  in  the  use  of  Exami- 
nation. 

This  is  the  most  important  and  useful  part  of  the  subject 
to  which  we  have  attended.  The  text,  as  it  has  been  consid- 
ered and  opened,  and  vindicated  from  objections,  points  out 
the  only  way  to  heaven,  and  exhibits  the  true  character  of 
every  real  Christian,  and  teaches  with  what  views,  exercises, 
and  efforts  he  must  work  out  his  own  salvation.  But  all  this 
will  be  in  vain  to  us  if  we  do  not  apply  it  to  ourselves,  and 
in  this  light  examine  and  try  ourselves,  whether  we  be  real 
Christians,  according  to  this  description  of  a  Christian,  and 
walking  in  the  narrow  way  to  heaven. 

They  who  are  sincerely  desirous  to  know  their  own  state 
and  character,  and  to  determine  from  the  best  evidence 
whether  they  be  real  Christians  or  not,  may  be  assisted  in 
this  most  important  inquiry  by  attending  to  the  following 
particulars  :  — 

1.  Have  you  ever  been  convinced,  and  have  you  a  clear, 
constant,  and  grow^ing  conviction  of  your  utter  insufficiency 
to  will  and  to  do  any  good  thing,  —  unless  God  work  in  you 
to  will  and  to  do,  —  by  reason  of  the  natural  depravity  of  your 
hearts,  by  which  you  were,  in  a  moral  sense,  dead  in  trespass- 
es and  sins?  —  that  if  you  should  be  left  to  yourselves,  to 
follow  your  own  will  and  choice,  without  the  powerful,  regen- 
erating influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  you  should  certainly 
run  on  to  destruction  ?  and  are,  therefore,  wholly  dependent 
on  God  for  every  right  motion  of  will,  and  all  that  which  is 
right  and  good  in  you,  even  on  his  sovereign,  undeserved 
grace?  The  Christian  has  a  clear  and  powerful  conviction 
of  this  in  his  own  mind  continually,  and  daily  acknowledges 
it  to  God,  and  increases  in  a  sense  of  the  depravity  of  his 
own  heart,  and  his  constant  dependence  on  God  for  divine 
influences  to  work  in  him  every  right  motion  of  heart;  and 
a  view  and  sense  of  this  truth  attends  all  his  exercises  and 
conduct.  And  while  he  feels  his  constant  dependence  on  God 
to  will  and  do  any  thing  that  is  right,  he  acquiesces  in  it, 
and  humbly  trusts  in  God,  and  cries  to  him  for  his  assistance 
and  grace. 

Herein  lies  the  foundation  of  the  first  and  great  diflerence 
between  a  true  Christian  and  those  who  are  not  so.     The 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  647 

latter  are  strangers  to  this  conviction  and  feeling,  and,  what- 
ever their  speculations  may  be,  if  they  do  or  attemjDt  any  thing 
in  religion,  they  do  it  in  their  own  strength,  and  feel  as  if  they 
had  some  sufficiency  of  their  own  to  do  good,  and  were  not 
wholly  dependent  on  God  for  every  right  motion  of  heart  or 
exercise  of  will. 

2.  Do  you  feel  a  constant  and  cordial  conviction  that  you 
are  wholly  blam.able  for  the  want  of  a  disposition  to  will  and 
do  that  which  is  necessary  for  your  salvation,  and  for  all  oppo- 
sition of  will  to  this ;  that  your  insufficiency  to  work  out  your 
own  salvation,  and  dependence  on  God  to  work  in  you  to  will 
and  to  do  it,  is  no  excuse  for  your  not  doing  it ;  but  that  your 
want  of  a  will  to  do  it,  and  all  opposite  inclination,  is  alto- 
gether your  own  fault  ?  Are  you  willing  to  be  looked  upon  in 
this  light,  and  disposed  to  confess  this  as  your  sin,  and  humble 
yourself  in  the  sight  of  God  for  every  thing  in  your  heart  and 
life  which  is  not  conlbrniable  to  the  holy  law  of  God?  It 
cannot  be  reasonably  supposed  that  a  true  Christian,  who  has 
been  convinced  of  his  own  sinfulness  by  an  acquaintance  with 
the  law,  and  is  a  hearty  friend  to  it,  as  perfectly  right  and  good  ; 
who  is  a  friend  to  Christ,  who  has  obeyed  this  law,  and  died 
on  the  cross  to  magnify  it  and  make  it  honorable,  and  to  save 
his  people  from  their  sins,  —  that  such  a  one  should  not  con- 
demn himself  for  every  thing  in  his  heart  and  life  which  in  the 
least  deviates  from  this  law,  and  is  not  a  perfect  conformity  to 
it;  for  not  to  do  this  is  inconsistent  with  his  character  as  a 
Christian. 

3.  When  you  are  most  attentive  to,  and  feelingly  sensible  of, 
your  own  weakness  and  insufficiency,  and  of  your  dependence 
on  God  in  the  sense  above  described,  is  this  so  far  from  dis- 
couraging you,  and  disposing  you  to  sit  still  and  do  nothing, 
that  then  you  have  the  most  ardent  desires,  and  the  greatest 
courage,  zeal,  and  engagedness  to  prosecute  and  go  through 
the  work  of  a  Christian,  and  work  out  your  own  salvation  ? 
This,  which  has  been  the  matter  of  discouragement,  uneasi- 
ness, and  objection  to  multitudes,  has  a  directly  contrary  influ- 
ence with  the  Christian,  and  opens  the  only  way  in  which  he 
can  have  hope,  and  by  it  he  is  animated  with  zeal  and  courage 
to  run  the  Christian  race ;  and  what  others  cannot  feel  to  be 
consistent,  or  be  pleased  with,  is  to  him  plain  and  easy,  and 
most  satisfactory  and  pleasing,  as  most  suited  to  glorify  God, 
and  promote  the  humility,  holiness,  and  happiness  of  man. 
In  this  view,  and  in  this  way  only,  the  gospel  is  to  the  Christian 
the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God.  Agreeably  to  this, 
St.  Paul  says,  "  When  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong."  "  I  can 
do  all  things  through  Christ  who  strengtheneth  me."     That  is, 


648 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 


when  I  have  the  greatest  sense  of  my  own  weakness  and 
insutficiency  to  the  work  before  me,  I  feel  the  greatest  strength 
and  courage  by  trusting  in  the  grace  and  power  of  Christ;  I 
am  then  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might,  and 
•can  with  courage  undertake  and  go  through  the  most  difficult 
and  arduous  work. 

4.  Are  you  influenced  to  will  and  do,  and  quickened  and 
excited  to  religious  exercises,  in  such  a  way  and  manner  as 
naturally  leads  you  to  be  sensible  that  these  things  take  place 
by  the  grace  and  assistance  of  God,  so  that  you  are  disposed 
to  ascribe  all  to  him,  and  not  to  yourselves  ?  Do  your  own 
feelings  and  experience  witness  to  your  own  mind  that  "it  is 
not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God 
that  showeth  mercy"?  It  is,  doubtless,  God's  way  so  to  work 
in  Christians  by  his  Spirit  as  to  lead  them  to  be  sensible  that 
all  originates  from  him,  and  to  acknowledge  him  to  be  the 
worker  of  all  good  in  them ;  and  they  can  from  their  own 
experience  adopt  the  words  of  Paul,  and  say,  "  By  the  grace 
of  God  I  am  what  I  am." 

5.  Are  you  indeed  doing  the  work  of  a  Christian,  working 
out  your  own  salvation  in  any  measure  in  the  manner  which 
has  been  described?  Do  you  make  religion  and  the  service  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  interest  your  great,  and  really  your  only 
business  ?  And  do  you  make  any  progress,  and  abound  more 
and  more  ? 

The  real  Christian  is  painfully  sensible  that  he  fails  and 
comes  unspeakably  short  in  every  thing,  which  he  knows  is  to 
be  attributed  to  his  own  depravity  and  the  sin  which  dwelleth 
in  him,  so  that  when  he  would  do  good,  evil  (sin)  is  present  with 
him,  and  the  good  which  he  would  he  does  not ;  and  this  sin- 
ful defect,  and  the  evil  which  attends  him  in  all  he  does,  is 
a  grievous  burden  and  matter  of  constant  humiliation  before 
God :  and  the  more  the  Christian  does,  and  the  more  zeal  and 
engagedness  he  has  in  religion,  the  more  sensible  he  is  of  his 
sinful  defects;  therefore,  this  increasing  sensibility  is  no  evi- 
dence that  he  is  not  working  out  his  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  but,  on  the  contrary,  is  a  sign  that  he  is  a  real 
Christian,  and  is  willing  and  working.  They  who  do  the 
least,  or,  rather,  nothing  at  all,  in  this  work  of  a  Christian,  are 
commonly  most  insensible  of  their  defects,  and  are  disposed  to 
think  they  arc  doing  much,  and  have  few  or  no  painful  defects 
to  lament. 

But  though  every  Christian  comes  so  lamentably  short  of 
what  he  ought,  and  heartily  desires  and  wishes  to  do,  which 
is  matter  of  constant  shame  and  humiliation,  yet  he  is  really 
working  out  his  own  salvation  in  the  manner  which  has  been 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  649 

described  in  the  preceding  discourses,  and  is  making  this  work 
his  only  business ;  and  he  must  be  supposed  to  gain  skill  and 
strength  to  prosecute  this  work,  and  grow  in  grace  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  his  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  the  longer  he 
is  in  the  Christian  school  and  is  going  in  the  way  to  heaven. 
He,  therefore,  who  is  not  in  some  good  measure  diligent  in 
this  business,  and  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord,  is  not 
steadfast,  un  movable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord,  has  no  reason  to  think  he  has  ever  entered  upon  this  work, 
or  knows  what  it  is  to  live  the  life  of  a  Christian. 

6.  Do  you  live  a  life  of  prayer?  The  Christian,  who  is 
working  out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  feeling 
his  own  insufficiency,  and  constant  dependence  on  God  to 
work  in  him  to  will  and  to  do,  and  having  a  lively  sensibility 
of  his  dangerous  situation,  surrounded  with  numerous  subtle, 
potent  enemies,  who  are  seeking  his  ruin,  and  beset  with  vari- 
ous and  strong  temptations  to  turn  aside  and  offend  God,  and 
that  he  shall  inevitably  fall  into  destruction,  unless  God  prevent 
it  by  his  constant  influences  and  sovereign  grace,  is  constantly 
looking  to  God  for  safety  and  help,  and  expressing  his  only 
hope  and  trust  in  him,  praying  with  all  prayer  and  supplication 
in  the  Spirit,  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance.  He 
will  earnestly  cry  to  him  for  his  direction  and  assistance  in 
every  exigency  and  at  all  times,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord  as  long  as  he  lives. 

A  child  on  the  side  of  a  tremendous  precipice,  depending  on 
his  father  to  guide  him  in  every  step  and  hold  him  up  by  his 
hand,  by  which  alone  his  fall  and  being  dashed  to  pieces  can 
be  prevented,  would  keep  his  eye  constantly  on  his  father,  and 
cry  to  him  to  help  him  from  falling,  and  conduct  him  safe 
through  all  the  dangers  with  which  he  feels  himself  surrounded. 
Or,  should  a  child  be  in  the  midst  of  a  wilderness  with  his 
father,  filled  with  fierce  beasts  of  prey  ready  to  devour  him, 
while  he  is  without  any  strength  to  defend  himself,  and  knows 
not  one  step  of  the  way  to  a  place  of  safety,  and  feels  that,  if 
he  should  be  a  minute  without  the  help  and  guidance  of  his 
father,  he  should  run  directly  into  the  mouth  of  some  savage 
beast,  or  turn  aside  from  the  only  way  to  escape  death,  he 
would  constantly  cry  to  his  father  for  help  and  protection,  who 
alone  could  save  him  ;  and  if  his  father  should  be  out  of  his 
sight  but  a  few  minutes,  what  a  cry  would  he  raise  after  him! 
and  never  cease  till  he  got  hold  of  his  father's  hand. 

And  shall  not  the  Christian,  who  feels  himself  in  circum- 
stances of  which  those  of  the  child  now  described  are  but  a 
very  faint  representation,  being  infinitely  more  important  and 
afi'ecting,  cry  night  and  day  unto  his  God  and  only  Savior  for 
VOL.  III.  55 


650  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

help,  succor,  and  deliverance  ?  Surely  he  will  constantly,  with 
cheerfulness,  obey  his  invitation  and  command,  as  not  only 
his  duty  but  his  greatest  privilege,  while  he  hears  him  saying, 
"  Look  unto  me,  my  spouse,  from  the  lions'  dens,  from  the 
mountains  of  the  leopards.  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of 
trouble,  I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me.  Ask, 
and  ye  shall  receive  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find ;  knock,  and  it 
shall  be  opened  unto  you.  Pray  always,  and  faint  not;  pray 
without  ceasing,"  etc.  And  the  more  he  loves  God,  and  the 
stronger  is  his  faith  and  trust  in  him,  and  his  confidence  in 
the  certain  and  punctual  fulfilment  of  all  his  promises,  the 
more  hearty,  earnest,  and  fervent  his  prayers  will  be ;  for  in 
this  way  he  will  express  a  sense  of  his  dependence  on  God, 
and  his  love  to  him,  and  faith  and  trust  in  his  promises. 

The  nominal  Christian,  who  has  no  proper  sense  of  his  de- 
pendence on  God,  —  as  it  has  been  explained,  —  but  feels 
himself  in  a  great  measure  sufficient  to  the  work  of  a  Chris- 
tian, and  has  no  real  love  to  God  or  trust  in  his  promises,  and 
dependence  upon  him  to  work  all  his  works  in  him  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  can  live  without  much  prayer  from  day  to  day; 
or,  if  he  pray,  it  will  be  but  a  formal,  cold  business,  in  which 
there  is  no  engagedness  or  heart.  But  this  is  not  the  charac- 
ter of  a  true  Christian,  who  is  working  out  his  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling,  knowing  that  it  is  God  which  work- 
eth  in  him  both  to  will  and  to  do.  He  casteth  all  his  care 
upon  God,  and  in  every  thing  by  prayer  and  supplication,  with 
thanksgiving,  makes  known  his  requests  unto  God.  Believing 
that  they  have  a  great  High  Priest,  who  is  in  heaven,  Jesus, 
the  Son  of  God,  they  come  boldly,  with  the  utmost  freedom 
of  access  and  of  speech,  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  they 
may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  help  in  time  of  need. 

7.  Have  you,  after  you  have  done  all,  no  reliance  on  what 
you  do  to  recommend  you  to  God  as  less  deserving  of  his 
displeasure,  or  more  worthy  of  pardon  of  your  sins,  and  of 
salvation,  feeling  that,  if  God  should  be  strict  to  mark  your 
iniquity  against  you,  you  cannot  answer  or  stand  before  him, 
and  must  justly  perish  forever?  Under  this  view  and  convic- 
tion, do  you  constantly  fly  to  Christ,  and  trust  in  his  atone- 
ment, which  he  has  made  by  his  blood,  and  in  his  righteous- 
ness for  pardon  and  acceptance  with  God,  feeling  yourselves 
to  be  infinitely  guilty  and  ill  deserving  ?  that,  were  it  not  for 
Christ  and  his  worthiness,  and  your  union  to  him  and  interest 
in  his  righteousness,  you  must  sink  into  hell  ?  and  that  nothing 
in  you,  or  that  you  have  done  or  can  do,  can  be  acceptable  to 
God,  unless  you  are  accepted  in  the  infinitely  beloved  and 
worthy   Savior?     And   in  this  way,  and  under  this  sensible 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  651 

conviction,  whatsoever  you  do,  do  you  do  all  in  tne  name  of 
Christ,  asking  all  you  petition  for  in  his  name,  and  hoping 
for  acceptance  and  mercy  for  his  sake  alone  ?  It  has  been 
shown  that  this  is  essential  to  the  character  of  those  who 
walk  humbly  with  God  and  work  out  their  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling.  He  who  attempts  to  work  out  his 
own  salvation  in  any  other  way  is  really  working  out  his  own 
destruction. 

8.  On  the  whole,  let  all  professing  Christians  seriously  and 
with  great  care  examine  themselves,  and  inquire  whether  they 
be  really  walking  in  the  narrow  way  to  heaven  described  in 
the  text ;  whether  they  have  skill  to  discern  and  distinguish  it 
from  all  others  which  have  been  devised  by  men,  or  that  can 
be  imagined  ;  whether  they  know  there  are  the  strongest  mo- 
tives and  greatest  encouragements  to  work  out  their  own  sal- 
vation, while  they  are  certain  that  they  are  wholly  dependent 
on  God  for  this,  and  shall  do  nothing  unless  he  work  in  them 
to  will  and  to  do  ;  and  that  by  all  they  do  they  do  not  deserve 
the  least  favor,  but  remain  as  ill  deserving  as  ever,  and  find 
themselves  as  zealous  and  as  much  engaged  to  do  —  while 
they  know  they  can  do  nothing  of  themselves  —  as  if  they  were 
self-sufficient  and  independent  of  God  to  work  in  them  to  will 
and  do,  and  could  merit  their  own  salvation  by  what  they  do ; 
whether  their  depravity  of  heart,  and  indisposition  to  do  any 
good  thing  unless  God  work  in  them  to  will  and  do,  be  matter 
of  shame  and  self-condemnation  to  them,  having  no  excuse  to 
offer  for  it,  but  take  the  whole  blame  to  themselves,  being  dis- 
posed to  justify  God,  should  he  leave  them  to  perish  in  their 
sin,  and  always  ready  with  pleasure  to  give  him  all  the  glory 
of  their  salvation,  if  he  of  his  sovereign  grace  shall  begin  and 
carry  on  this  work  to  perfection  ;  whether  they  are  willing  to 
be  in  his  hand,  to  dispose  of  them  as  he  in  his  infinite  wisdom 
and  goodness  shall  see  best,  and  rejoice  that  all  men  and  all 
things  shall  be  governed  and  disposed  of  so  as  to  answer  the 
wisest  and  best  ends  —  thus  always  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  that 
he  reigns  without  any  possible  control  forever. 

He  who  understands  our  text,  and  sees  the  truths  expressed 
and  implied  in  it  to  be  perfectly  consistent  and  harmonious, 
and  heartily  acquiesces  in  them,  and  in  the  view  of  these 
truths,  and,  on  this  plan,  is  constantly  working  out  his  own 
salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  is  doubtless  taught  of  God, 
and  made  wise  unto  salvation,  which  he  will  finally  obtain 
through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus   Christ. 

But  he  who  sits  still  or  loiters  with  respect  to  this  great 
work,  from  whatever  motive,  or  is  laboring  to  go  to  heaven  in 
his  own  strength,  independent  of  God,  so  as  to  be  at  heart 


652  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

opposed  to  his  salvation  being  determined  by  God,  —  and  on 
this  ground  is  in  his  heart  an  enemy  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
decrees  of  God,  of  election,  and  the  certain  perseverance  of 
all  true  Christians,  —  is  in  darkness  until  now,  and  knows  not 
the  only  way  of  salvation.  The  Scripture  warrants  us  in  this 
conclusion,  however  uncharitable  and  censorious  many  may 
think  it  to  be.  We  appeal  to  the  Bible  and  to  the  day  of 
judgment. 

IV.  This  subject  will  be  improved  by  urging  the  exhorta- 
tion in  the  text.  Let  all  who  hope  to  be  saved  make  it  their 
only  business  to  work  out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling.  There  is  no  other  way  to  heaven  but  this  ;  and 
this  is  a  work  of  life,  which  cannot  be  finished  till  death  takes 
us  out  of  the  world.  This  is  the  fight  of  faith,  by  perse- 
verance in  which  the   Christian  will  lay  hold  of  eternal  life. 

The  least  deviation  from  this  narrow  way,  or  neglect  or 
loitering  in  this  work,  is  unreasonable,  and  an  abuse  of  the 
gospel,  and  tends  to  evil.  In  order  to  go  in  this  way,  the 
flesh,  with  the  affections  and  lusts,  must  be  crucified ;  selfish- 
ness and  pride,  with  all  the  evil  propensity  which  springs  from 
them,  must  be  watched  against  and  crossed;  for  all  these 
will  lead  the  Christian  aside  from  the  right  way,  so  far  as  they 
are  regarded  and  gratified.  A  strong  disposition  to  self- 
dependence,  and  dependence  on  some  creature,  in  opposition 
to  constant  dependence  on  God  alone,  is  implied  in  these 
lusts.  And  so  much  of  this  is  in  the  Christian,  that  he  is  con- 
stantly exposed  to  fall  by  it,  and  often  does  so,  in  a  degree. 
When  the  Christian  is  in  a  pious  frame,  and  his  religious 
affections  are  strong  and  vigorous,  he  is  disposed  to  trust  in 
his  present  disposition  and  feelings  for  what  he  hopes  to  will 
and  to  do  in  future  ;  and  when  he  trusts  in  this  as  a  stock  and 
sutficiency  of  his  own  for  some  future  work,  he  always  finds 
himself  disappointed,  and  fails  of  willing  and  doing  as  he  ex- 
pected, because,  in  proportion  to  his  thus  trusting  to  himself, 
his  heart  departed  from  the  Lord,  and,  in  a  degree,  forgot  that 
he  depended  every  moment  on  God  to  work  in  him  to  will 
and  to  do.  Would  the  Christian  work  out  his  own  salvation, 
he  must  watch  and  pray  against  self-dependence  in  this  way 
or  in  any  other.  If  he  trusts  in  any  degree  to  ministers,  books, 
the  Bible,  or  any  means,  or  special  religious  advantages,  that 
these  will  help  him  in  any  measure,  independent  of  the  divine, 
immediate  operation,  working  in  him  every  right  motion  of 
heart,  he  gets  so  far  out  of  the  way,  and  cannot  come  right 
till  he  repent  of  his  folly.  Peter  trusted  to  his  own  present 
feelings,  and  was  self-confident  when  he  said  to  Christ, 
^  Though  all  men  shall  be  offended  because  of  thee,  yet  will 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  653 

I  never  be  offended.  Though  I  should  die  with  thee,  yet 
will  I  not  deny  thee."  "  I  will  lay  down  my  life  for  thy  sake." 
(Matt.  xxvi.  33,  35.  John  xiii.  37.)  Trusting  to  himself,  he 
fell  from  his  own  steadfastness,  and  could  not  be  recovered 
without  deep  and  bitter  repentance.  Let  all  be  hence  warned 
not  to  be  high  minded,  but  fear ;  and  let  him  who  thinketh  he 
standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall.  When  the  Christian  is  weak, 
fears  and  trembles  in  a  sense  of  his  own  insufficiency,  and 
feels  his  dependence  on  God  constantly  to  work  in  him  to  will 
and  to  do,  then  is  he  strong  to  run  the  race  that  is  set  before 
him,  and  work  out  his  own  salvation. 

To  what  has  been  said,  the  following  particulars  may  be 
added  as  motives  to  engage  in  and  pursue  this  work:  — 

1.  Consider  how  ^reat  this  work  is.  There  is  none  equal 
to  it,  or  to  be  compared  with  it.  It  is  to  overcome  self,  sin, 
and  Satan,  —  even  all  the  powers  of  darkness, —  principalities 
and  powers,  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  spiritual 
wickedness  in  high  places.  Nothing  short  of  Omnipotence 
can  strengthen  you  to  perform  it,  even  the  mighty  power  of 
God,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  raised  him  from 
the  dead,  and  set  him  at  his  own  right  hand,  far  above  all 
principality  and  power  and  might  and  dominion.  At  the 
same  time  that  the  consideration  of  the  greatness  of  this  work 
leads  to  fear  and  tremble,  to  feel  our  own  insufficiency,  and 
to  trust  in  God  alone  for  a  will  and  strength  to  do  it,  it  serves 
as  a  mighty  motive  to  desire  to  engage  in  it,  and  go  through, 
by  the  power  and  grace  of  Christ.  The  motive  is  great  and 
strong  in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work  before  us. 

2.  Consider  the  consequence  of  neglecting  this  work,  or 
performing  it.  The  consequence  of  the  former  is  to  perish 
forever,  for  none  can  be  saved  but  those  who  in  this  way  over- 
come. The  consequence  of  the  latter  is  to  sit  down  with 
Christ  on  his  throne,  and  reign  with  him  forever. 

3.  Consider  the  abundant  encouragement,  and  innumera- 
ble great  and  precious  promises,  which  Christians  have  to 
strengthen  and  animate  them  in  this  work,  and  to  trust  in 
Christ  to  carry  them  through.  They  who  trust  in  the  Lord 
shall  be  as  Mount  Zion,  which  cannot  be  moved ;  they  shall 
renew  their  strength  —  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles; 
they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  they  shall  walk  and  not 
faint. 

4.  Consider  the  pleasure  and  happiness  there  is  in  working 
out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  It  is  not 
a  slavish,  servile  work ;  there  is  pleasure  in  this  fear  and  trem- 
bling, which  is  nothing  more  than  true  humility  and  trust  in 
God.     No  man  knows  what  true  happiness  is,  who  is  not 

55* 


654  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

cordially  engaged  in  this  work.  And  he  who  is  thus  working 
out  his  own  salvation  has  true  pleasure  and  happiness  in  his 
work  :  he  has  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  and  is  going  on  to 
complete,  everlasting  rest  and  joy  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

This  subject  will  be  concluded  with  an  address  to  sinners 
who  neglect  the  great  salvation. 

The  words  of  the  text  are  not  directly  and  immediately 
addressed  to  you  ;  yet  they  contain  matter  of  instruction,  con- 
viction, admonition,  and  exhortation  to  you,  to  which  it  is  of 
the  greatest  importance  that  you  should  attend. 

You  are  here  taught  your  sinful,  depraved,  undone  state  — 
that  you  are  so  under  the  dominion  of  evil  propensities  that 
you  will  not  be  persuaded  and  disposed  to  exercise  one  right 
volition  or  thought,  unless  God  work  it  in  you  by  his  good 
Spirit,  to  do  which  he  is  under  no  obligation ;  and  you  are 
constantly  provoking  him  not  to  do  it,  but  to  give  you  up  to 
eternal  destruction.  Here  you  have  set  before  you  your  guilt, 
misery,  and  danger,  in  a  most  clear  and  affecting  light.  At 
the  same  time  you  are  taught  that  your  neglect  of  salvation, 
and  all  that  moral  depravity,  in  the  exercise  of  which  you  are 
sinning  against  Christ  and  running  into  ruin,  is  your  own 
inexcusable,  aggravated  wickedness,  of  which  you  are  contin- 
ually guilty,  and  is  enough  to  sink  you  down  to  the  deepest 
hell ;  and  will  certainly  do  it,  unless  God  shall  exercise  sover- 
eign mercy  to  you,  and  you  repent  and  turn,  and  are  willing 
to  work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling. 

And  as  your  opposition  of  heart  to  this,  and  even  the  neg- 
lect of  this  salvation,  is  altogether  your  own  fault,  for  which 
you  have  no  excuse,  consisting  in  your  own  inclination  and 
choice,  heaven  and  all  the  blessings  of  it  are  opened  and  freely 
offered  to  your  acceptance,  and  you  are  invited,  exhorted,  and 
commanded  to  work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and 
trembling,  having  a  promise  that  in  this  way  you  shall  cer- 
tainly be  saved. 

All  this  is  set  before  you  and  urged  upon  you  in  the  dis- 
courses on  this  subject  which  you  have  heard.  Your  attention 
to  these  truths  is,  therefore,  demanded  by  all  the  authority  of 
Heaven ;  and  you  are  required  heartily  to  receive  and  comply 
with  them,  and  thus  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  which  is  now 
set  before  you  and  offered  to  you  as  really  as  to  any  one  else. 
Therefore,  if  you  perish,  it  will  be  by  your  own  inexcusable 
and  greatly-aggravated  fault.  These  truths  are  infinitely  im- 
portant and  interesting  to  you,  for  you  will  be  forever  happy 
or  miserable  according  as  you  cordially  embrace  or  reject 
them. 

Saj  not,  "  I  am  not  elected,  and  therefore  cannot  be  saved 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  655 

let  me  do  what  I  will,  as  the  decrees  of  God  are  against  me." 
This  is  horrid  presumption,  for  you  to  meddle  with  and  pre- 
tend to  determine  that  which  is  secret,  and  act  upon  it.  Be- 
sides, it  is  revealed,  and  certain,  that  if  you  perish  you  will 
perish  as  really  and  as  much  by  your  own  inexcusable  fault 
as  if  there  were  no  decree  of  God  concerning  you.  This  plea 
and  excuse  will  appear  to  be  vain  and  unreasonable  when  the 
truth  comes  to  light,  and  that  it  proceeded  from  a  heart  full  of 
enmity  against  God,  and,  being  silenced,  it  will  serve  to  aggra- 
vate the  destruction  of  those  who  make  it.  O,  of  what  infi- 
nite importance,  then,  is  it  to  you,  that  you  should  wholly  lay 
it  aside  before  it  is  too  late  I 

Do  not  entertain  the  thought  that  you  cannot  embrace  the 
gospel  and  work  out  your  own  salvation,  and  imagine  that  this 
is  a  good  excuse  for  your  not  doing  it.  For  this  is  taking  upon 
you  the  character  of  the  slothful  servant,  who  thought  to  ex- 
cuse himself  for  neglecting  the  right  improvement  of  the  talent 
which  was  committed  to  him,  by  saying,  "  Lord,  I  knew  thee 
that  thou  art  an  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sown, 
and  gathering  where  thou  hast  not  strewed."  If  there  ever 
was  or  can  be  a  person  of  the  character  which  Jesus  here 
describes,  thou  art  the  man,  and  your  excuse  will  be  turned 
against  you,  and  you  will  meet  with  the  doom  pronounced  on 
such  a  servant:  "Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant  into  outer 
darkness ;  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

It  is  true  that  you  are  under  an  inability  to  do  any  thing  by 
which  you  shall  be  saved,  which  has  been  explained  as  con- 
sisting in  the  sinful  inclinations  of  your  own  heart;  and  you 
depend  entirely  on  God  for  a  new  heart,  and  he  will  give  such 
a  heart  or  not,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  and  will  deter- 
mine whether  you  shall  be  saved  or  not.  But  it  has  been 
fully  shown  that  this  kind  of  inability  is  so  far  from  being  an 
excuse  for  not  doing,  that  it  is  the  very  thing  wherein  the 
sinner's  criminality  and  blame  consist;  and  to  make  this  an 
excuse  for  not  doing  implies  a  great  degree  of  stupidity  and 
perverseness,  and  is  replying  against  God  in  the  same  manner 
that  the  slothful  servant  is  represented  to  do. 

Do  not  give  yourselves  up  to  sloth  and  indifference  in 
religion,  and  indulge  your  evil  inclinations,  in  neglect  of  all 
concern  about  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  because  you  think 
this  is  already  determined  by  God  and  you  cannot  alter  the 
case,  therefore  you  will  not  trouble  yourself  about  it.  This  is 
the  certain  way  to  determine  that  you  never  shall  be  saved, 
and  are  going  in  the  way  to  destruction  ;  for  this  is  the  certain 
way  to  perish  forever,  if  you  persist  in  it,  as  none  can  go  to 
heaven  in  this  careless  way. 


656  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

Besides,  such  a  conclusion  and  practice  is  most  unreason- 
able, and  must  proceed  from  amazing  blindness  and  stupidity. 
It  is  a  disposition  of  mind  which  is  condemned  as  an  evidence 
of  the  greatest  stupidity  and  sottishness  by  all  who  exercise 
any  reason  and  common  sense  in  temporal  concerns.  If  a  man 
be  accused  of  a  capital  crime,  and  is  to  be  tried  in  a  day  or 
two,  when  it  will  be  determined  whether  he  shall  be  put  to 
death  or  not,  and  such  a  man  should  appear  to  be  perfectly  un- 
concerned about  himself  and  the  issue  of  the  case  with  respect 
to  him,  who  could  be  found  to  justify  him  in  this?  Would 
not  all  join  to  condemn  him  as  an  unreasonable,  stupid  man  ? 
Or,  should  a  person  be  condemned  to  death  for  some  crime, 
and  the  day  of  his  execution  be  fixed,  could  he  be  perfectly 
unconcerned  and  easy  about  his  case  and  fate  even  till  the 
moment  of  execution  came  ?  If  this  were  possible,  and  such 
an  instance  should  be  known,  all  would  cry  out  on  him,  as 
sunk  below  the  reason,  sensibility,  and  feelings  of  a  man,  being 
as  thoughtless  and  stupid  as  a  beast.  How  much  more 
unreasonable,  insensible,  and  stupid  must  he  be  who  is  upon 
the  verge  of  eternity,  and  it  must  soon  be  determined  whether 
he  shall  be  unspeakably  happy,  or  beyond  all  conception  mis- 
erable forever,  and  yet  has  no  concern  about  the  matter,  but  is 
trifling  away  his  time  in  carelessness  about  his  eternal  interest, 
and  vain  amusements  I  This  is  an  instance  of  stupidity,  sot- 
tishness, frenzy,  or  madness  which  cannot  be  described. 

Do  not,  therefore,  give  way  to  such  unreasonableness,  stu- 
pidity, and  infatuation,  as  to  spend  your  time  and  strength  in 
care  and  exertions  about  temporal  things,  while  you  neglect 
the  utmost,  constant  attention  to,  and  highest  concern  about, 
those  infinitely  important  and  weighty  matters  which  hang 
upon  every  moment  of  your  lives. 

Do  not  entertain  so  good  an  opinion  of  yourselves  as  to 
think  you  are  willing  to  be  Christians,  and  that  the  reason 
why  you  are  not  is  not  the  want  of  a  willingness  to  embrace 
the  gospel,  and  because  you  vnll  not  come  to  Christ  for  sal- 
vation, but  from  some  other  cause,  for  which  you  are  not 
blamable. 

Many  who  are  under  some  concern  about  the  salvation  of 
their  souls  fall  into  this  delusion,  and  think  they  are  willing  to 
come  to  Christ,  and  be  Christians,  if  Christ  were  willing  to 
receive  them.  Such  are  ignorant  of  their  own  hearts,  and  have 
no  true  idea  of  that  which  is  implied  in  being  a  Christian,  and 
really  charge  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel  with  falsehood ;  for 
in  that  he  declares  that  whosoever  will  may  come  and  be 
saved.  In  this  way  they  overlook  the  true  reason  why  they 
are  not  Christians,  and  shut  their  eyes  to  their  own  true  char- 


AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT.  657 

acter,  guilt,  and  odiousness.  It  is  of  the  greatest  importance 
that  this  delusion  should  be  removed. 

Do  not  attempt  to  evade  all  conviction  of  the  truth  and 
concern  about  your  salvation  by  flattering  yourselves  that  you 
are  in  no  present  danger  of  destruction,  and  you  shall  have 
time  enough  hereafter  to  obtain  salvation,  though  you  neglect 
it  now.  Remember  that  you  have  no  security  from  falling 
into  hell  one  moment;  and  the  voice  of  God  and  of  reason 
to  you  is,  "  Make  haste  I  Escape  for  thy  life,  lest  thou  be 
destroyed ! " 

And  do  not  indulge  a  thought  of  your  own  sufficiency  and 
moral  strength  to  work  out  your  own  salvation,  unless  God 
work  in  you  to  will  and  to  do.  Many  are  so  ignorant  of 
themselves,  and  of  the  work  of  a  Christian,  as  to  imagine  they 
are  sufficient  to  begin  and  go  through  the  work  without  feel- 
ing their  dependence  on  God ;  and  they  think  they  are  truly 
religious,  and  working  out  their  own  salvation,  while  they  are 
only  gratifying  their  own  selfishness  and  pride,  and  are  in  the 
sight  of  God  abominable  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every  good 
work  reprobate. 

There  are  others  who  are  so  confident  of  their  own  inde- 
pendent sufficiency  to  help  and  save  themselves,  when  they 
shall  set  about  it  in  earnest,  that  by  this  confidence  in  them- 
selves they  are  led  to  indulge  in  neglect  of  religion  and  carnal 
security  for  the  present ;  and  by  this  delusion  many  are  fas- 
tened down  in  sloth  and  neglect  of  their  souls  till  it  is  eternally 
too  late.  Could  they  be  persuaded  to  try  their  supposed 
strength  in  earnest,  there  would  be  hope  that  they  would  be 
convinced  of  their  delusion,  as  many  have  been  in  this  way 
thoroughly  convinced  and  humbled;  but  so  long  as  they  can- 
not be  awakened  and  roused  to  try  their  boasted  strength,  they 
are  like  to  remain  in  the  fatal  delusion. 

It  is  of  infinite  importance  to  you  that  you  do  not,  on  the 
one  hand,  presume  upon  your  own  strength  and  sufficiency  to 
work  out  your  own  salvation,  and,  trusting  in  yourselves  that 
you  are  righteous,  depend  upon  obtaining  salvation  by  your 
own  righteousness,  or,  on  this  presumption  of  your  own  suf- 
ficiency, live  in  ease  and  security,  at  present,  in  the  indulgence 
of  your  own  corrupt  inclinations,  depending  on  yourselves  for 
strength  and  help  when  it  shall  be  necessary  for  you  to  be 
religious  to  escape  destruction ;  or  that  you  do  not,  on  the 
other  hand,  live  in  ease  and  the  neglect  of  salvation,  from  the 
consideration  of  your  depravity  and  inability  to  save  your- 
selves, and  your  dependence  on  God  for  this,  imagining  that 
this  takes  away  all  obligation  and  encouragement  to  embrace 


668  AN    IMPROVEMENT    OF    THE    SUBJECT. 

the  gospel  and  work  out  your  own  salvation.     Both  of  these 
delusions  equally  lead  to  destruction. 

May  you  realize  the  infinitely  evil  and  dangerous  state  in 
which  you  are,  and  be  excited  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come, 
by  laying  hold  of  the  hope  set  before  you,  knowing  that  salva- 
tion is  freely  offered  to  you,  and  heaven  stands  open  for  you, 
and  you  are  invited  to  run  for  this  prize,  having  at  the  same 
time  the  offer  and  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  all  the 
assistance  you  want,  if  you  will  so  far  trust  in  God  as  to  ask 
him  for  all  this.     O,  sinners,  why  will  ye  die  ? 


A    SERMON. 


THE   LAW   or   WORKS 


THE  LAW  OF  FAITH. 


A  sermon; 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF 

FAITH. 


Where  is  boasting  then  ?     It  is  excluded.    By  what  law  ?  of  works  ?    Nay ; 
but  by  the  law  of  faith.  —  Rom.  iii.  27. 

The  apostle  Paul  does  in  this  epistle  particularly  state  and 
explain  the  way  in  which  sinners  may  obtain  the  favor  of 
God  and  eternal  salvation,  which  is  opened  by  the  gospel. 
There  are  but  two  possible  ways  of  obtaining  the  favor  of 
God  and  eternal  life,  which  he  mentions,  viz.,  by  the  works  of 
the  law,  or  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  and  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  The  former  way  he  says  is  impossible  to  sinners  ;  and 
if  it  were  possible,  it  would  be  highly  improper,  and  attended 
with  evil  consequences.  Having  proved  that  all  men  are  sin- 
ners and  guilty  before  God,  he  says,  "  Therefore  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight;  for  by 
the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.  Because  the  law  worketh 
WTath ;  and  the  salvation  of  sinners  is  not  of  works,  lest  any 
man  should  boast."  The  latter,  therefore,  he  establishes  as  the 
only  proper,  wise,  and  possible  way  in  which  sinners  may  be 
justified  and  saved,  and  says,  "  Therefore  we  conclude  that  a 
man  is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law;  and  it 
is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by  grace,  by  which  boasting  is 
w^holly  excluded.''* 

In  attending  to  these  words  of  the  text,  it  will  be  attempted 
to  explain  them  by  showing  what  is  meant  by  the  law  of 
works,  and  what  by  the  law  of  faith,  and  why  boasting  is  ex- 
cluded, not  by  the  former,  but  by  the  latter,  and  then  improve 
the  subject  in  some  useful  remarks  and  inferences  from  it. 

By  the  law  of  works  is  meant  the  original  law  or  constitu- 
tion, which  requires  perfect,  persevering  obedience,  in  order  to 
have  and  continue  to  enjoy  the  favor  and  blessing  of  God,  and 
which  pronounces  him  accursed  who  is  guilty  of  disobedience 

*  'Written  in  the  year  1800. 

VOL.  III.  56 


662  THE    LAAV    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

in  one  and  the  least  possible  instance.  This  law  every  ra- 
tional creature  is  under  obligation  to  obey.  The  holy  angels 
were  made  under  this  law,  and  by  a  sinless,  perfect  obedience 
to  it,  during  the  whole  time  of  their  probation,  they  have  ob- 
tained and  enjoy  the  divine  approbation,  and  the  reward  of 
eternal  life.  This  is  the  constitution  under  which  Adam  and 
all  his  posterity  were  made ;  this  is  the  law  of  works.  Had 
the  father  of  the  human  race  continued  perfectly  to  obey  this 
law  to  the  end  of  his  time  of  trial,  he  would,  by  these  his 
works,  have  obtained  eternal  life  for  himself  and  his  children 
too ;  but,  by  transgressing  this  law  of  works,  he  fell  under  the 
curse  of  it,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  the  ruin  of  all  his  chil- 
dren, by  their  falling  into  the  same  state,  as  tlieir  sinning  was, 
by  divine  constitution,  cormected  with  his  transgression. 

And  many  of  the  sinful  children  of  Adam  have,  and  do, 
through  their  pride  and  ignorance  of  themselves,  and  of  the 
nature,  extent,  and  design  of  the  divine  law,  seek  and  attempt 
to  become  righteous,  and  obtain  pardon  and  salvation  by  the 
works  of  the  law  —  their  own  obedience.  Most  of  the  Jews 
did  so  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  They  sought  righteous- 
ness as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law,  and  went  about  to 
establish  their  own  righteousness,  and  in  this  way  they  failed 
of  obtaining  righteousness,  and  remained  as  much  under  the 
curse  of  this  law  of  works  as  if  they  had  attempted  no  obedi- 
ence to  it ;  for  all  who  in  this  way  are  of  the  works  of  the  law, 
are  under  the  curse  of  it ;  for  it  is  written,  "  Cursed  is  every  one 
who  continueth  not  in  all  the  things  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  This  way  to  life  is  forever  shut 
against  all  the  sons  of  Adam  ;  for  they  have  all  transgressed 
it,  and  by  this  have  rendered  it  forever  impossible  to  obtain 
the  righteousness  of  it  by  their  own  works  and  obedience.  It 
is  natural,  however,  for  fallen  man.  Gentiles  as  well  as  Jews, 
to  seek  a  righteousness  by  their  obedience  to  this  law,  and  to 
gratify  their  pride  and  disposition  to  trust  and  boast  in  them- 
selves and  their  own  righteousness ;  and  numbers  beyond  our 
calculation  in  the  Christian  world  have  taken,  and  are  still 
'  taking,  this  sure  road  to  destruction,  rather  than  to  give  up 
and  renounce  that  boasting,  which  must  be  effectually  de- 
stroyed in   order  to  embrace  the  gospel. 

By  the  law  of  faith  is  meant  the  gospel  institution  and  dis- 
pensation, in  which  provision  is  made  for  the  pardon,  justifica- 
tion, and  salvation  of  sinners  who  are  under  the  condemna- 
tion and  curse  of  the  law;  not  by  any  works  of  righteousness 
which  they  have  done  or  can  do,  to  take  off  the  curse  of  the 
law,  or  to  recommend  themselves  to  this  favor  and  blessing, 
but  purely  on  the  account  of  the  atonement,  righteousness 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  663 

and  worthiness  of  Christ,  in  which  they  become  interested  so 
as  to  avail,  on  their  behalf,  to  deliver  from  all  the  evil  they 
deserve,  and  procure  all  the  good  they  want,  by  faith  in  him, 
or  believing  on  his  name. 

It  being  of  great  importance  that  all  should  have  right  and 
clear  conceptions  of  this  subject,  it  is  proper  and  useful  to 
give  a  more  particular  description  of  these  two  laws  —  the 
law  of  works  and  the  law  of  faith.  This  may  be  done  to  the 
best  advantage,  perhaps,  by  considering  wherein  they  agree 
with  each  other,  and  in  what  respects  there  is  a  diflerence  and 
opposition  of  one  to  the  other,  and  how  not  the  former,  but 
the  latter,  excludes  boasting. 

First.  It  is  to  be  considered  and  shown  wherein  there  is. 
an  agreement  between  these  two  laws,  and  what  is  as  true  of 
one  as  of  the  other,  and  is  common  to  them  both. 

1.  Holiness  or  obedience  is  necessarily  implied  and  exer- 
cised in  compliance  with  each  and  either  of  these  laws,  and 
in  order  to  be  interested  in  the  promises  and  blessings  which 
they  contain. 

The  law  of  works  requires  perfect  and  persevering  holiness 
and  obedience,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  it.  The  least 
sin  cuts  a  person  off  from  all  the  promised  good  of  this  law, 
and  subjects  him  to  the  curse  of  it,  without  any  possible 
remedy  by  that  law,  as  has  been  before  observed. 

And  a  compliance  with  the  law  of  faith,  or  the  covenant  of 
grace,  which  is  the  same,  implies  holy  exercise  or  true  obe- 
dience;  and  this  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  be  inter- 
ested in  the  promises  and  blessings  of  this  law  and  covenant. 

That  faith  from  which  this  law  or  covenant  has  its  denomi- 
nation, and  in  the  exercise  of  which  this  law  is  complied  with 
and  fulhlled,  and  to  which  all  the  promises  it  contains  are 
made,  implies  holiness  of  heart,  and  is  itself  a  holy  exercise. 
This  being  an  important  point,  and  denied  by  many,  so  much 
evidence  of  it  from  Scripture  and  reason  will  here  be  produced 
as  it  is  hoped  will  be  sufBcient  to  establish  the  truth  of  it  to 
the  conviction  of  every  unprejudiced  mind. 

That  faith  which  discerns  and  believes  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel from  a  view  of  the  moral  excellence  and  wisdom  of  it,  and 
sees  the  character  of  Christ  to  be  divinely  excellent  and  beau- 
tiful, is  not  a  mere  speculative  faith,  confined  to  the  under- 
standing, exclusive  of  taste  and  exercise  of  heart,  and  cordial 
approbation.  Moral  excellence  and  beauty  is  not,  and  cannot 
be,  the  object  of  mere  intellect,  as  distinguished  from  taste 
and  discerning  of  heart;  therefore,  a  real  sight  of  moral  ex- 
cellence and  beauty,  or  loveliness,  necessarily  implies  love  of 
that  excellence  and  beauty  ;  and  these  cannot  be  distinguished 


664  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

or  separated  one  from  the  other,  for  they  are  really  one  and 
the  same  thing.  Hence  it  is  demonstrably  certain,  that  the 
faith  which  discerns  the  gospel  to  be  true  and  excellent,  or 
that  internal  evidence  which  renders  it  most  worthy  of  belief, 
implies  a  discerning  taste  and  relish  of  divine  excellence  and 
beauty,  which  is  a  virtuous  disposition  and  exercise  of  heart, 
and  is  real  holiness  of  heart,  if  there  be  in  nature  any  such 
thing. 

But  that  saving  faith  implies,  and  essentially  consists  in,  a 
holy  exercise  of  heart,  in  embracing  the  gospel  as  excellent 
and  holy,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  a  cordial  approbation 
of  Christ  and  his  character,  and  trusting  in  him,  is  abundantly 
evident  from  the  Scripture,  as  well  as  from  the  reason  and 
nature  of  the  case. 

The  following  passages,  among  many  others  which  might 
be  mentiotied,  afford  an  undeniable  proof  of  this:  — 

Believing  on  Christ  and  receiving  him  is  mentioned  as  one 
and  the  same.  "  But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  be- 
lieve on  his  name."  Coming  to  Christ  and  believing  on  him 
is  mentioned  as  the  same  thing.  "  Jesus  stood  and  cried, 
saying,  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink. 
He  that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his 
belly  shall  flow  living  waters."  Receiving  Christ  and  coming 
tb  him  are  holy  exercises  of  heart ;  for  the  character  of  Christ 
is  so  perfectly  holy,  that  it  is  impossible  that  an  unholy  heart 
should  be  pleased  with  it;  and  none  can  cordially  come  to 
him  and  receive  him  but  in  the  exercise  of  holy  love  to  him. 
Christ  said  to  the  Jews,  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent;"  and  proceeds  to  speak 
of  coming  to  him,  and  eating  his  flesh  and  drinking  his  blood, 
as  being  the  same  with  believing  on  him.  (John  vi.  29-58.) 
He  said  to  the  Jews,  "  I  know  you,  that  ye  have  not  the  love 
of  God  in  you  ; "  and  then  proceeds  to  tell  them  that  this  was 
the  only  reason  why  they  believed  not  on  him,  and  did  not  re- 
ceive him.  "  How  can  ye  believe  who  receive  honor  one  of 
another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from  God  only  ?  " 
In  these  words,  it  is  asserted  that  none  can  believe  on  him 
Unless  his  heart  be  friendly  to  God  and  to  him,  and  that  it  is 
impossible  that  any  one  should  believe  on  Christ  who  is  an  im- 
penitent enemy  of  God;  which  could  not  be  true,  if  faith  did 
not  imply  holy  exorcises  of  heart.  (John  v.  40,  44.)  That  faith 
in  Christ  itnpliet^  holiness  of  heart,  and  is  a  holy  exercise,  is  as- 
serted by  Christ  in  his  discourse  with  Nicodemus:  "He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  is  not  condemned ;  but  he  that  believeth 
not  is  condemned  already.     And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  665 

light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one  that 
doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  coineth  to  the  light,  lest  his 
deeds  should  be  reproved.  But  he  that  doeth  truth  cometh  to 
the  light."  (John  iii.  18-21.)  If  every  one  that  doeth  evil, 
hateth  the  light,  and  will  not  come  to  it,  and  loves  darkness 
rather  than  light,  is  condemned,  and  he  that  believeth  on 
Christ  is  not  condemned,  then  believing  is  coming  to  the 
light  and  loving  it,  or  receiving  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  and 
doing  the  truth,  or  conforming  to  and  practising  it,  in  which 
holiness  consists.  Surely  nothing  can  be  plainer,  and  more 
strongly  asserted,  than  this  is  in  these  words. 

Believing  on  Christ  is  commanded  as  a  duty,  and,  therefore, 
must  be  an  exercise  of  the  heart,  and  a  holy  exercise  ;  for 
nothing  can  be  the  subject  of  command  but  the  heart  or  will, 
and  nothing  was  ever  commanded  by  God  but  holiness,  and 
nothing  else  can  be  duty.  Christ  preached,  saying,  "  Repent, 
and  believe  the  gospel."  He  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Ye  beheve 
in  God ;  believe  also  in  me."  He  said  to  the  Jews,  "  This  is 
the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent." 
The  apostle  John  says,  "  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we 
should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  There- 
fore, believing  on  Christ  is  called  "the  obedience  of  faith," 
and  obeying  Christ  is  the  same  with  believing  on  him.  "  And 
being  made  perfect,  he  became  the  Author  of  eternal  salvation 
to  ail  them  that  obey  him."  The  apostle  Paul  observes  that 
the  just  lives  by  his  faith;  and  says,  "I  live  by  the  faith  of 
the  Son  of  God."  If  faith  was  that  by  which  he  lived,  it  was 
his  spiritual.  Christian  life,  which  certainly  is  Christian  holi- 
ness. He  therefore  says,  "  Faith  worketh  by  love."  Love  is 
the  sum  of  true  holiness,  but  this  is  the  efficacious,  operative 
nature  and  life  of  faith,  so  that  the  faith  is  wholly  dead  and 
inactive,  the  life  and  active  nature  of  which  is  not  love. 

The  apostle  Paul  says,  "  Abraham  was  strong  in  faith,  giv- 
ing glory  to  God."  If  faith  be  not  friendly  to  God,  to  the 
divine  character,  it  does  not,  it  cannot,  give  any  glory  to  God, 
however  strong  it  may  be ;  but  friendship  to  God  is  true  love 
to  God,  and  is  a  holy  exercise  of  heart.  Accordingly,  the 
apostle  James,  speaking  of  Abraham  believing  God,  says, 
"  By  this  he  obtained  the  character  of  the  friend  of  God."  If 
there  were  no  love  or  holiness  in  saving  faith,  then  an  impeni- 
tent enemy  of  God  might  have  as  much  of  it,  and  be  as  strong 
in  faith,  as  Abraham,  or  any  other  man,  and  that,  too,  without 
any  true  discerning  or  sight  of  the  true  character  of  Christ 
and  spiritual  things.  "  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth 
the  light,  neither  cometh  to  the  light ; "  which  is  true  of  every 
56* 


660  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

impenitent,  unregenerate  person.  "  The  natural  man  receiveth 
hot  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritu- 
tilly  discerned."  Therefore,  whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  or  has  saving  faith,  is  born  of  God  —  has  a  new 
and  holy  heart  given  him  of  God;  for  with  such  a  heart  the 
spiritual  man  discerneth  spiritual  things,  and  believeth  unto 
righteousness. 

Much  more  evidence  might  be  produced  from  Scripture  to 
prove  that  saving  faith  is  real  gospel  holiness ;  but  as  what 
has  already  been  said  on  this  point  does  make  it  sufficiently 
clear,  it  is  needless  to  add  any  more  proof  that,  according  to 
the  law  of  faith,  holiness  is  as  necessary  in  order  to  an  interest 
in  the  promises  and  blessings  of  it  as  it  is  according  to  the 
law  of  works ;  which  is  the  proposition  proposed  to  be  proved. 

2.  The  holiness  which  is  necessary  in  a  compliance  with 
the  law  of  works  and  the  law  of  faith  consists  in  conformity 
to  the  same  law  or  rule  of  duty.  It  is,  therefore,  the  same 
kind  of  holiness,  as  there  is  but  one  law  and  rule  of  holiness. 
All  holiness  consists  in  love  to  God  and  our  neighbors,  which, 
though  expressed  in  different  words,  and  exercised  in  a  differ- 
ent manner  and  circumstances,  and  to  answer  different  pur- 
poses, yet  it  is  essentially  one  and  the  same  thing,  and  is 
conformity  and  obedience  to  the  same  law. 

Second.  It  is  to  be  considered  wherein  these  two  laws 
differ  and  are  opposed  to  each  other. 

This  may  be  stated  and  explained  in  the  following .  par- 
ticulars :  — 

1.  According  to  the  law  of  works,  the  perfectly  holy  and 
obedient  offer  to  God  their  holiness  and  works  of  obedience 
as  the  price  of  the  favor  and  acceptance  of  God,  and  the 
reason  of  their  having  his  approbation  and  rewards;  and  God 
accepts  and  rewards  them,  out  of  respect  to  their  obedience 
and  good  works,  as  a  testimony  of  his  love  of  holiness  and 
pleasure  in  their  obedience  to  him.  Thus  the  holy  angels 
were  justified  by  their  works  :  their  perfect  holiness  and  obedi- 
ence was  the  price  of  the  favor  they  obtained  .of  God.  They 
trusted  in  their  own  righteousness  to  recommend  them  to 
God's  acceptance,  and  the  benefits  of  justification  and  eternal 
life;  and,  in  bestowing  these  upon  them,  God  testified  his 
approbation  of  their  character  and  works. 

The  law  of  faith  is  directly  the  reverse  of  this.  It  opens  a 
way  for  the  pardon,  justification,  and  eternal  life  of  sinners, 
who  have  fallen  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  are  forever 
cut  off'  from  a  possibility  of  being  justified  by  the  law  of 
Works.     According  to  the  law  of  faith,  sinners  are  pardoned 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  667 

and  justified  by  the  atonement,  righteousness,  and  merit  of 
Jesus  Christ;  and  the  holiness  which  they  exercise  is  so  far 
i'rom  recommending  them  to  the  least  favor  on  account  of  their 
moral  worth  and  excellence,  that  it  wholly  consists  in  what  is 
implied  in  receiving  these  blessings,  and  all  they  want  as  a 
free  gift  to  the  intinitely  guilty  and  ill  deserving,  without  money 
or  price,  from  the  hands  of  an  infinitely  gracious  and  bountiful 
Benefactor. 

By  faith  the  sinner  comes  to  Christ  for  all  he  wants,  sensible 
that  by  sin  he  has  undone  himself,  and  may  justly  be  cast  off 
by  God  into  eternal  destruction;  he  confesses  his  sins  and  ill 
desert,  and  heartily  approves  of  the  law  of  God  which  con- 
demns and  curses  him,  as  just,  good,  and  excellent,  worthy  to 
be  maintained  and  honored.  He  highly  approves  of  the  char- 
acter of  Christ,  in  seeking  and  promoting  the  honor  of  God, 
by  vindicating  and  honoring  the  law  which  sinners  had  trans- 
gressed and  trampled  under  foot,  by  suffering  the  curse  of  it 
himself,  in  dying  on  the  cross  and  obeying  it  perfectly.  He  is 
pleased  with  tlie  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  in  which  the  sinner 
is  humbled  and  saved  by  free  grace,  and  not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  he  has  done  or  can  do  ;  and  he  is  greatly 
pleased  with  the  deliverance  from  all  sin,  and  that  perfect  holi- 
ness which  Christ  will  bestow  on  all  who  believe  in  him  ;  and 
he  is  satisfied  with  that  heaven  and  happiness,  that  glorious 
immortality,  which  Christ  has  brought  to  light,  and  will  cause 
all  believers  fully  and  eternally  to  possess,  as  his  purchase  and 
free  gift  to  them,  though  in  themselves  infinitely  unworthy  and 
ill  deserving.  Thus  the  believer  comes  to  Christ  as  the  apostle 
Paul  did,  desiring  not  to  be  found  in  his  own  righteousness, 
which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith. 

This  is  the  great,  capital,  and  most  striking  difterence  and 
opposition  between  the  law  of  works  and  the  law  of  faith, 
which,  it  is  presumed,  will  be  clearly  understood  by  every 
judicious,  attentive  person,  and  appear  to  be  of  great  impor- 
tance to  be  made  and  always  kept  in  mind. 

It  may  be  useful,  however,  to  some,  further  to  explain  and 
illustrate  this  interesting  and  important  point  by  the  parable 
of  the  elder  son  and  the  prodigal.  The  latter,  having  rendered 
himself  guilty,  odious,  and  wretched,  by  leaving  his  father's 
house,  and  foolish  conduct,  when  his  eyes  were  opened,  and 
he  saw  how  guilty,  wretched,  and  undone  he  was,  and  that  all 
he  wanted  for  his  relief  was  to  be  had  in  his  father's  house,  he 
determined  to  go  and  cast  himself  upon  the  goodness  and 
mercy  of  his  father,  confessing  his  folly  and  sin  in  abusing  his 
father  and  leaving  his  house,  and  his  utter  unworthiness  of  the 


668  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    ANB    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

least  favor.  In  this,  and  in  receiving  all  he  wanted  from  the 
free,  undeserved  kindness  of  his  parent,  was  exercised  and 
expressed  as  real  love  to  him  and  his  family  as  his  elder 
brother  had  done,  if  he  were  as  good  and  obedient  as  he  repre- 
sented himself  to  be.  The  latter  recommended  himself  to  his 
father's  approbation  and  favor  by  his  constant  obedience  and 
good  deeds ;  the  prodigal  was  covered  with  shameful  guilt, 
unworthiness,  and  ill  desert,  and  humbly  and  gladly  receives 
all  that  is  bestowed  upon  him  as  a  free  gift  to  an  unworthy 
creature,  who  might  justly  have  been  left  to  perish  without  the 
least  relief,  having  nothing  to  recommend  him  to  favor,  but 
every  thing  to  the  contrary.  The  one  brings  and  offers  his 
works  of  obedience  as  the  reason  why  he  should  be  favored 
and  rewarded,  or  as  the  price  by  which  he  had  purchased  the 
blessings  he  desired  and  expected;  the  other  has  nothing  but 
shame,  guilt,  and  wretchedness,  and  seeks  and  accepts  of  his 
father's  kindness  in  receiving  him  to  his  favor,  and  all  the 
privileges,  enjoyments,  and  honors  of  his  family,  as  a  free  gift 
to  a  most  ill-deserving  son,  who  could  make  no  compensation 
for  the  injury  he  had  done.  But  in  his  friendly  thought  he 
had  of  his  father,  in  his  returning  hence  to  him,  confessing  his 
sin  and  unworthiness  of  any  favor,  and  cordial  acceptance  of 
offered  mercy,  and  gladly  coming  into  his  father's  house  and 
family,  he  exercised  as  real  love  and  friendship  to  his  parent 
and  his  family,  and  to  the  laws,  business,  and  enjoyments  of 
his  house,  as  did  the  elder  son  ;  and  yet  their  love  and  friend- 
ship was  exercised  and  expressed  in  very  different  and  oppo- 
site ways,  according  to  their  different  and  opposite  state  and 
circumstances. 

But  the  difference  and  opposition  between  these  two  laws 
of  works  and  faith  in  other  respects,  which  are  implied  in  or 
do  arise  from  that  already  mentioned,  though  not  so  great  and 
important,  yet  must  be  noticed,  as  necessary  in  order  fully  to 
understand  the  subject  to  which  we  are  attending. 

2.  None  can  be  justified  and  obtain  eternal  life  by  the  law 
of  works  unless  he  is  perfectly  obedient  and  holy,  without  the 
least  sin  or  defect. 

But  by  the  law  of  faith  the  least  degree  of  holiness  exercised 
by  a  sinner  in  believing  in  Christ,  and  coming  to  him,  and 
trusting  in  him  for  pardon  and  salvation,  obtains  justification 
and  the  promise  of  eternal  life,  while  he  is  yet  attended  with 
a  great  degree  of  unholiness  and  sin.  The  reason  of  this 
difference  is,  because  by  the  1'a.w  of  works  a  creature  is  justified 
by  his  own  works  or  holiness,  which,  therefore,  must  be  per- 
fect; for  by  the  least  sin  he  falls  under  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  can  never  after  obtain  any  blessing  by  it.    "  For  as  many 


THE  LAW  OF  AVORKS  AND  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH.     669 

as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse ;  for  it  is 
written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  the 
things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 
But  by  the  law  of  faith  the  sinner  is  not  justified  by  his  own 
works  or  holiness,  but  wholly  by  the  merit  and  righteousness 
of  Christ.  The  least  exercise  of  holiness  by  which  a  sinner 
accepts  of  Christ  offering  himself  to  him,  and  comes  to  him  for 
pardon,  righteousness,  and  complete  redemption,  interests  him 
in  all  the  blessings  Christ  has  obtained  for  sinners,  and  in  all 
the  promises  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  "  He  that  believeth  on 
the  Son  hath  everlasting  life.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
he  that  heareth  my  word,  and  believeth  on  him  who  sent  me, 
hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation, 
but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 

This  leads  to  observe  another  difierence  between  these 
two  laws. 

3.  By  the  law  of  works,  a  creature  cannot  be  justified  until 
he  has  persevered  in  perfect  obedience  to  the  end  of  the  time 
of  his  probation  ;  but  by  the  law  of  faith  the  sinner  is  justified, 
and  interested  in  all  the  promises  of  the  gospel,  and  made  an 
heir  of  eternal  life,  upon  the  first  act  of  faith  in  Christ.  "  He 
that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life;  he  shall  not 
come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 
Saving  faith  is  indeed  a  persevering  faith,  so  that  he  who  once 
believes  will  continue  to  believe  to  the  end  of  life.  His  faith 
shall  never  fail;  not  because  it  is  in  its  own  nature  a  perse- 
vering faith,  or  from  the  power  and  sufficiency  of  the  believer, 
but  because  God  has  promised,  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  that 
he  who  once  believes,  to  whom  he  has  given  faith  to  lay  hold 
of  and  embrace  this  covenant  by  believing  on  Christ,  shall  be 
kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation.  The 
first  act  of  faith  being  in  this  sense  and  manner  a  persevering 
faith,  the  promise  is  made  to  believing,  even  the  very  first  act 
of  it;  and  it  is  proper  that  this  should  bring  into  a  state  of 
justification,  and  give  a  title  to  eternal  life,  as  the  first  act  of 
faith  is  the  beginning  of  an  everlasting  union  to  Christ,  in 
whom  the  believer  has  everlasting  righteousness  and  strength. 

4.  Though  the  holiness  of  the  law  of  works  and  the  law  of 
faith  be  the  same  in  nature  and  kind,  consisting  in  obedience 
to  the  same,  and  conformable  to  the  revealed  will  of  God,  yet, 
owing  to  the  state  and  circumstances  of  the  sinner,  and  the 
different  way  and  manner  of  obtaining  justification  by  the 
exercise  of  holiness,  which  has  been  described,  there  is  a  rea 
and  great,  though  circumstantial,  difference  in  the  exercise  of 
the  same  holiness.  The  sinner,  infinitely  guilty,  ill  deserving, 
and  WTctched,  exercises  his  love  to  God  and  his  law,  and  to 


670  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

Christ  the  Mediator,  in  coming  to  and  trusting  in  Christ,  and 
receiving  from  him  deliverance  from  the  infinite  evil  he  deserves, 
and  from  all  sin,  and  accepting  of  all  the  good  he  wants  and 
is  capable  of  enjoying  to  all  eternity,  as  a  free,  undeserved  gift. 
He  has  a  greater  sense  of  the  infinite  goodness  and  free  grace 
of  God,  and  feels  more  dependent  on  this,  and  more  indebted 
to  God,  and  under  greater  obligations  to  him  than  the  holy 
angels  who  have  never  sinned  can  ;  and,  consequently,  the 
redeemed  exercise  a  greater  degree  of  humility,  and  a  more 
ardent  and  sweet  love  of  gratitude,  and  render  a  higher  tribute 
of  praise  to  God,  their  Redeemer  and  Savior,  than  they  are 
capable  of  who  have  never  sinned ;  therefore,  the  redeemed 
from  among  men  are  represented  as  singing  a  new  song  before 
the  throne  of  God,  which  none  but  they  could  learn. 

Third.  It  is  to  be  considered  how  and  why  all  boasting  is 
excluded  by  the  law  of  faith,  as  it  has  been  explained. 

It  is  not  implied  in  this  that  the  law  of  works,  when  rightly 
understood  and  perfectly  obeyed,  affords  any  ground  of  boast- 
ing in  a  bad  sense,  or  of  sinful  boasting,  which  is  meant  here. 
The  holy  angels,  who  are  justified,  and  have  obtained  the 
reward  of  eternal  life  by  the  law  of  works,  have  no  ground  for 
boasting.  They  have  no  pride,  and  do  not  glory  in  them- 
selves, in  their  own  obedience  and  works,  but  in  the  Lord,  in 
his  munificence  and  glorious  character.  But  this  law  of  works 
is  not  suited  to  the  sinner,  to  obtain  justification  and  life  by  it, 
for  he  has  fallen  under  the  curse  of  it,  and  is  forever  excluded 
from  the  righteousness  of  it  in  his  own  person  ;  and  to  suppose 
a  sinner  can  be  justified  by  any  obedience  or  works  he  can 
perform,  is  to  set  him  infinitely  higher  than  the  place  and  state 
he  is  in,  and  to  dishonor  and  degrade  the  law;  and  for  a  sin- 
ner to  attempt  this,  is  a  most  daring  instance  of  pride  and 
self-confident  boasting ;  and  were  it  possible  that  a  sinner  could 
obtain  the  favor  of  God  and  justification  by  any  obedience  or 
holiness  of  his  own,  and  out  of  respect  to  the  worth  and  amia- 
bleness  of  that,  this  would  please  and  Hatter  his  pride,  and 
nothing  could  prevent  his  haughty  boasting  of  himself  and  his 
own  good  works.  And  this  suits  the  heart  of  proud  man ;  he 
naturally  seeks  to  be  justified  by  his  own  works,  if  he  seeks  it 
at  all,  that  he  may  have  something  to  boast  of,  by  recommend- 
ing himself  to  the  favor  of  God  by  his  own  good  deeds,  being 
ignorant  of  himself,  of  his  own  character,  and  of  God  and 
his  law. 

Thus  the  Jews  rejected  the  law  of  faith,  and  followed  after 
righteousness,  and  obtained  it  not,  because  they  sought  it  not 
by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law.  They,  being 
ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  went  about,  or  attempted,  to 


THE  LAW  OF  WORKS  AND  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH.     671 

establish  their  own  righteousness.  And  many  thousands  and 
millions  of  Gentiles  in  the  Christian  world  have  stumbled  at 
that  stumbling  stone,  —  the  law  of  faith,  which  excludes  boast- 
ing,—  and  have  sought,  and  are  now  seeking,  to  be  saved  by 
the  law  of  works ;  how  many  millions,  none  can  tell !  And  per- 
haps there  is  not,  nor  ever  has  been,  one  of  the  sons  or  daugh- 
ters of  Adam  who  has  enjoyed  the  light  of  divine  revelation, 
and  has  in  any  measure  or  way  sought  to  be  saved,  who  has 
not  in  a  greater  or  less  degree  made  this  wicked  and  danger- 
ous attempt.  Happy  are  they  who  have  been  cured  of  boast- 
ing by  embracing  the  law  of  faith. 

What  has  been  said  in  describing  the  law  of  faith  is  suf- 
ficient to  show  that  it  excludes  all  boasting.  The  sinner  in  this 
way  is  received  to  favor,  is  justified  and  saved,  not  on  account 
of  any  works  he  has  done,  or  ever  will  do,  and  is  not  recom- 
mended to  favor  by  any  worthiness  or  holiness  he  has,  but  is 
considered,  as  in  himself,  as  poor  and  naked,  wretched,  and  mis- 
erable, infinitely  guilty,  and  deserving  to  be  cast  into  hell  for- 
ever; and  all  the  favor  he  receives  is  a  free,  undeserved  gift 
and  bounty,  yea,  bounty  to  the  most  ill  deserving.  Where  is 
boasting,  then  ?  W^hat  has  he  to  boast  of  but  guilt,  ill  desert, 
poverty,  and  wretchedness? 

And  all  this  is  not  only  true,  and  he  is  viewed  in  this  light  by 
God,  agreeably  to  his  holy  law,  but  the  sinner  is  made  to  feel 
and  acknowledge  this,  and  caimot  believe  on  Christ  and  come 
to  him  by  faith  unless  he  has  a  clear  conviction  of  his  own 
vile,  odious  character,  and  feels  that  he  has  no  worthiness  to 
recommend  him  to  the  least  favor,  but  is  infinitely  far  from  it; 
that  he  is  so  unworthy  and  infinitely  guilty  and  ill  deserving, 
that  he  may  be  justly  hated  by  God,  and  cast  into  endless 
destruction.  Thus  the  sinner,  in  complying  with  the  law  of 
faith,  even  in  the  first  and  every  act  of  faith  in  Christ,  hum- 
bles himself  in  the  sight  of  God,  while  he  is  made  in  a  sense 
to  annihilate  himself  before  God,  yea,  to  feel  that  he  is  in- 
finitely worse  than  nothing.  And  all  his  holiness,  and  everv 
right  exercise  of  mind,  consists  in  a  hearty  acknowledgment 
of  this,  and  thus  humbling  himself,  and  approving  of  the  char- 
acter of  Christ,  and  the  way  of  justification  and  salvation  by 
him,  which  is  the  law  of  faith,  and  in  views  and  exercises 
which  are  implied  in  this.  Thus  all  pride  and  disposition  to 
boast  is  counteracted  and  destroyed,  the  sinner  abases  himself, 
and  rejoices  to  exalt  free,  sovereign  grace,  when  and  so  far  as 
he  believes  in  Christ,  and  is  pleased  with  the  law  of  faith,; 
and  the  more  holy  and  obedient  he  is  in  conforming  to  this 
law,  the  more  humble  he  is,  and  farther  from  all  disposition  to 
boast.  Thus  all  boasting  is  entirely  and  forever  excluded  by 
the  law  of  faith. 


672  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 


IMPROVEMENT. 

I.  We  learn  from  what  has  been  observed  on  this  subject 
that  they  make  a  great  mistake,  and  have  espoused  a  danger- 
ous and  hurtful  error,  who  believe  and  assert  that  if  faith  or 
believing  in  Christ  in  order  to  justification  is  a  virtuous  or 
holy  act,  or  implies  any  real  goodness,  then  the  sinner  has 
something  to  recommend  himself  which  is  of  real  worth,  of 
which  he  has  reason  to  boast,  and  must  be  acceptable  to  God, 
and,  therefore,  has  no  need  of  the  merits  of  Christ  and  free 
grace  in  order  to  be  justified.  They,  therefore,  contend  that 
to  assert  that  a  sinner  must  exercise  any  holiness  previous  to 
his  justification,  and  in  order  to  it,  and  that  faith  is  a  holy  act, 
is  entirely  to  subvert  the  gospel,  and  lays  a  foundation  for 
boasting,  and  flatters  the  pride  of  man.  Of  these  there  have 
been,  and  now  are,  not  a  few  in  all  parts  of  the  Protestant 
world. 

What  has  been  said  on  this  subject  serves  to  show  how  un- 
reasonable and  contrary  to  the  truth  this  notion  is,  and  the 
evil  tendency  of  it.  But  it  may  be  useful  and  of  importance 
to  review  some  things  which  have  been  mentioned  in  the  pre- 
ceding discourse,  by  which  the  error  and  absurdity  of  this 
opinion  will  be  abundantly  exposed  and  confuted. 

1.  The  sinner  is  under  the  curse  of  the  holy,  righteous,  and 
good  law  of  God,  which  pronounces  him  to  be  a  hateful,  ac- 
cursed creature,  deserving  to  lie  under  the  divine  displeasure 
and  wrath  forever.  Every  transgressor  of  this  law  is  under  this 
curse  and  in  this  state,  whatever  holy  obedience  he  had  per- 
formed, and  how  long  soever  he  had  continued  perfectly  holy 
before  his  sin.  His  transgression,  even  one  instance  of  it,  to- 
tally obliterates  and  annihilates  his  preceding  holiness,  so  that 
it  cannot  have  the  least  influence  to  prevent  the  curse  coming 
upon  him,  or  alleviate  it  in  any  degree,  but  he  is  as  odious 
and  guilty,  and  as  much  the  object  of  God's  displeasure  for 
his  transgression,  as  if  his  previous  holiness  never  had  exist- 
ence; which  cannot  be  reckoned  in  his  favor  in  any  respect  or 
degree  without  counteracting  the  law  of  God,  and  setting  it 
aside  in  favor  of  the  sinner  who  by  it  is  cursed.  And  it  is  the 
same  with  regard  to  any  future  holiness  and  obedience.  If 
the  sinner  repent  and  turn  to  obedience,  though  ever  so  perfect 
and  long  continued,  this  would  not  in  the  least  degree  atone 
for  the  sin  of  which  he  had  been  guilty,  or  remove  the  curse 
which  the  law  has  fixed  upon  him  for  his  sin;  and,  therefore, 
could  not  be  more  acceptable  to  God  than  if  he  had  not 
obeyed,  or  than  his  obedience  before  he  sinned,  and  cannot  be 


THE    LAAV    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  673 

the  reason  and  ground  of  his  receiving  any  favor  from  God, 
as  after  obedience  is  as  much  obliterated  and  rendered  of  no 
avail  to  recommend  to  any  favor,  by  his  sin,  as  his  obedience 
before  he  sinned,  it  being  equally  contrary  to  the  law,  which 
pronounces  him  accursed,  to  regard  and  accept  or  show  any 
favor  for  his  after  obedience,  as  for  the  former,  and  it  cannot 
be  done  without  vacating  and  setting  it  aside  as  not  worthy 
of  regard. 

This  is  the  plain  law  of  God,  which  curses  every  one  who 
continueth  not  to  obey  it  in  all  things  which  it  requires,  and 
holds  him  under  this  curse,  notwithstanding  all  the  obedience 
he  had  paid  to  it  before  he  sinned,  or  any  obedience  after  that. 
The  law  affords  no  remedy  or  help,  or  grants  any  thing  better 
than  what  is  contained  in  the  curse.  This  is  the  law  of  God. 
It  is  his  voice  to  all  his  creatures  who  are  moral  agents.  It  is 
the  language  of  his  heart,  which  he  will  never  counteract  or 
contradict  in  words  or  conduct.  He  views  the  sinner  in  the 
light  in  which  his  law  sets  him,  and  will  treat  him  accordingly, 
so  long  as  he  remains  under  the  curse  of  it,  and  is  not  deliv- 
ered from  it  in  a  way  which  is  perfectly  consistent  with  it,  and 
in  which  as  much  regard  is  paid  to  it  as  if  the  sinner  remained 
under  the  curse  of  it  forever. 

Therefore,  whatever  repentance  and  approbation  of  the  law 
which  curses  him,  and  love  to  God,  the  sinner  exercises  before 
he  is  delivered  from  the  curse  by  actually  coming  to  Christ 
and  believing  on  him,  does  not  in  any  degree  remove  his  guilt, 
or  render  him  less  deserving  of  the  curse,  and  cannot  recom- 
mend him  to  the  least  favor ;  but  he  is  in  the  sight  of  God  as 
much  accursed  and  the  object  of  his  displeasure,  and  in  this 
sense  as  truly  ungodly,  as  he  was  before,  and  as  if  he  had  no 
such  exercises  of  love  and  repentance,  as  they  cannot  be  reck- 
oned in  his  favor  so  as  in  the  least  to  remove  the  curse.  And 
whatever  repentance,  and  love  to  God  and  his  law,  or  holiness, 
is  necessary  in  order  to  come  to  Christ,  and  is  exercised  in 
coming  to  him  and  believing  on  him,  this  cannot,  in  itself 
considered,  recommend  the  sinner  to  favor,  or  render  him  less 
unworthy  or  less  accursed ;  but  as  by  this  the  sinner  lays  hold 
of  Christ,  and  is  united  to  him,  he  comes  within  the  reach  of 
his  merit  and  worthiness,  so  as  by  him  who  has  been  made  a 
curse  he  may,  consistent  with  the  law,  be  delivered  from  the 
curse  of  it,  and  obtain  all  the  favor  which  he  wants.  And  being 
thus  by  Christ  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  par- 
doned and  justified  by  virtue  of  his  atonement  and  righteous- 
ness, his  person  and  his  holy  exercises  of  faith  and  love 
become  acceptable  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  he 
is  united.  God  may  now  be  just,  and  maintain  and  honor 
VOL.  III.  57 


:674  THE    LAAV    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

his  righteous  law,  and  the  justifier  of  him  who  believeth  in 
Jesus,  he  being  made  accepted  in  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
he  is  well  pleased.* 

The  reason  of  all  this,  —  why  the  sinner's  holiness  before  or 
after  he  has  once  sinned  cannot  be  acceptable  and  reckoned 
in  his  favor,  or  in  any  degree  remove  the  curse  of  the  law'; 
and  whatever  holiness  he  may  exercise  previous  to  his  union 
to  Christ,  and  is  necessary  in  order  to  his  coming  to  Christ, 
and  actually  forming  this  vital  union  to  him,  cannot  render 
him  acceptable  to  God,  or  less  unworthy  and  accursed ;  and 
why  he  is  totally  unacceptable,  as  ungodly  and  cursed  by 
God,  till  he  is  actually  united  to  Christ,  and  can  be  accepted 
only  in  the  worthiness  of  this  beloved  Son  of  God,  —  the 
reason  of  this  is  plain  and  easy  to  be  seen. 

The  transgression  of  the  law  of  God  in  the  least  single 
instance  is  rebellion  against  a  Being  infinitely  great,  powerful, 
wise,  just,  and  good,  who  has  absolute  and  unlimited  right 


*  This  serves  to  fix  the  true  and  plain  meaning  of  the  apostle's  words  : 
"Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt : 
but  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly, 
his  faith  is  counted  to  him  for  righteousness."  (Rom.  iv.  4,  5.)  By  him  that 
xoorkcth  is  meant  him  who  by  his  works  of  obedience  recommends  himself  to 
favor  and  the  reward  of  eternal  life,  and  in  this  sense  earns  the  reward  by  the 
price  of  his  obedience  ;  which  no  creature  can  do,  except  those  who  are  per- 
fectly innocent  and  holy,  as  has  been  observed  in  explaining  the  law  of  works. 
He  who  worketh  not  is  the  sinner,  who  neither  has  nor  can  have  any  works  to 
recommend  to  the  least  favor  ;  who  is  convinced  of  this,  and  makes  no  attempt 
to  do  any  thing  in  this  view  and  to  this  end ;  who  feels  that  he  is  justly  ac- 
cursed, and  under  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  deserves  nothing  better  than 
everlasting  destruction,  being  an  ungodly  rebel  against  God,  and  wholly  un- 
righteous. As  such  he  looks  to  Christ,  and  bcheveth  on  him,  and  cordially 
re'ccives  him  and  trusts  in  him  for  righteousness ;  who  pardons  and  justificth 
such  Linrighteous,  ungodly,  intinitely  guilty,  hell- deserving  sinner  as  he  feels 
and  confesses  himself  to  be. 

They  who  hold  the  tenet  to  which  the  inference  under  consideration  is 
opposed  lay  much  stress  upon  the  word  xmrjodhj  in  this  passage,  as  if  it  denoted 
a  sinner  altogether  destitute  of  the  least  friendly  disposition  towards  God  and 
Chi-ist,  being  an  impenitent  enemy  to  God.  But  though  such  are  often  meant 
in  the  Scripture  by  the  ungodly,  yet  it  docs  not  follow  that  precisely  this  idea 
is  always  to  be  denoted  by  this"  word.  It  has  been  shown  in  what  sense  every 
unpardoned,  unjustified  sinner  is  properly  denominated  ungodly  ;  and  this  ap- 
pears to  be  the  sense  in  which  the  apostle  uses  it,  from  the  connection  and 
context.  And  understanding  it  as  they  do,  makes  the  apostle  to  say  that  a  sin- 
ner, with  a  hard,  impenitent  heart,  full  of  enmity  to  God  and  to  Christ,  and  the 
•way  of  salvation  by  him,  and  justihcation  by  free  grace,  may  and  does  believe 
on  Christ,  receive  and  trust  in'him  for  justification  and  salvation,  which  he  at 
the  same  time  abhors  with  his  whole  heart.  This  is  to  make  him  assert, 
with  themselves,  that  which  is  most  absurd  and  absolutely  impossible.  It  is, 
therefore,  most  certain  the  apostle  did  not  use  this  word  here  in  the  sense 
which  they  put  upon  it,  but  in  a  sense  perfectly  agreeable  to  the  subject  of 
which  he  treats,  and  the  point  he  is  proving,  which  is  naturally  and  easily  un- 
derstood by  the  unprejudiced  and  discerning  ;  being  consistent  with  himself, 
•with  other  bcriptuie,  and  with  the  clearest  reason. 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  675 

and  authority  to  command  and  give  law  to  his  creatures; 
they  are,  therefore,  under  infinite  obligation  to  perfect  obedi- 
ence ;  and,  consequently,  a  violation  of  this  obligation  can  be 
no  less  than  an  infinite  crime,  or  an  infinite  moral  evil.  Be- 
sides, he  who  rebels  against  God  has  a  disposition  and  will 
to  dethrone  him,  and  put  an  end  to  his  law,  authority,  and 
moral  government,  and  introduce  infinite  confusion  and 
misery  through  the  whole  universe ;  and  his  conduct  tends  to 
this,  and  would  actually  eftect  it  were  it  possible,  and  were  it 
not  counteracted  and  prevented.  Every  sin,  therefore,  must 
be  an  infinite  evil,  in  the  nature  and  tendency  of  it.  There  is 
no  moral  truth  more  demonstrably  clear  and  certain  than  this  ; 
and  this  is  a  truth  on  which  many  other  moral  truths  depend, 
which  relate  to  the  law  of  God  and  his  moral  government,  as 
we  shall  see.* 

Sin  being  thus  an  infinite  moral  evil,  no  temporary  suffer- 
ings of  the  sinner,  or  of  any  mere  creature,  can  make  the  least 
degree  of  atonement  for  it,  so  as  in  any  measure  to  alleviate 
or  deliver  him  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  And  it  is  equally 
certain  that  no  holiness  of  a  mere  creature  can  avail  to  recom- 
mend him  who  has  once  sinned  to  the  least  favor.  Though 
the  sinner  had  been  perfectly  obedient  and  holy  a  thousand 
years  before  he  sinned,  this  is  but  a  finite  moral  good,  and, 
therefore,  the  infinite  moral  evil  of  which  he  has  been  guilty 
infinitely  overbalances  his  finite  holiness,  so  that  it  weighs 
nothing"i.-i  the  opposite  scale,  and  does  no  more  to  lighten  or 
take  off  the  curse  than  if  it  never  had  existence.  And  this  is 
equally  true  of  any  obedience  which  the  sinner  should  per- 
form, after  he  had  once  sinned,  as  has  already  been  observed ;  it 
has  no  tendency  to  take  off  the  curse,  and  caimot  recommend 
him  to  any  favor,  or  be  the  least  ground  or  reason  of  his  being 
considered  and  treated  any  better  or  otherwise  than  as  one  who 
is  justly  cursed,  unworthy  of  any  favor,  and  deserving  all  the 
evils  of  the  curse.  And,  therefore,  it  would  be  unreasonable, 
and  acting  contrary  to  the  law,  to  consider  and  treat  him  other- 
wise, or  show  him  any  favor  out  of  respect  to  his  obedience. 

Thus  it  appears  certain,  that  it  is  impossible  that  the  holi- 
ness of  a  creature  who  has  once  sinned  should  be  accepted  as 
a  reason  of  his  having  any  favor,  and  being  in  any  respect 
delivered  from  the  curse  of   the  law,  as  the  evil   of  his   sin 

*  The  penalty  threatened  in  the  law  of  God  to  every  transgression,  which 
is  endless  punishment,  has  its  foundation  on  the  infinite  evil  of  sin,  and  is  a 
demonstration  that  it  is  an  evil  of  such  magnitude  ;  for,  if  sin  were  not  infi- 
nitely criminal,  it  would  not  deserve  an  infinite  punishment,  nor  would  it  be 
threatened.  Christ  explains  the  meaning  of  the  curse  or  penalty  of  the  law, 
when  he  says,  "  Depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting  fire."  They  M'ho  deny  the 
infinite  e^ilof  sin  cannot  vindicate  or  understand  the  divine  law,  or  the  gospel, 
which  is  founded  upon  it. 


676  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

infinitely  outweighs  all  the  moral  good  of  which  he  is  capable, 
and  sinks  it  into  nothing,  so  as  to  render  it  wholly  unaccepta- 
ble, consistent  with  the  divine  law,  were  it  true  that  such 
obedience  or  moral  good  might  take  off'  the  curse  of  the  law, 
and  render  the  sinner  acceptable,  did  it  overbalance,  or  were 
it  equal  to,  the  evil  of  his  sin.  But  even  this  is  not  true. 
The  curse  of  the  law  denounces  infinite  natural  evil  as  the 
punishment  which  sin  deserves,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  taken 
off"  or  removed  by  any  thing  but  suffering.  No  degree  of 
obedience  or  moral  good,  be  it  ever  so  much  or  so  great,  can 
make  any  atonement  for  one  the  least  sin,  so  as  to  deliver  the 
sinner  from  the  curse.  Therefore,  Christ  himself  was  made  a 
curse,  that  by  suffering  the  evil  of  the  curse,  the  just  suffering 
for  the  unjust,  he  might  deliver  the  sinner  who  believes  in  him 
from  the  curse,  and  open  the  way  for  him  to  come  to  God  with 
acceptance. 

From  all  this  it  appears  that  the  opinion  under  considera- 
tion,—  that  if  the  sinner  is  recovered  to  any  degree  of  holiness 
antecedent  to  his  justification  by  the  merit  and  righteousness 
of  Christ,  and  in  order  to  it  he  has  whereof  to  glory,  and  has 
a  righteousness  of  his  own  which  is  acceptable  to  God,  so 
that  he  stands  in  no  need  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  in 
order  to  be  justified,  —  that  this  opinion  is  a  great  and  danger- 
ous error,  most  contrary  to  the  reason  and  nature  of  things 
and  the  holy  law  of  God,  and  really  perverts  and  makes  void 
both  law  and  gospel.  Therefore,  they  who  hold  and  persist 
in  this  error  are  in  truth,  and  in  a  high  degree,  Antinomians, 
as  their  doctrine  makes  the  law  wholly  void  in  the  most  im- 
portant and  essential  branch  of  it.  And  their  doctrine  on  this 
point  is  totally  anti-Christian.  For  the  law  is  in  such  a  sense 
the  foundation  of  the  gospel,  that  if  the  former  be  perverted 
and  made  void,  the  latter  becomes  unintelligible  and  useless. 
If  sinners  may  be  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and 
obtain  favor  and  justification,  by  becoming  in  any  degree  holy 
and  obedient,  then  they  may  be  saved  without  Christ  and  the 
gospel.  "  If  there  had  been  a  law  which  could  have  given 
life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  law ;  and  if 
righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain." 
(Gal.  ii.  21 ;  iii.  21.) 

We  hope  that  men  —  some  of  them,  at  least  —  who  hold 
and  propagate  these  Antinomian  and  anti-Christian  doctrines 
in  theory  have  better  hearts  than  heads,  and  love  and  embrace 
the  truth  in  the  former,  while  they  believe  that  which  is  gross 
and  dangerous  error  with  the  latter. 

2.  Were  the  preceding  observations  not  true,  —  which  is, 
indeed,  an  impossible  supposition,  —  and  could  the  sinner,  on 
becoming  perfectly  holy  and  obedient,  be  delivered  from  the 


THE  LAW  OF  WORKS  AND  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH.     677 

curse  of  the  law  and  admitted  to  the  acceptance  and  favor  of 
God,  and  his  past  sin  not  be  remembered  against  him  out  of 
respect  to  his  present  holiness,  consistent  with  the  law  of  God, 
yet  this  does  not  touch  the  case  of  a  sinner,  who  only  exer- 
cises so  much  of  a  right  disposition  as  is  necessarily  implied 
in  approving  of  the  character  and  law  of  God  and  of  Christ, 
and  in  coming  to  him  for  pardon,  justification,  and  life.  He 
may  exercise  such  a  degree  of  holiness  consistent  with  his 
having  much  more  sin  than  holiness  at  the  same  time,  which 
is  undoubtedly  true  of  every  sinner  who  embraces  the  gospel, 
and  of  every  Christian  as  long  as  he  lives  in  this  world.  A 
sinner  who  becomes  friendly  to  God,  and  embraces  the  gospel, 
has  such  low  and  sinfully-deficient  exercises  of  love,  and  so 
much  of  that  which  is  contrary  and  positive  wickedness,  that, 
aside  from  his  guilt  for  former  sins,  his  present  character,  con- 
sidered in  itself,  has  much  more  evil  than  good,  and,  on  the 
whole,  is  worse  than  nothing,  and  cannot  be  an  object  of  the 
complacency  and  favor  of  God,  but  rather  of  his  displeasure 
and  curse  ;  and  he  stands  in  as  much  need  of  favor  and  justi- 
fication by  free  grace  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ  as 
if  he  had  no  holiness,  and  were  altogether  an  enemy  to  God  ; 
for  he  has  no  money  or  price  to  purchase  this  favor,  and  is 
continually  running  more  in  debt.  And  to  plead  his  good 
character  as  proper  to  recommend  him  to  the  least  favor 
would  be  highly  displeasing  to  God,  and  must  be  so  to  every 
good  man,  whether  done  by  the  sinner  himself,  or  any  other 
person. 

They  who  make  the  objection  under  consideration,  who 
think  themselves  Christians  and  that  they  do  exercise  holiness, 
may  be  asked  whether  they  think  this  has  raised  them  above 
the  need  of  free  grace  and  justification  by  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  or  at  least  do  not  stand  in  so  much  need  of  it  as 
they  should  if  they  had  no  degree  of  holiness.  If  they  answer 
in  the  affirmative,  they  are  not  such  Christians  as  was  the 
apostle  Paul.  If  they  answer  in  the  negative,  and  say  that 
they  are  as  dependent  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ  for  justi- 
fication and  all  favor  as  if  they  were  wholly  unholy,  and  they 
expect  to  be  saved  by  free  grace  as  much  as  they  could  be  if 
they  could  be  saved  in  their  sins  without  any  holiness,  —  that 
they  are  far  from  having  any  thing  to  boast  of,  and  the  more 
conformed  they  are  to  God  in  holiness,  or  the  more  they  see 
God  and  love  him,  the  more  they  are  disposed  to  abase  and 
humble  themselves  before  him,  and  feel  their  need  of  such  a 
Savior  as  Jesus  Christ,  —  then  by  this  confession  they  entirely 
give  up  their  objection,  and  grant  that,  whatever  holiness  the 
sinner  may  exercise  previous  to  his  justification,  and  in  his 
57*  -. 


678  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

coming  to  Christ  for  it,  this  does  not  make  him  the  more 
deserving  of  favor,  nor  does  he  stand  in  less  need  of  justifica- 
tion by  free  grace  through  the  worthiness  of  Christ;  and  it 
will  be  so  far  from  disposing  him  to  be  proud,  and  boast,  that 
it  will  bring  him  to  humble  himself  at  the  foot  of  sovereign, 
free  grace,  which  humility  will  increase  as  he  shall  grow  in 
grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  his  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ. 

But  further  to  confute,  if  that  be  possible,  and  show  how 
false  and  absurd  the  tenet  is  which  we  are  opposing,  it  must 
be  observed,  — 

3.  The  holiness  which  the  sinner  exercises,  in  believing  on 
Christ  and  coming  to  him  for  all  he  wants,  is  so  far  from 
being  the  ground  of  pride  and  boasting,  or  promoting  and  en- 
couraging this,  that  it  directly  counteracts  and  destroys  such  a 
disposition.  The  sinner's  heart  is  naturally  full  of  pride,  and  a 
disposition  which  is  gratified  in  self-exaltation  and  boasting; 
and  nothing  can  cure  him  of  this  reigning  disposition,  and  in 
any  degree  destroy  his  pride,  but  a  change  of  heart  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  by  which  pride  receives  a  deadly  wound,  and  he 
is  disposed  to  humble  himself  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  the 
grace  he  hereby  receives  and  exercises  consists  in  discerning 
and  confessing  his  sinful,  lost  state  —  that  the  law  he  has 
transgressed  is  just  and  good  —  that  he  is  infinitely  vile  and 
ill  deserving  —  that  God  may  justly  send  him  to  endless  de- 
struction at  any  time  —  that  he  has  nothing  that  can  deserve 
or  recommend  him  to  the  least  favor,  but  every  thing  in  every 
respect  infinitely  to  the  contrary :  and  in  this  view  and  sense 
of  his  own  character  he  comes  to  Christ  as  a  poor,  infinitely 
guilty,  and  wretched  sinner,  and  begs  for  mercy,  not  for  his 
own  sake,  or  for  any  thing  he  has  done  or  ever  shall  do,  but 
for  the  sake  of  what  Christ  has  suffered  and  done,  pleased 
and  hoping  to  be  pardoned  and  received  to  favor  by  free, 
undeserved  grace  through  Jesus  Christ,  desiring  forever  to  be 
abased  and  humbled,  and  that  the  most  undeserved,  sovereign 
grace  may  be  exalted  and  honored  in  his  salvation. 

Where  is  pride  and  boasting,  then  ?  It  is  effectually  ex- 
cluded and  destroyed  by  the  exercise  of  that  grace  and  holi- 
ness by  which  the  sinner  approves  of  the  character  and  law 
of  God,  condemns  himself  as  justly  deserving  eternal  misery 
and  nothing  better,  and  looks  to  Christ  for  undeserved,  free 
pardon  and  favor  to  an  infinitely  guilty,  odious,  undeserving, 
wretched  beggar.  He  who  can  believe  that  such  exercises, 
which  are  according  to  the  law  of  faith,  are  agreeable  to  the 
pride  of  man,  and  will  lead  to  boasting,  may  with  as  good 
reason  believe  that  humility  is  pride,  and  self-abasement  is 
self-exaltation. 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  679 

And,  besides  all  this  which  has  been  now  said  to  confute 
this  error,  it  must  be  observed  that  they  who  exclude  all  holi- 
ness from  saving  faith  —  by  which  the  sinner  is  justified,  lest 
if  it  were  a  holy  exercise  he  would  have  reason  to  boast  as 
having  something  of  his  own  to  recommend  himself — do 
suppose  that  a  proud,  impenitent  enemy  to  God  and  his  law 
may  see  the  truth,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  the  gospel,  and 
approve  of  the  character  of  Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation 
by  him;  which  supposition  is  as  unreasonable  and  absurd,  and 
as  contrary  to  the  Holy  Scripture,  as  can  be  made  or  con- 
ceived. And  it  is  indeed  most  dishonorable  to  Christ  and  the 
gospel;  as  if  his  character  was  such  that  a  wicked  man  —  an 
impenitent  enemy  of  God  —  might  discern  the  truth  and  ex- 
cellency of  it,  and  heartily  approve  and  be  pleased  with  it ! 
How  contrary  is  this  to  the  declaration  of  Christ  and  his  apos- 
tle I  The  former  says,  "  He  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light, 
neither  cometh  to  the  light ; "  and  the  latter,  "  The  natural 
man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned."  * 

II.  From  this  subject  it  appears  that  saving  faith,  by  which 
the  just  do  live,  is  a  very  diti'erent  thing  from  what  many  have 
imagined  and  taught. 

Saving  faith  consists  in  the  discerning  and  belief  of  the 
truths  of  the  gospel  and  cordial  approbation  of  them,  and  con- 
formity to  them,  which  is  peculiar  to  a  renewed,  wise,  and 
understanding  heart.  It  implies  the  whole  of  evangelical 
holiness,  in  the  exercise  of  which  men  believe  on  Christ,  receive 
him  and  cleave  to  him  with  purpose  of  heart,  and  walk  in  him, 
and  by  which  he  dwells  in  their  hearts.  It  is  the  life  of  a 
Christian,  and  is  essential  to  all  his  holiness,  and  cannot  be 
distinguished  from  it ;  for  it  all  consists  in  fighting  the  fight 
of  faith,  by  which  he  lays  hold  of  eternal  life. 

*  The  importance  that  this  gross  error,  which  is  so  unscriptural  and  absurd, 
and  leads  to  so  many  hurtful  conceptions  of  the  law  of  faith,  should  be  wholly 
discarded,  has  been  the  motive  to  attempt  thus  to  expose  and  confute  it. 
Though  it  has  been  embraced  by  many  in  the  Protestant  world,  and  there  are 
those  who  at  this  day  contend  for  it,  yet  it  is  hoped  that  an  effectual  stop  will 
be  put  to  the  continuance  and  spread  of  it.  If  they  who  have  imbibed  it,  and 
are  disposed  zealously  to  defend  it,  should  not  be  convinced  of  their  mistake, 
yet  they  who  have  not  exploded  it,  but  have  been  rather  favorable  towards  it 
and  the  doctrines  which  imply  it,  through  want  of  conviction  of  those  truths  by 
which  it  may  be  made  to  appear  contrary  to  Scripture,  and  a  dangerous  error, 
may,  by  attending  to  what  has  here  been  said,  be  led  to  see  their  mistake,  and 
renounce  it,  with  proper  concern  and  zeal  to  suppress  it,  and  vindicate  the  op- 
posite truth.  And  they  who  are  coming  on  the  stage,  and  have  not  yet  formed 
any  opinion  on  this  point,  may  be  prevented  imbibing  this  error,  so  that  it  may 
die  with  those  who  now  embrace  it  and  cannot  be  convinced  of  their  error,  and 
not  be  handed  down  to  posterity. 


680 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 


Therefore,  the  faith  by  which  sinners  are  justified  does  not 
consist  in  mere  specuhxtion,  or  conviction  and  judgment  and 
reason,  considered  as  distinct  from  the  heart  and  the  exercises 
of  that,  or  of  the  will  and  affections ;  which  has  been  the 
opinion  of  many.  It  is  presumed  enough  has  been  said  fully 
to  confute  this  notion. 

Nor  does  saving  faith  consist  in  the  sinner's  believing  and 
persuasion  that  he  is  justified,  that  Christ  died  for  him,  is  his, 
so  that  he  shall  certainly  be  saved.  This  belief  an  impenitent 
enemy  to  Christ  may  entertain,  and  yet  continue  as  impeni- 
tent and  unholy  as  he  was  before.  Besides,  there  is  no  foun- 
dation for  such  a  persuasion  or  belief  antecedent  to  the  exercise 
of  saving  faith,  by  and  in  consequence  of  which  a  sinner  is 
justified ;  but  it  is  perfect  delusion  aud  falsehood.  No  such 
thing  is  revealed  in  the  Bible,  that  a  sinner  is  justified  before 
he  believes  in  Christ,  cordially  receives  him,  and  is  reconciled 
to  God,  but  the  contrary;  that  he  is  condemned,  and  under 
the  wrath  of  God.  Therefore,  a  belief  that  his  sins  are  par- 
doned, and  that  God  loves  him,  antecedent  to  his  having  an 
interest  in  Christ  by  cordially  receiving  him,  is  a  delusion,  and 
is  a  persuasion  grounded  entirely  on  a  false  suggestion,  either 
from  his  own  heart  or  the  father  of  lies. 

It  has  been  said  and  published,  in  vindication  of  this  sort 
of  faith,  that  men  must  believe  that  they  are  justified,  etc., 
that  by  their  believing  it  may  become  true,  according  to  their 
faith  ;  and,  therefore,  they  must  believe  without  any  evidence 
of  the  truth  of  it,  either  from  Scripture,  sense,  or  reason,  that 
by  their  so  believing  it  may  become  true;  and,  indeed,  there 
is  no  other  way  to  adhere  to  this  notion  of  faith,  but  by 
embracing  this  mass  of  absurdity  and  nonsense. 

Volumes  have  been  written  in  this  century  by  men  in  high 
repute  for  piety,  in  which  this  notion  of  faith  runs  through  the 
whole ;  and  they  have  been,  and  still  are,  read  by  multitudes 
with  high  approbation.  Without  calling  in  question  the  piety 
of  the  autiiors  or  their  admirers,  —  many  if  not  most  of  whom 
probably  do  not  critically  attend  to  their  notion  of  faith,  but  to 
the  good  things  which  they  have  written,  —  there  is  sufficient 
warrant  to  say  that  this  notion  of  faith  is  not  only  most  con- 
trary to  the  Scriptures,  but  as  unintelligible,  and  attended  with 
as  many  absurdities,  as  any  religious  tenet  that  was  ever 
thought  of  and  promulgated  by  JNIahomet,  the  man  of  sin,  or 
any  one  else. 

This  notion  of  faith  is  not  only  in  itself  unscriptural  and 
most  absurd,  but,  considered  in  the  tendency  of  it  and  that 
with  which  it  is  connected,  the  dangerous  and  destructive  con- 
sequence of  it  will  appear.     They  who  entertain  this  notion 


THE  LAW  OP  WORKS  AND  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH.     681 

of  faith  suppose  that  the  impenitent  enemy  of  God,  upon 
believing  that  God  loves  him,  that  his  sins  are  pardoned,  etc., 
does  begin  to  repent  and  love  God,  etc.,  because  he  is  per- 
suaded "that  God  loves  him  and  will  save  him ;  that  by  this 
belief,  and  under  this  persuasion,  the  sinner  is  converted,  and 
becomes  a  true  friend  of  God,  and  a  real  Christian.  They  say 
that  a  sinner  cannot  be  brought  to  love  God  until  he  first  sees 
or  believes  that  God  loves  him,  or  is  in  some  manner  and 
degree  become  propitious  to  him;  that  a  sight  and  real  belief 
of  this  is  effectual  to  induce  him  to  love  God  and  live  a  holy 
life.  This  makes  his  conversion  and  all  his  love  and  holiness 
to  be  nothing  but  selfishness  and  pride;  and  such  a  conversion 
does  not  imply  any  change  of  heart  for  the  better,  but  for  the 
worse;  and  all  his  supposed  holiness  is  nothing  but  selfishness 
and  sin,  which  the  worst  of  men  may  practise,  and  continue 
real  enemies  to  the  true  character  of  God.  The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  has  decided  this  in  the  most  plain  and  express  words : 
"  If  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  thank  have  ye  ?  for 
sinners  also  love  those  that  love  them." 

The  Christian,  after  he  has  believed  and  embraced  the  gos- 
pel, and  is  justified,  may,  on  reflecting  on  his  own  state  and 
exercises,  have  good  evidence  that  he  does  love  Christ,  and  is 
a  true  believer,  and,  therefore,  that  he  is  justified  and  shall  be 
saved;  this,  consequently,  he  may  believe,  and  in  this  way 
obtain  the  "assurance  of  hope."  But  this  is  not  saving  faith, 
or  any  part  of  it,  for  saving  faith  must  take  place  before  he 
is  justified ;  and  there  must  be  ground  of  evidence  that  he  has 
saving  faith,  before  he  can  have  any  reason  to  believe  that  he 
is  in  a  state  of  justification,  and  shall  be  saved.* 

III.  From  the  view  we  have  had  of  the  law  of  faith,  we  may 
see  the  reason  why  men  are  naturally  opposed  to  the  gospel 
and  refuse  to  comply  with  it,  viz.,  because  holiness  is  neces- 
sarily implied  in  an  approbation  of  it  and  cordially  embracing 
it;  therefore,  faith  is  the  gift  of  God.  In  order  to  believe  on 
Christ,  a  man  must  be  born  again  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  have 
a  new  heart  given  to  him,  and  be  made  a  new  creature,  friendly 
to  true  holiness.  This  is,  therefore,  abundantly  asserted  in  the 
Scriptures.     It  will  be  sufficient  here  to  refer  to  the  words  of 

*  This  subject  is  more  largely  and  very  particularly  considered  by  Dr. 
Bellamy  in  his  "  Theron,  Paulinus,  and  Aspasio ;  or,  Letters  and  Dialogues 
upon  the  Nature  of  Love  to  God,  Faith  in  Christ,  and  Assurance  of  Eternal 
Life,"  and  in  his  "  Essay  on  the  Nature  and  Glory  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  "  which  books  may  be  recommended  to  all  who  desire  to  be  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  subject,  and  form  their  judgment  according  to  the  truth. 

This  subject  is  also  discussed  by  President  Edwards,  in  his  "  Discourses  on 
Justification  by  Faith  alone,"  and  by  the  author  in  his  "  System  of  Doctrines 
contained  in  Divine  Kevelation,"  vol.  ii.  chap.  iv.  sec.  vi.,  "  Concerning  Saving 
Faith;  "  and  sec.  xi.,  "  Concerning  Believers'  Assurance  of  Salvation." 


682  THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAAV    OF    FAITH. 

the  apostle  John  :  "  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ  is  born  of  God." 

If  the  gospel  were  an  institution  which  might  be  approved 
of,  believed,  and  truly  embraced  by  an  unholy  heart,  an  unre- 
generate  man,  it  would  not  be  a  holy  institution,  and,  therefore, 
could  not  be  from  God.  Jesus  Christ  is  a  holy  Savior;  holiness 
is  essential  to  every  part  of  his  character,  to  all  his  words  and 
works.  Salvation  by  him  is  a  holy  salvation,  and  the  way  of 
salvation  is  wise  and  holy  in  every  view  of  it.  It  is,  therefore, 
impossible  that  an  unholy  heart  should  come  near  to  this 
Savior  with  the  least  inclination  towards  him  and  the  way  of 
salvation  by  him  ;  but  such  a  heart  must  hate  him,  and  choose 
to  keep  at  a  distance  from  him  and  avoid  him,  and  can  be  no 
more  reconciled  to  him  and  the  gospel  than  to  the  holy  law 
of  God. 

How  degrading  and  dishonorable  to  Christ  and  the  gospel 
then,  and  how  unreasonable  and  absurd  is  their  notion,  who 
hold  that  the  gospel  is  suited  to  please  and  win  the  heart  of  an 
unregenerate  man,  so  that,  while  he  hates  God's  holy  law,  he 
with  an  unholy  heart  embraces  the  gospel,  and  in  this  way 
and  by  this  means  his  heart  is  changed,  and  he  becomes 
friendly  to  God  and  his  holy  law!  When  shall  the  professed 
friends  of  the  gospel  cease  to  dishonor  and  pervert  it,  in  order 
to  suit  it  to  the  taste  and  inclination  of  an  unholy  L^art? 

IV.  We  hence  learn  that  all  the  interests  of  true  virtue  and 
holiness  aie  as  much  and  h:>  well  secured  and  promoted  by  the 
law  of  faith  as  they  are  or  can  be  by  the  law  of  works. 

Many  have  thought  that  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith,  through  the  atonement  and  merit  of  Christ,  not  being 
in  the  least  recommended  to  this  favor  by  any  works  or  holi- 
ness of  our  own,  is  a  licentious  doctrine,  and  tends  to  influence 
men  to  neglect  a  holy  life,  and  give  themselves  to  sloth  and 
sin.  But  this  has  been  wholly  owing  to  their  ignorance  of 
the  subject. 

According  to  the  law  of  faith,  true  holiness  is  as  necessary 
in  order  to  justification  as  if  the  sinner  were  justified  by  the 
merit  of  his  works,  though  in  a  different  way,  and  for  a  differ- 
ent reason,  as  has  been  shown.  Faith  itself,  by  which  the 
sinner  receives  Christ,  and  renounces  all  dependence  on  his 
own  holiness  to  recommend  him  to  the  least  favor,  and  relies 
on  free,  undeserved  grace  for  the  justification  of  one  infinitely 
unworthy  and  ill  deserving,  —  this  faith  itself  is  a  holy  exer- 
cise, as  has  been  proved  ;  and  men  cannot  live  by  faith  but  by 
living  a  holy  life. 

As  real  holiness,  in  love  to  the  character  of  God  and  his 
law,  is  exercised  in  approving  of  the  character  of  Christ,  and 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  683 

coming  to  him  and  trusting  in  him  for  pardon,  justification, 
and  eternal  life,  as  can  be  in  obeying  the  law  of  God,  as  the 
price  of  the  divine  favor,  according  to  the  law  of  works.  Ho- 
liness is  as  really  and  necessarily  exercised  in  applying  to  God 
as  an  infinitely  gracious  and  bountiful  Benefactor,  and  grate- 
fully receiving  of  him  infinite  favor  and  blessings  as  a  free 
gift  to  the  infinitely  guilty  and  ill  deserving,  as  is  or  can  be 
exercised  in  obedience  to  his  authority  and  law  as  a  recom- 
mendation to,  and  enjoyment  of,  his  favor  and  blessing. 

And  as  obedience  and  holiness  is  as  necessary  according  to 
the  law  of  faith  as  it  is  according  to  the  law  of  works,  in 
order  to  justification  and  eternal  life,  so  there  is  not  merely  as 
much,  but  much  greater,  encouragement  to  practise  it;  and  the 
obligations  and  motives  to  the  exercise  of  holiness,  in  love  to 
God  and  man,  are  greatly  increased,  and  rendered  unspeak- 
ably greater  and  stronger,  by  the  law  of  faith. 

How  wholly  groundless  and  unreasonable,  and  contrary  to 
truth,  fact,  and  experience,  is  the  objection  to  the  law  of 
faith,  —  according  to  which  "a  man  is  justified  by  faith,  with- 
out the  deeds  of  the  law,"  or  not  by  the  law  of  works,  —  that 
this  renders  unnecessary,  and  is  a  discouragement  to,  holiness 
and  good  works,  and  encourages  licentiousness  and  sin  I 

V.  This  subject  opens  an  easy  and  plain  way,  and  perhaps 
the  only  satisfactory  and  true  way,  to  reconcile  the  two  apos- 
tles, Paul  and  James,  in  what  they  say  of  that  by  which  sin- 
ners are  justified.  8t.  Paul  has  said,  "  Therefore,  we  conclude 
that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law; 
knowing  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ."  St.  James  has  said,  "Ye 
see  then  how  that  by  works  a  man  is  justified,  and  not  by 
faith  only."  It  has  been  rashly  thought  by  some  that  the 
apostles  in  these  words  expressly  contradict  each  other;  but 
their  perfect  consistence  and  agreement  with  each  other  will 
appear  only  by  observing  the  different  sense  in  which  they  use 
the  word  ivorks,  which  is  evident  by  all  they  say  on  the  point. 

Paul  expressly  defines  the  works  which  he  excludes  from 
the  law  of  faith  and  sets  in  opposition  to  it.  They  are  the 
works  of  the  laiv,  —  the  same  with  the  law  of  works, —  mean- 
ing works  done  in  order  to  recommend  to  favor,  as  a  price 
offered  to  purchase  and  merit  acceptance  and  justification  of 
God,  as  has  been  represented  and  explained.  By  "  works  " 
James  means  .Christian  holiness  and  obedience,  which  is  the 
same  with  the  law  of  faith,  which  has  been  explained.  By 
"works"  James  means  that  love,  in  all  its  operations  and 
fruits,  which  he  says  is  the  life  and  soul  of  faith,  and  without 
which  there  cannot  be  any  true  faith.     His  words  are,  "  For 


684  THE    LAW    OF    WOUKi^    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH. 

as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works 
is  dead  also.  Seest  thou  how  laith  wrought  with  his  works, 
and  by  works  was  faith  made  perfect  ?  "  How  could  he  more 
strongly  assert  the  holiness  of  saving  faith,  when  he  says  that 
holy  love,  the  root  and  essence  of  all  Christian  obedience  and 
good  works,  is  as  much  the  life  and  active  nature  of  a  living, 
saving  faith,  as  the  spirit  is  the  life  and  activity  of  the  body? 
How  contrary  is  this  to  saying,  as  many  have  done,  that  holy 
love,  which  implies  and  comprehends  all  the  obedience  and 
good  works  of  a  Christian,  is  the  effect  and  consequence  of 
faith,  and  produced  by  faith,  as  the  cause  produces  the  effect! 

Paul  agrees  with  James  perfectly  in  his  description  of  saving 
faith.  He  says,  "  Faith  worketh  by  love  ; "  that  is,  love,  which 
is  the  essence  of  all  Christian  obedience,  and  implies  all  good 
works,  is  the  soul  and  S.ctive  life  of  faith,  by  which  it  operates, 
or  acts  and  works,  as  the  spirit  is  the  life  of  the  body,  by  which 
it  moves  and  acts. 

VI.  This  subject  may  be  improved  by  those  who  have 
attended  to  it,  as  affording  matter  by  which  they  may  exam- 
ine themselves,  whether  their  conversion  and  consequent  re- 
ligion be  true  and  genuine,  or  false  and  spurious. 

Have  you  been  effectually  cured  of  a  disposition  to  trust  to 
your  own  righteousness,  and  renounced  and  become  dead  to 
the  law  of  works,  under  a  clear  conviction  that  you  were 
cursed  by  it,  notwithstanding  any  thing  you  could  do,  and 
that  you  should  be  justly  accursed  forever  unless  you  obtained 
relief  by  the  law  of  faith,  trusting  in  the  merit  and  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  for  pardon  and  justification  ? 

And  ha\'TB  you  been  led  to  understand  and  cordially  to  em- 
brace the  law  of  faith,  in  which  you  highly  approved  of  the 
character  of  Christ  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  con- 
demning yourself  as  being  so  far  from  having  or  doing  any 
thing  to  recommend  you  to  God,  or  render  you  deserving, 
that  you  were  infinitely  guilty  and  ill  deserving  ? 

Have  you  felt  and  experienced  this  law  of  faith,  suited  to 
destroy  your  pride,  and  set  you  at  the  greatest  distance  from 
boasting?  and  the  more  you  understood  and  cordially  em- 
braced this  way  of  salvation,  the  more  disposed  you  have  been 
to  humble  yourself  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord? 

Do  you  know  that  your  heart  was  naturally  as  much  op- 
posed to  the  gospel  as  it  was  to  the  holy  law  of  God,  and 
that,  had  not  God  given  you  a  new  heart  by  regeneration, 
you  should  have  continued  an  enemy  to  Christ? — that  the 
law  of  faith  is  a  holy  law,  and  that  it  cannot  be  complied 
with  by  a  heart  unfriendly  to  God  and  holiness?  —  that  the 
more  you  attend  to,  and  are  pleased  with,  the  law  of  faith,  the 


THE    LAW    OF    WORKS    AND    THE    LAW    OF    FAITH.  685 

greater  is  your  aversion  from  sin,  and  the  more  you  long  to  be 
holy,  and  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness  ? 

Are  you  desiring  and  looking  for  that  evidence  that  you  are 
justified  and  shall  be  saved,  which  arises  from  a  consciousness 
that  you  do  embrace  the  gospel,  and  have  those  holy  exercises 
which  imply  this,  or  are  implied  in  conforming  to  the  law  of 
faith  ?  and  do  you  desire  no  other  evidence  but  this  that  your 
justification  may  be  proved  only  by  good  evidence  that  you 
are  sanctified? 

VOL.  III.  58 


SERMON 


REASON   OF  THE   CHRISTIAN'S   HOPE, 


WHICH   HE   OUGHT   ALWAYS  TO   BE   READY  TO  GIVE. 


A  sermon; 


THE  REASON   OF    THE  CHRISTIAN'S  HOPE,  WHICH  HE 
OUGHT  ALWAYS  TO  BE  READY  TO  GIVE. 


And  bo  not  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled ;  but  sanctify  the 
Lord  God  in  your  hearts :  and  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man 
that  asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekness  and  fear.  — 
1  Pet.  iii.  14,  15. 

The  apostle  Peter  had  a  special  commission  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  Jews,  which  did  not  exclude  a  regard  to  the  un- 
circumcised  Gentiles.  He,  therefore,  writes  this  epistle  to  the 
Jews  who  were  dispersed  from  the  land  of  Israel  into  various 
places  in  the  Lesser  Asia  and  had  embraced  Christianity, 
with  whom  the  Gentiles  are  included,  who  had  become  Chris- 
tians, and  had  joined  with  the  believing  Jews.  In  conse- 
quence of  their  becoming  Christians,  they  were  hated,  and 
suffered  persecution  by  the  unbelieving  Jews  and  idolatrous 
Gentiles,  who  w^ere  disposed  to  inflict  on  them  all  the  evils 
which  were  in  their  power,  especially  the  former,  who  exer- 
cised the  same  ill  will  towards  them  which  Paul  had  acted 
out  before  his  conversion,  and  which  they  manifested  towards 
the  apostles  and  all  Christians,  of  which  we  have  the  history 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 

The  apostle,  in  this  epistle  to  them,  mentions  many  things 
to  support  and  comfort  them  in  their  afflicted,  suffering  state, 
and  encourage  and  animate  them  to  persevere  in  the  profession 
and  practice  of  Christianity,  to  whatever  reproaches,  worldly 
losses,  and  persecutions  they  might  expose  themselves  hereby  ; 
and  gives  them  many  directions  for  their  conduct  in  all  cir- 
cumstances, and  towards  all  persons,  especially  in  the  present 
state  of  things.  Of  the  latter,  we  find  an  instance  in  the  words 
now  before  us.  The  apostle  here  alludes  to  the  words  of 
Isaiah  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  prophecy.  When  the  in- 
habitants of  Judah  were  threatened  with  an  invasion  by  the 
neighboring  nations,  he  tells  them  not  to  be  afraid  of  them, 

*  Written  in  the  yeac  1801,  and  preached  in  two  sennons. 
58* 


690  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

but  to  sanctify  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  make  him  their  fear 
and  their  dread.  So  the  apostle  tells  Christians,  when  threat- 
ened with  the  greatest  evils  that  the  enemies  to  Christianity- 
could  inflict,  not  to  be  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled, 
but  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts.  To  sanctify  the 
Lord  in  their  hearts  was  to  love  him  supremely,  and  trust  in 
him  alone,  desiring  that  he  might  be  exalted  and  glorified 
above  all  creatures  forever.  The  same  word  in  the  original  is 
translated  halloiv,  which  is  here  rendered  sanctify.  "  Hal- 
lowed be  thy  name ; "  that  is,  may  thy  sacred  name  and  glo- 
rious character  be  made  known,  displayed,  and  glorified  to  the 
highest  degree  by  all  things  that  take  place. 

"  And  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that 
asketh  you  the  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you."  Christians 
are  directed  to  be  always  able,  ready,  and  willing  to  give  the 
reason  of  their  hope  to  every  one  who  asketh  it  of  them. 
This  must  be  understood  with  some  limitation.  By  every  one 
who  asketh  is  meant  every  one  who  asketh  in  a  proper,  de- 
cent manner,  and  with  an  apparent,  professed  desire  to  know 
what  reasons  Christians  can  give  for  their  hope.  If  any  asked 
them  to  do  this  with  an  apparent  design  to  ridicule  and  mock 
them,  and  to  get  some  advantage,  and  matter  of  accusation 
against  them  which  would  expose  them  to  suffering,  they 
were  not  obliged  to  answer  such,  as  it  would  be  contrary  to 
the  command  of  Christ :  "  Give  not  that  which  is  holy  to  dogs ; 
neither  cast  ye  your  pearls  before  swine,  lest  they  trample 
them  under  their  feet,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you." 

"  With  meekness  and  fear."  Christians  are  not  to  be 
haughty  and  insolent  in  giving  the  reason  of  their  hope,  nor 
enter  into  ostentatious  and  angry  disputes  with  unbelievers. 
They  must  not  despise  and  treat  them  with  contempt  for  their 
unreasonable  disbelief,  but  pity  them,  and  treat  them  with  con- 
descension, tenderness,  and  benevolence,  not  showing  or  having 
any  angry  resentment  for  any  injurious  treatment  they  may 
have  received  from  them,  but  suffering  and  bearing  all  injuries 
with  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit  and  behavior.  All  this  is  implied 
in  meekness.  Fear  is  here  put  for  Christian  humility,  in  op- 
position to  high  mindedness  and  self-confidence,  boasting  of 
their  privileges  and  character,  by  which  they  are  favored  and 
distinguished  from  those  who  are  in  a  state  of  darkness  and 
unbelief.  It  implies  a  sense  of  their  own  exceeding  unworthi- 
ness,  and  utter  insufficiency  in  themselves  to  defend  and 
maintain  the  honor  of  the  Christian  cause,  without  constant 
support  and  assistance  from  divine  grace,  and  continual  liable- 
ness  to  fail  of  their  duty,  and  dishonor  Christ,  by  not  speaking 
and  behaving  as  becomes  their  Christian  calling  and  profession. 


THE  REASON  OF  THE  HOPE  OF  A  CHRISTIAN.      691 

This  fear  is  essential  to  the  Christian  character,  and  becomes 
Christians  at  all  times.  The  apostle  Paul  exhorts  Christians 
"  not  to  be  high  minded,  but  fear  ; "  to  work  out  their  own  sal- 
vation with  fear  and  trembling;  and  tells  the  Christians  at 
Corinth  that  he  was  among  them  in  fear  and  much  trembling. 

The  subject  proposed  to  be  considered,  in  a  further  im- 
provement of  the  words  before  us,  is  the  hope  of  Christians, 
and  the  reason  they  have  to  give,  and  ought  always  to  be 
ready  to  give,  for  this  their  hope,  when  properly  required  of 
them. 

I.  It  is  to  be  considered  what  is  included  in  the  hope  of 
Christians. 

This  hope,  indeed,  implies  and  comprehends  more  than 
words  can  express,  or  the  most  enlarged  mind  on  earth  can 
conceive.  The  greatest  Christians  do  in  this  state  compre- 
hend and  know  but  a  small  part  of  what  is  contained  in  this 
hope.  And  they  depend  on  the  enlightening  influences  of  the 
spirit  of  Christ  for  the  increasing  knowledge  of  this,  which 
they  may  and  ought  to  obtain  in  this  life.  Therefore,  the 
apostle  Paul  prays  for  the  Christians  at  Ephesus,  "  that  God 
would  give  unto  them  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in 
the  knowledge  of  him  ;  the  eyes  of  their  understanding  being 
enlightened,  that  they  might  know  what  was  the  hope  of  his 
calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in 
the  saints."  Christians  may  be  assisted  in  their  meditations 
on  this  pleasing  and  important  subject  by  attending  to  the 
following  brief  and  scanty  representation  of  their  hope,  taken 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  Christian's  hope.  What  is  contained  in 
his  person  and  character ;  in  what  he  has  done  and  suffered ; 
in  the  manifestations  he  has  made  of  the  divine  perfections ; 
in  his  revealed  designs  and  promises  to  his  church  and  to 
every  believer,  —  is  all  the  Christian  can  hope  for,  or  can  de- 
sire, and  far,  infinitely  far,  exceeds  his  highest  expectations, 
and  the  utmost  stretch  of  his  conception  and  imagination. 
Jesus  Christ  has  an  infinite  fulness  for  sinners.  He  has  all 
they  want,  and  they  cannot  conceive  or  wish  for  any  greater 
or  other  good.  And  he  gives  himself,  and  all  he  has,  his 
infinite  fulness,  to  every  believer. 

Christians  hope  by  Christ  to  obtain  the  free  pardon  of  all  their 
sins,  however  many  and  gi-eat  they  are,  and  to  be  delivered 
from  the  curse  of  the  law  of  God,  even  eternal  destruction 
and  misery,  and  from  all  evil.  As  the  children  of  God,  they 
hope  for  his  kind  protection  to  defend  them  from  all  real  evil 
while  in  this  world ;  that  what  is  in  itself  evil  shall  be  made 
to   thera   a  real   good,  so  that  all  things   shall   conspire   to 


692  rUE  Kkason  of  the  hope  ok  a  christian. 

promote  their  greatest  good.  They  hope,  in  the  best  way  and 
manner,  and  the  most  proper  time,  to  be  delivered  from  all 
sin  and  moral  depravity,  and  made  perfectly  holy,  by  Christ 
their  Savior  ;  and  that  their  salvation  shall  be  for  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  Redeemer  forever,  otherwise  it  would  be  no  sal- 
vation to  them.  They  trust  in  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
Christ  to  order  the  time  and  manner  of  their  death  so  as  shall 
be  most  for  his  glory  and  their  good.  They  hope  that  when 
they  drop  their  bodies  into  the  grave  they  shall  immediately 
enter  into  a  world  of  light  and  complete  happiness,  being 
wholly  transformed  into  the  moral  likeness  of  Christ,  and  in 
the  enjoyment  of  him,  and  of  his  favor  and  love,  and  behold- 
ing his  glory ;  and,  in  the  happy  society  of  the  redeemed,  shall 
enjoy  uninterrupted,  increasing  felicity  without  end. 

The  Christian's  hope  includes  in  it  an  assured  and  pleasing 
prospect  that  Christ  will  destroy  the  works  and  kingdom  of 
the  devil  on  earth,  and  set  up  his  own  kingdom,  and  give  his 
people  the  possession  of  the  world  for  at  least  a  thousand 
years ;  which  happy  time  for  the  meek,  the  saints,  to  possess 
the  earth,  and  delight  in  the  abundance  of  peace  and  happi- 
ness, shall  commence  and  continue  in  a  time  and  manner 
most  agreeable  to  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Goodness;  and  the 
Christian  expects  the  set  time  will  come,  and  is  hastening  on, 
when  Christ  will  come  to  judgment,  raise  the  dead,  and  assem- 
ble all  the  children  of  Adam  before  him,  when  he  will  sentence 
the  impenitent  wicked  to  everlasting  punishment,  and  invite 
and  bring  his  friends  into  the  possession  of  his  eternal  king- 
dom, to  enjoy  perfect  and  progressing  happiness  forever ;  and 
that  they  shall  see,  and  have  a  most  pleasing  and  eternally 
increasing  conviction,  when  all  the  enemies  of  Christ  are  put 
under  his  feet,  and  all  things  are  adjusted  and  brought  to  their 
proper  and  designed  issue,  that  all  events  which  have  taken 
place,  even  all  the  evil,  sin,  and  misery  which  has  been  and 
vvill  exist  forever,  are  included  in  the  divine  purpose  and  plan, 
v.'hich  was  in  the  highest  wisdom  and  goodness  fixed  and 
ordained  from  eternity,  and  are  necessary,  in  the  most  proper 
and  desirable  manner  and  to  the  highest  possible  degree,  to 
promote  the  glory  of  God  in  the  most  cleea-  manifestation  and 
brightest  display  of  the  divine  perfections,  and  produce  the 
highest  happiness  and  glory  of  the  eternal  kingdom  of  God. 
This  will  be  contemplated  forever,  and  will  be  a  source  of 
growing  entertainment,  and  part  of  the  happiness  which  is 
included  in  the  Christian's  hope.  The  work  of  redemption  by 
Christ  is  so  grand,  wonderful,  and  complicated,  the  effect  of 
infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  exercised  in  the  most 
astonishing  condescension,  grace  and  mercy,  truth  and  faith- 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  693 

fulness,  to  infinitely  guilty,  lost,  and  miserable  sinners,  in  a 
way  honorable  to  a  holy,  righteous  God,  his  law  and  govern- 
ment, and  suited  to  humble  and  save  sinful  rebels,  and  raise 
them  to  the  highest  honor  and  happiness ;  and  is  attended 
with  such  infinitely  great,  important,  glorious,  eternal  conse- 
quences, that  the  redeemed  must  enjoy  unspeakably  great  and 
increasing  happiness  in  searching  into  the  wonders  of  this 
work,  and  loving,  praising,  and  adoring  God  and  the  Redeemer 
forever. 

Every  true  Christian  hopes  to  enjoy  all  this,  and  more,  which 
no  tongue  can  utter  or  heart  conceive,  and  he  shall  actually 
possess  it  forever.  He  will  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  Christ  at 
the  day  of  judgment,  and  enter  with  all  the  redeemed  into 
eternal  life  and  happiness,  and  enjoy  the  company  and  friend- 
ship of  a  most  lovely  and  happy  society,  all  sweetly  united  in 
love  to  Christ  and  to  each  other,  under  the  best  advantages  to 
enjoy  God,  in  the  assurance  of  his  favor  and  love,  and  to  be 
happy  in  friendship  with  each  other,  and  make  rapid  advances 
in  knowledge,  holiness,  and  happiness  forever.  But  the  theme 
is  endless,  and  it  is  time  to  stop.  This  is  the  hope  of  a 
Christian. 

11,  The  reason  which  Christians  have  to  give  for  this  hope 
which  is  in  them,  or  entertained  by  them,  is  to  be  considered. 

This  involves  two  particulars,  "vv^hich  are  in  themselves  really 
distinct,  though  implied  in  each  other;  and,  therefore,  it  is 
proper  to  consider  them  separately.  They  are  these :  The 
reason  they  have  to  believe  and  be  sure  that  the  Christian 
Scriptures,  the  foundation  of  all  their  hopes,  are  a  revelation 
from  God,  containing  infallible  truth,  without  any  error  in 
matters  of  faith  and  practice,  and,  therefore,  to  be  relied  upon 
with  the  greatest  confidence  and  safety;  and  the  reason  of 
their  hope  that  they  are  real  Christians,  and  interested  in  all 
the  blessings  promised  in  the  gospel  to  true  believers  in 
Christ. 

First.  The  Christian,  in  giving  the  reason  of  his  hope,  must 
tell  what  evidence  he  has  that  Christianity  is  a  divine  institu- 
tion, and  that  the  Scriptures  which  contain  a  revelation  of  it 
were  written  by  the  inspiration  of  God. 

Here  Christians  are  introduced  to  speak  for  themselves,  and 
give  the  reason  of  placing  their  hope  in  Christ  and  the  gospel. 
They  have  the  following  ansv/er  to  give  to  those  who  ask 
them :  — 

1.  We  feel  the  want  of  a  hope  of  some  good  and  happiness 
which  cannot  be  obtained  and  enjoyed  in  this  life  and  in  this 
world.  We  find  ourselves  possessed  of  those  mental  capacities 
and  desires  which  cannot  be  filled  and  satisfied  with  the  enjoy- 


694  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

ment  of  any  or  all  the  things  of  this  world,  the  objects  of  time 
and  sense.  We  know  we  have  a  capacity  of  enjoying  a  higher 
and  better  good  than  this  world  affords,  and  a  good  which  is 
unfading,  and  will  last  to  be  enjoyed  without  any  end ;  and 
we  feel  strong  desires,  which  we  cannot  suppress,  of  existing 
forever,  in  the  enjoyment  of  objects  which  will  render  us  com- 
pletely happy.  This  has  excited  us  diligently  to  search  and 
inquire  whether,  and  where,  any  ground  and  good  reason  can 
be  found  for  a  hope  of  enjoying  the  good  and  happiness  which 
is  answerable  to  our  capacity  and  desires. 

2.  If  the  Bible  be  excluded,  upon  the  most  diligent  and 
extensive  search  we  have  been  able  to  make,  no  sufficient  rea- 
son has  been  found,  or  can  be  given,  for  a  hope  of  a  good 
adequate  to  the  capacity  and  desires  of  man.  The  heathen 
who  have  not  enjoyed  the  Bible,  even  the  wisest  among  them, 
have  not  discovered  any  certainty  of  a  future  state ;  and  all 
their  conjectures  about  it,  and  ideas  of  happiness  to  be  enjoyed 
after  death,  if  there  be  a  future  state,  are  so  vague,  uncertain, 
and  absurd,  that  they  can  give  no  satisfaction  to  a  rational 
mind,  but  tend  to  the  contrary.  They  have  obtained  no  true 
notions  of  the  character  of  the  true  God ;  so  far  from  it,  that 
they  represent  their  gods  in  a  ridiculous  and  shameful  light, 
and  as  practising  horrible  vices.  None  of  them,  even  their 
greatest  philosophers,  have  ^een  able  to  find  out  what  true 
happiness  is.  They  are  indeed,  and  always  have  been,  without 
the  true  God,  and  without  a  reasonable  hope  in  the  world. 

And  this  is  true  of  the  Mahometans.  They  profess,  indeed, 
to  believe  in  one  God,  which  Mahomet  taught  them  with  a 
number  of  other  things,  who  learnt  them  from  the  Bible,  with 
which  he  was  in  some  measure  acquainted ;  but  they  have  no 
correct,  consistent  notions  of  the  divine  character,  especially 
of  his  moral  character.  They  do  not  know  of  any  reasonable 
way  for  sinners  to  obtain  pardon  of  their  sins  and  the  favor  of 
God ;  and,  consequently,  cannot  have  any  reasonable  hope  of 
this.  The  most  ignorant  and  vicious  men  among  them  have 
a  promise  of  their  prophet  that  they  shall  go  directly  to  heaven, 
if  they  die  fighting  for  his  cause  and  their  religion,  or  if 
they  perform  certain  prescribed  actions  and  ceremonies ;  and 
the  heaven  they  hope  for  they  think  consists,  not  in  holiness 
and  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  true  God,  and  the  mental  happi- 
ness implied  in  this,  but  in  those  sensual  delights  and  gratifi- 
cations more  suited  for  beasts  than  men  ;  which  are  the  objects 
of  aversion  and  abhorrence,  and  not  of  hope,  to  a  good  and 
pure  mind. 

The  infidels,  deists,  and  atheists  who  live  in  that  part  of 
the  world  called  Christian  are  really  without  hope.     The  latter 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  695 

are  professedly  so ;  they  have  no  belief  of  a  future  state,  and 
have  no  hope  of  any  good  which  they  cannot  enjoy  in  this 
life,  which  to  every  discerning  mind  is  nothing  but  vanity  and 
vexation  of  spirit.  These  choose  to  view  and  place  themselves 
in  such  a  low  state  of  existence  that  they  have  no  preeminence 
above  the  beasts,  except  that  they  are  capable  of  suffering  more 
pain  and  misery  than  the  brute  creation. 

As  to  the  Deists,  they  profess  to  believe  there  is  a  God ;  but 
do  not  appear  to  worship  him,  or  derive  any  enjoyment  from 
their  belief.  Many  of  them,  with  atheists,  do  not  believe  there 
is  any  future  state,  but  say  they  expect  to  die  as  the  beasts, 
and  have  no  further  existence.  Others  of  them  consider  it  as 
a  matter  of  uncertainty  whether  they  shall  exist  in  a  future 
state  or  not ;  and  they  who  profess  to  believe  they  shall 
exist  after  death  can  give  no  satisfactory  account  of  the 
happiness  they  shall  enjoy,  nor  any  reason  of  their  hope  of 
happiness  in  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins  and  the  favor  of 
God,  whom  they  have  offended.  For  reason,  on  which  they 
depend,  affords  no  evidence  that  God  will  forgive  them  ;  but 
rather  that  they  must  fall  under  his  displeasure,  and  be  mis- 
erable forever.  They  can  have  no  hope  from  the  god  they 
profess  to  believe  exists.  Having  renounced  the  God  revealed 
in  the  Bible,  they  are  wholly  at  a  loss  about  the  character  of 
their  god.  Some  of  them  ascribe  no  moral  character  to  him, 
and  they  who  do  cannot  agree  in  what  it  is ;  and  none  of 
them  can  tell  whether,  or  how  far,  men  have  any  concern  in 
it,  so  as  to  have  any  influence  on  their  conduct  or  happiness. 
So  that  they  are  all  without  any  reasonable  hope,  having  re- 
nounced the  true  God. 

Therefore,  if  the  Christian  hope  be  not  founded  upon  reason 
and  truth,  but  must  be  given  up  as  fabulous  and  mere  delu- 
sion, we  are  left  without  hope,  and  we  must  sink  into  the 
most  gloomy  darkness  and  despair.     But, — 

3.  We  find  in  the  Bible  an  exhibition  of  that  good  which 
is  suited  to  make  us  completely  and  forever  happy,  containing 
all  that  we  can  desire  or  hope  for.  It  reveals  a  most  agreea- 
ble and  wise  way  for  the  pardon  of  sinners,  and  their  recon- 
ciliation with  God,  and  to  enjoy  his  favor  as  much,  and  to  a 
higher  degree,  and  be  much  more  happy  than  if  they  had 
never  sinned.  It  contains  repeated  and  abundant  promises 
of  deliverance  from  all  evil,  and  the  everlasting  enjoyment  of 
the  best  and  highest  good  of  which  we  are  or  ever  shall  be 
capable.  All  this  is  offered  and  bestowed  as  a  free  gift  on 
every  one  who  is  willing  to  receive  it  and  asketh  for  it.  We 
will  not  enter  into  more  particulars  here  in  description  of  this 
hope.     They  have  been  represented  in  the  former  part  of  this 


696  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

discourse,  and  will,  of  course,  come  into  view  under  the  next 
head.  We  will  only  observe  here,  that  the  infinite  good  com- 
prehended in  the  redemption  of  sinners,  which  is  the  subject 
of  the  revelation  in  the  Bible,  is  the  only  proper  and  complete 
object  of  hope  that  can  be  conceived  of  or  imagined  by  a 
reasonable  and  good  mind,  if  it  be  true,  and  there  is  evidence 
that  it  is  indeed  a  revelation  which  is  given  to  men  from  God. 
Which  leads  us  to  say, — 

4.  There  is  clear,  most  satisfactory  and  abundant  evi- 
dence, fully  answerable  to  the  nature  and  importance  of  the 
subject,  that  the  Bible  is  true,  and  contains  a  revelation  from 
God. 

But  before  we  enter  upon  the  short  and  summary  detail  of 
this  evidence  which  we  propose  to  give,  the  following  things 
will  be  mentioned :  — 

Though  the  evidence  of  the  truth  of  divine  revelation  is 
sufficient  to  convince  the  understanding  and  judgment  of 
those  who  will  seriously  attend  to  the  subject,  though  they 
have  bad  hearts,  and  do  not  really  love  the  truths  it  contains, 
yet  they  cannot  have  that  satisfactory  assurance  that  it  is  from 
God,  and  indeed  a  divine  revelation,  which  those  of  upright 
and  good  hearts  have,  though  their  understandings  and  mental 
powers  be  not  so  bright  and  strong  as  those  of  others  whose 
hearts  are  not  good. 

It  may  also  be  observed,  that  truths  and  objects  of  a  moral 
and  spiritual  nature  may  be  the  objects  of  as  great  certainty, 
yea,  greater,  than  those  objects  and  things  whose  existence  is 
known  only  by  our  bodily  senses ;  so  that  a  man  of  an  honest 
and  good  heart,  and  right  taste  and  discerning,  would  doubt 
of  the  truth  of  the  latter  rather  than  of  the  former,  if  one 
must  be  doubted  of  and  given  up  as  not  true. 

We  would  further  observe  here,  that  if  it  were  possible  that 
the  Christian  hope  is  a  mere  delusion,  which  we  know  is  not 
true,  and  is  impossible,  yet  we  should  lose  nothing  by  enter- 
taining it.  We  shall,  in  the  issue,  be  as  well  off  as  those  who 
have  no  hope.  If  we  should  cease  to  exist  at  death,  or  in 
whatever  state  we  should  be,  we  should  not  be  in  a  worse 
state  than  others,  or  than  we  should  be  had  we  not  been 
Christians.  We  have  a  high  enjoyment  in  our  hope  now, 
which  will  continue  as  long  as  we  are  in  this  world.  It  is 
constantly  better  to  us  than  all  worldly  enjoyments,  and  we 
should  be  great  losers  by  exchanging  it  with  the  most  happy 
worldly  man  for  all  his  enjoyments.  Our  hope  is  a  constant 
source  of  high  enjoyment,  which  unspeakably  more  than 
counterbalances  all  the  uneasiness  and  sufferings  which  are 
occasioned  by  it,  be  they  ever  so  many  and  great.     Therefore, 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  697 

unbelievers,  if  they  knew  we  were  deluded,  —  which  they  do  not 
know,  and  never  will,  —  would  act  an  unreasonable,  injurious, 
and  cruel  part,  to  take  our  hope  from  us,  if  they  could,  or  even 
to  attempt  it;  for  if  this  could  be  effected,  it  would  deprive 
us  of  more  happiness  than  they  ever  did  or  can  enjoy,  which 
is  better  to  us  than  all  this  world,  and  we  should  sink  down 
into  the  most  gloomy  state  of  despair  and  misery,  which  they 
who  never  had  the  Christian  hope  cannot  feel  or  suffer  while 
in  this  world.* 

We  now  return  to  the  point  proposed,  to  speak  of  the 
reason  we  have  of  our  hope,  grounded  on  the  evidence  that 
the  gospel  is  from  Heaven,  which  amounts  to  as  great  demon- 
strative certainty  as  there  is  or  can  be  of  any  proposition 
which  was  ever  proposed  or  thought  of.  We  have  read  the 
Bible  over  and  over  again,  and  with  much  more  care  and 
attention  than  we  bestowed  on  any  other  book.  And  the 
more  we  have  read  it,  and  attended  to  and  understood  the 
truths  contained  in  it,  the  more  clear  and  certain  has  the  evi- 
dence appeared  of  its  divine  original,  and  the  greater  pleasure 
we  have  had  in  the  things  which  it  reveals. 

When  we  enter  on  this  theme,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine 
where  to  begin,  or  where  to  end.  There  is  so  great  a  multi- 
plicity of  evidence  that  the  Scriptures  contain  a  revelation 
from  God,  and  the  number  of  particulars  from  which  this  is 
proved  is  so  great,  that  it  would  take  more  time  than  we  now 
have  to  mention  all  of  them.  We  can  only  give  a  summary 
view  of  this  evidence  now,  which  w^e  are  sure  is  a  sufficient 
reason  of  our  hope,  of  which  we  shall  never  be  ashamed. 

It  is  common  and  proper  to  distinguish  the  evidence  that 
the  Bible  has  a  divine  original  into  that  which  is  called  exter- 
nal and  that  which  is  internal,  consisting  in  the  doctrines, 
truths,  and  duties  which  are  revealed  and  inculcated  therein. 


*  "  If  in  this  life  only  wo  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  mis- 
erable." (1  Cor.  XV.  19.)  These  words  have  been  understood  by  some  in  a 
sense  which  may  be  thought  inconsistent  with  the  sentiments  expressed  in  the 
above  paragraph.  But,  on  a  careful  examination,  they  will  doubtless  appear  in 
perfect  unison.  To  hope  in  Christ  only  in  this  life  is  really  to  give  up  the 
Christian  hope  and  Christianity  itself,  as  a  groundless  fable ;  and  consequently 
to  be  deprived  of  all  the  enjoyment  and  happiness  derived  from  Christianity 
and  the  Christian  hope,  by  which  they  have  an  unspeakably  higher  enjoyment, 
and  greater  degree  of  happiness,  than  unbelievers  can  have.  And  as  they  feel 
tlie  vanity  of  all  things  in  this  world,  their  loss  is  irreparable,  and  they  must 
feel  themselves  wretched,  and  sink  into  gloom,  despau-,  and  misery  ;  while  the 
men  of  the  world,  by  their  ignorance,  delusion,  and  a  worldly  mind,  knowing 
no  greater  good  than  they  have  or  hope  to  obtain  in  the  enjoyments  of  this  life, 
are  eagerly  pursuing  and  fondly  hoping  for  worldly  good ;  by  which  they  are, 
at  present,  prevented  from  falling  into  that  despair  and  misery  which  will  cer- 
tainly come  upon  them,  when  this  life  shall  end. 

VOL.  III.  59 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

We  shall  endeavor  to  consider  these  separately,  though  they 
will  naturally,  and  perhaps  to  the  best  advantage,  be  in  some 
instances,  in  a  degree,  blended  together.  Certainly  the  honest 
mind  will  view  them  together,  and  at  once,  as  strengthening 
each  other,  and  amounting  to  a  clear  demonstration  of  this 
truth. 

The  external  evidence  consists  in  the  manner  in  which  the 
Christian  Scriptures  have  been  made  and  given  to  the  world; 
the  men  and  their  character  who  wrote  them,  and  the  manner 
of  their  writing ;  the  miracles  which  have  been  wrought  in 
confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  facts  related,  and  the  doc- 
trines and  commands  made  known,  and  that  they  who  spoke 
and  wrote  were  inspired  by  God  to  speak  and  do  what  they 
did  ;  the  numerous  predictions  of  things  and  events  which 
should  come  to  pass,  many  of  which  were  accomplished  soon, 
others  have  come  to  pass  long  since  they  were  predicted,  and 
many  are  fulfilling  now  before  our  eyes,  in  the  revolutions 
which  are  taking  place,  and  the  present  state  of  the  nations 
and  of  the  world ;  the  spread  of  Christianity  among  the  na- 
tions by  the  men  who  were  the  principal  instruments  of  prop- 
agating it,  and  the  preservation  and  continuance  of  it  in  the 
world  to  this  day,  notwithstanding  the  great  and  constant 
opposition  to  it  which  has  been  made. 

These  are  the  chief,  but  not  all  the  external  evidences  of 
the  divine  original  of  the  Bible,  which  must  be  more  particu- 
larly considered.  The  men  by  whom  it  was  written  appear 
to  be  men  of  good  natural  abilities,  sensible,  honest,  and  seri- 
ous, as  men  really  inspired  by  God  to  write  would  be.  They 
were  not  a  number  of  men  who  lived  at  the  same  time,  and 
could  consult  together,  and  lay  a  scheme  what  to  write ;  but 
lived  in  different  ages,  the  last  above  a  thousand  years  after 
the  first  who  wrote.  They  do  not  appear  selfish,  proud,  and 
••vain,  to  seek  their  own  worldly  honor  or  interest,  but  the  con- 
trary. The  manner  of  their  writing  is  inimitable,  and  differs 
from  the  writings  of  all  other  men.  This  has  been  observed 
and  illustrated  by  many  authors,  and  is  needless  for  us  to 
repeat.  They  write  an  orderly  history  of  the  world,  from 
the  beginning  of  it  to  the  time  of  those  last  events  which 
relate  to  the  subjects  on  which  they  wrote.  And  this  history 
is  carried  on  by  them  to  the  end  of  the  world  by  their  predic- 
tions. This  is  the  most  ancient,  well-authenticated,  consistent, 
important,  and  useful  history  that  was  ever  formed  by  unin- 
spired men,  or  ever  will  or  can  be.  It  exhibits  one  grand 
scheme  and  plan  of  events,  all  uniting  and  conspiring  to  bring 
all  things  to  the  most  happy  issue,  worthy  of  the  infinite 
Being  who  is  infinitely  powerful,  wise,  and  good.     It  is  as 


THE  REASON  OF  THE  HOPE  OF  A  CHRISTIAN.       699 

really  impossible  that  any  uninspired  man  or  number  of  men, 
especially  who  lived  in  such  distant  ages  of  the  world,  should 
make  the  writings  which  we  find  in  the  Bible,  as  it  is  for  them 
to  contrive  and  make  the  visible  world ;  and  we  have  as  satis- 
fying evidence  that  the  Scriptures  contained  in  the  Bible  were 
written  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  as  we  have  that  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars,  and  all  the  visible  world  were  made  by  him, 
especially  if  we  take  into  view  the  facts  which  we  are  now 
going  to  mention. 

Moses,  who  was  the  first  writer,  gave  abundant  proof  that 
what  he  wrote,  said,  and  did,  was  by  the  inspiration,  com- 
mand, and  direction  of  the  true  God,  by  the  numerous  mira- 
cles which  he  wrought,  and  the  predictions  he  made,  which 
were  fulfilled  directly,  or  in  the  time  of  his  life,  and  have  been 
since  fulfilled.  And  here  we  would  observe,  that  prophecy, 
when  it  is  fulfilled,  is  a  real  miracle,  as  absolute,  independent 
prescience  is  an  incommunicable  attribute  of  God  ;  and  when 
a  man  has  ability  to  know  and  foretell  events  that  are  future, 
this  is  as  much  above  what  are  called  the  laws  of  nature  as  the 
ability  to  work  any  miracle  whatever,  and  is  an  evidence  of 
divine  inspiration.  Therefore,  miracles  and  prophecy  which 
come  to  pass  may  be  considered  together,  as  they  are  fre- 
quently united  in  the  same  event  in  the  Scriptures.  Thus 
most  of  the  miracles  wrought  by  Moses  in  Egypt,  at  the  Red 
Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness,  during  forty  years,  were  accompa- 
nied by  predictions  of  the  miraculous  event  before  it  took 
place,  though  the  latter  was  instantaneous  with  the  former, 
and  both  were  of  the  nature  of  a  miracle,  and  so  were  all  the 
prophecies  of  Moses  which  have  since  been  fulfilled,  by  which, 
and  by  all  the  miracles  done  by  him,  his  divine  mission  was 
fully  confirmed,  in  the  view  of  the  whole  nation  of  Israel ;  and 
this  has  been  handed  down  through  all  ages  since  in  the 
church,  and  been  increasing  by  the  fulfilment  of  many  of  his 
prophecies,  and  the  discovery  of  the  import  and  design  of  the 
institutions  which  he  appointed,  which  he  declared  he  received 
from  Heaven.  And,  indeed,  all  or  most  of  the  ordinances  in- 
stituted by  Moses  contained  predictions,  pointing  out  the 
character  of  the  Savior  who  was  to  come  into  the  world,  and 
what  was  to  be  done  and  suffered  by  him  for  the  redemption 
of  man,  w^hich  were  exactly  fulfilled  in  him,  together  with  all 
the  predictions  of  him  by  the  prophets  who  arose  after  Moses. 
All  the  Mosaic  institutions,  and  all  the  miracles  he  did  and 
predictions  he  uttered,  all  the  miracles  and  prophecies  by  the 
prophets  after  Moses,  with  all  the  events  which  took  place, 
were  designed  and  suited  to  prepare  the  way  for  that  event  — 
the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God ;  so  that  the  divine  design 


700  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

and  wisdom  is  to  be  seen,  by  those  who  will  properly  attend, 
superintending  through  the  whole.  It  is  impossible  it  should 
be  a  mere  human  contrivance. 

At  the  very  time  which  was  pointed  out  and  fixed  by  the 
prophets  hundreds  of  years  before,  —  when  there  was,  conse- 
quently, a  general  expectation  of  the  appearance  of  the  prom- 
ised Savior,  and  the  state  of  the  Jews  and  of  the  world  was 
made  ready  for  such  an  event,  —  the  expected  Messiah  came,  in 
a  character  and  in  just  such  circumstances  as  were  described 
and  foretold  long  before  by  the  prophets.  He  wrought  many 
miracles,  by  which  he  proved  that  he  was  the  Son  of  God,  the 
very  person  predicted  by  the  prophets,  and  taught  the  most 
important  truth  in  a  manner  which  was  never  done  by  any 
mere  man.  He  was  a  perfect  example  of  humility,  meekness, 
uprightness,  benevolence,  wisdom,  and  piety,  and  taught,  both 
by  precept  and  example,  the  nature  and  properties  of  true 
religion,  and  the  only  excellent  and  perfect  morality.  But 
now  we  have  insensibly  run  into  what  properly  belongs  to  the 
next  head  —  of  internal  evidence. 

He  instructed  his  disciples  into  the  meaning  of  those  proph- 
ecies which  related  to  him ;  and  from  this  and  acquaintance 
with  him,  his  doctrines  and  precepts,  and  the  miracles  he 
wrought,  they  believed  with  all  their  heart  that  he  was  the 
Son  of  God  who  was  to  come  into  the  world.  The  body 
of  the  nation  of  Jews,  especially  their  teachers  and  leaders, 
—  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  —  were  so  sunk  into  depravity 
and  ignorance,  their  hearts  were  so  bad  and  vicious,  that  they 
did  not  understand  the  prophecies  concerning  him ;  nor  could 
they  approve  of  his  person,  character,  and  doctrines,  all  which 
condemned  them ;  but  they  hated  them  with  a  hatred  which 
could  not  be  satisfied  till  they  had  put  him  to  a  cruel  and 
ignominious  death,  which  he  had  repeatedly  foretold,  and  the 
consequent  destruction  of  that  nation,  to  his  disciples,  and  the 
ancient  prophets  had  predicted.  He  also  said  that  he  should 
rise  from  death  on  the  third  day.  But  his  enemies  had  no 
expectation  or  belief  of  this,  but  were  disposed  to  reject  all 
the  evidence  that  could  be  given  of  such  a  fact.  And  even 
his  disciples  and  friends  did  not  understand  the  prophets  nor 
the  words  of  Christ  on  this  point,  and  knew  not  what  to  think 
of  his  being  put  to  death  as  he  was ;  and  were  wholly  in  the 
dark  as  to  the  consequence,  till  the  evidence  that  he  was  risen 
from  the  dead  was  irresistibly  forced  upon  them. 

When  he  had  given  incontestable  evidence  of  his  resurrec- 
tion to  a  sufficient  number  of  chosen,  competent  witnesses, 
who  could  not  be  deceived,  and  conversed  with  them  a  con- 
siderable time,  and  given  them  proper  instructions,  they  de- 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  701 

clared  that  they  saw  Iiim  ascend  towards  heaven  in  a  cloud 
till  out  of  their  sight;  and  that  two  angels  appeared  to  them, 
who  told  them  he  was  gone  to  heaven,  and  would  return  again 
at  the  day  of  judgment.  They  retired,  and  waited  till,  as  he 
had  promised  them,  they  received  from  Heaven  miraculous 
power  to  bear  witness  of  his  resurrection,  and  proclaim  salva- 
tion to  sinners  upon  believing  in  his  name.  They  were  soon 
endued  with  power,  and  enabled  to  work  miracles  to  prove 
the  truth  of  their  testimony  that  Christ  was  risen  from  the 
dead  and  gone  to  heaven,  and  had  commanded  them  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  world,  and  that  in  this  they  said 
nothing  but  what  was  contained  in  the  writings  of  Moses  and 
the  prophets.  They  went  forth,  and,  contrary  to  all  human 
probability  and  expectation  of  the  success  of  such  a  small 
number  of  poor,  low,  illiterate  men,  with  such  a  message,  so 
contrary  to  the  strong  prejudices  and  prevailing  customs  both 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  to  the  lusts  and  evil  propensities 
which  naturally  reign  in  the  hearts  of  all  men,  they  made  nu- 
merous converts  to  Christianity  from  among  the  Jews  and  the 
idolatrous  heathen. 

It  is  impossible  that  these  facts  should  take  place,  unless 
Christianity  were  from  Heaven,  and  the  apostles  were  assured 
that  what  they  related  concerning  Christ  was  true.  That,  in 
their  then  circumstances,  they  should  undertake  to  propagate 
Christianity,  without  any  worldly  motives,  and  in  the  prospect 
of  poverty,  disgrace,  and  suffering,  which  they  knew  was  as 
contrary  to  the  natural  inclinations  of  men  as  any  thing  can 
be,  cannot  be  accounted  for,  unless  on  the  supposition  they 
knew  that  what  they  declared  was  true,  and  most  important 
to  themselves  and  others,  and  that  they  could  depend  upon 
the  promise  of  Christ  to  support  and  succeed  them ;  and  it 
appears  to  us  that  their  success  in  propagating  Christianity, 
and  being  supported  in  the  midst  of  opposition  and  suffering 
till  they  had  collected  a  number  of  churches,  is  a  demonstration 
that  divine  power  upheld  them,  and  changed  the  hearts  of 
men  so  as  to  dispose  them  to  attend  and  receive  the  gospel. 
This  was  as  far  above  all  mere  human  contrivance  and  efforts  as 
is  the  production  of  the  natural  world,  and  cannot  be  accounted 
for  without  supposing  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God, 
and  that  the  apostles  were  enabled  to  do  those  great  and  won- 
derful things  by  his  assisting  power,  agreeably  to  the  relation 
given  of  this  matter  in  the  Bible. 

And  that  the  gospel  has   spread  among  the  nations,  and 

Christianity  has  been  continued  to  this  day,  notwithstanding 

the  constant  and  strong  opposition  which  has  been  made  to  it 

in  so  many  ways,  is,  as  we  may  say,  a  constant  miracle,  and  a 

59* 


702  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

clear  evidence  that  it  has  a  divine  original,  and  is  a  demonstra- 
tion that  it  is  of  God,  according  to  the  test  proposed  by  the 
good  sense  of  the  learned  Gamaliel.  If  this  counsel  or  this 
work  had  been  of  men,  it  would  have  come  to  nought  long 
ago;  but  since  it  has  continued  to  this  day,  and  men,  with 
all  the  cunning  and  power  with  which  they  have  in  all  ages 
attempted  it,  have  not  been  able  to  overthrow  it,  its  divine 
original  is  demonstrated,  and  it  must  be  of  God;  and  we  are 
certain  that  all  they  who  do  oppose  Christianity,  and  attempt 
to  overthrow  it,  are  fighting  against  God,  and  will  be  disap- 
pointed and  confounded. 

We  will  finish  this  head  by  mentioning  the  state  in  which 
the  Jews  now  are,  and  have  been,  since  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem and  their  temple,  and  the  present  state  of  the  world, 
which  are  agreeable  to  the  predictions  in  the  Bible.  The  state 
into  which  the  Jews  have  fallen  in  consequence  of  the  cruci- 
fixion of  Christ  by  that  nation,  who  wished  that  the  guilt  of 
his  blood  might  fall  on  them  and  their  posterity,  is  agreeable 
to  the  prophecies  of  Moses  and  the  other  prophets ;  to  the  pre- 
dictions of  Christ  and  the  apostles ;  and  are,  in  this  view,  a 
standing  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  which  might  be 
illustrated  by  a  number  of  particulars,  had  we  time  to  mention 
them.  Their  continuing  a  distinct  people  in  their  dispersion 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth  for  so  many  ages,  which  is  a 
sort  of  public,  continual  miracle,  holds  them  in  a  situation 
in  which  they  are  prepared  for  the  visible  accomplishment  of 
those  many  predictions  and  promises  which  we  find  in  the 
Bible,  of  mercy  in  store  for  them,  by  their  being  made  willing 
to  submit  to  Christ,  and  come  into  his  fold,  the  Christian 
church,  with  the  Gcentiles;  which  is  a  confirming  evidence  of 
the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  that  this  happy  event  will  take 
place;  and  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  appears  from  other 
prophecies  and  the  present  state  of  the  world. 

This  leads  us  to  observe^  that  the  state  of  the  Christian 
church  from  the  days  of  the  apostles  to  this  time,  and  to  the 
end  of  the  world,  and  the  state,  changes,  and  revolutions  of  the 
nations  of  the  world,  especially  so  far  as  they  have  any  relation 
to  the  church,  are  foretold  in  the  prophetic  part  of  Scripture, 
particularly  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  and  in  the  revelation  given 
to  the  apostle  John,  which  have  been  exactly  fulfilled,  so  far  as 
they  relate  to  the  past  and  present  time ;  and  we  may  hence 
rely  upon  the  accomplishment  of  the  predictions  of  the  events 
which  are  yet  to  take  place.  The  great  apostasy  which  has 
taken  place  in  the  church  of  Christ  by  antichrist,  or  the  pope, 
by  which  the  church  of  Rome  is  become  a  corrupt,  false  church, 
was  particularly  foretold,  with  many  particular  circumstances 


THE  REASON  OF  THE  HOPE  OF  A  CHRISTIAN.      703 

relating  to  its  charactewi,  and  treatment  of  true  Christians,  etc., 
the  rise  of  it,  and  the  time  of  its  continuance  and  final  over- 
throw. Many  things  predicted  of  this  false  church  have  already 
come  to  pass,  which  are  publicly  known,  and  needless  for  us 
now  to  mention.  It  is  evident  that  this  false  church,  which  in 
Scripture  is  called  a  harlot,  with  those  who  support  her,  and 
all  her  appendages,  are  on  the  decline,  and  hastening  to  the 
destruction  predicted.  Five  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God,  pre- 
dicted in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  the  prophecy  by  John,  have 
ah'eady  been  poured  out  on  her;  and  the  sixth  vial  is  now 
running,  under  which  antichrist  is  to  sink,  and  the  way  be 
prepared  for  his  final  overthrow,  which  is  now  taking  place  in 
sight  of  the  world.  While  this  is  doing,  according  to  the 
prophecy,  the  spirits  of  devils  are  to  be  let  loose  in  the  Chris- 
tian world  as  they  never  were  before;  and  under  their  influ- 
ence all  orders  of  men  are  to  become  exceeding  corrupt  and 
wicked,  more  generally,  and  to  a  greater  degree,  than  ever 
before,  and  own  themselves  in  opposition  to  God  and  the 
Redeemer.  And  do  we  not  see  this  representation  fast  ful- 
filling from  year  to  year?  Is  it  not  known  that  infidelity, 
deism,  atheism,  and  all  kinds  of  gross  error,  and  of  vice  and 
wickedness,  which  are  the  genuine  fruits  of  these,  are  rapidly 
spreading,  and  prevail  every  where  ?  Surely  all  must  be  sen- 
sible of  this  who  can  discern  the  signs  of  the  times.  Let  who 
will  shut  their  eyes,  and  live  in  ignorance,  it  appears  to  us  a 
striking  evidence  that  the  events  of  this  time  are  a  fulfilment 
of  the  above-mentioned  prophecy,  and  that,  after  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  events  predicted  under  the  seventh  vial,  the 
millennium,  or  prosperous  and  happy  state  of  the  church  on 
earth,  so  much  the  subject  of  prophecy,  both  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New,  will  commence. 

Having,  as  briefly  as  we  could,  stated  the  leading  things  in 
which  the  external  evidence  that  the  Bible  contains  a  revela- 
tion from  Heaven  consists,  we  proceed  to  mention  what  we 
call  the  internal  evidence  of  the  same  truth.  This,  we  think, 
is  more  than  answerable  to  the  fair  and  promising  outside,  if 
we  may  so  call  it,  which  we  have  been  considering,  and  is 
suited  to  establish  every  honest  and  good  heart  in  assurance 
that  the  gospel  is  of  God. 

The  Bible  reveals  the  being,  perfections,  works,  and  designs 
of  God,  and  sets  them  in  a  more  grand,  important,  rational, 
and  desirable  light  than  ever  has  or  could  be  discovered  by 
uninspired  men,  or  has  been  conceived  by  any  man  who  is  not 
acquainted  with  the  Bible.  God  is  here  represented  as  with- 
out beginning  to  exist,  omnipotent,  omniscient,  omnipresent, 
infinitely  and  unchangeably  wise   and  good,  just,  true,  and 


704  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

faithful ;  as  the  Creator  of  all  things,  and  constantly  upholding, 
directing,  and  governing  them  in  all  their  revolutions  and 
motions;  all  which  are  included  in  a  most  wise  plan  of  opera- 
tion, which  has  been  fixed  by  him  from  eternity,  is  endless, 
absolutely  perfect,  and  immutable;  that  he  exercises  a  most 
perfect  and  wise  moral  government  over  all  his  rational  crea- 
tures, to  whom  he  gives  a  natural  capacity  of  moral  action 
and  obedience  to  all  his  laws,  which  are  perfect,  just,  and 
good.  The  law  of  God  respects  and  requires  a  perfectly  right 
disposition  and  exercises  towards  him  and  all  fellow-creatures ; 
to  love  him  with  all  the  heart,  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves. 
It  assures  favor  and  happiness  to  the  perfectly  obedient,  and 
curses  the  disobedient  with  a  curse  which  implies  endless 
destruction.  In  short,  the  Bible  reveals  such  a  God  as  must 
be  most  pleasing  and  desirable  to  every  perfectly  innocent  and 
good  mind.  Such  have  all  they  can  desire  or  wish  for  in  such 
a  God,  such  a  law  and  moral  government ;  therefore,  to  them 
he  is  the  only  true  God,  and  their  chosen  portion  and  happi- 
ness; while  they  know  that  all  the  notions  that  have  been 
entertained  of  the  divine  character  and  his  law  by  those  who 
have  not  taken  them  from  the  Bible,  and  are  not  consistent 
with  it,  are  erroneous,  foolish,  and  wicked. 

The  Bible  gives  a  particular  and  rational  account  of  the 
creation  of  this  visible  world,  which  is  nowhere  else  to  be 
found ;  and  of  the  creation  of  man,  by  making  one  man  and 
one  woman,  from  whom  all  mankind  descended.  It  relates  the 
sin  and  apostasy  of  these  first-created  parents  of  the  human 
race,  and  how  by  this  total  moral  depravity  and  sinfulness 
came  upon  all  their  children,  by  which  they  are  all,  in  their 
natural  state,  under  the  curse  of  the  law  of  God.  That  all 
men  are  by  nature  depraved  and  sinful,  is  a  fact  evident  to  all 
who  attend  to  the  matter ;  but  how  and  in  what  way  they  are 
become  so,  none  have  been  able  to  give  any  good  reason  who 
have  not  been  acquainted  with  the  Bible,  or  have  rejected  the 
account  that  gives  of  it,  which  appears  rational,  consistent, 
and  satisfactory  to  those  who  have  an  upright  and  good  heart, 
and  even  to  the  sober  reason  of  all  who  examine  it  without 
a  great  degree  of  prejudice  and  pride. 

But  the  Bible  reveals  that  which  is  infinitely  more  impor- 
tant to  us  and  to  mankind,  which  never  could  have  been  known 
or  thought  of  by  any  creature,  had  not  God  revealed  it.  This 
is  the  great  design  and  work  of  the  redemption  of  man  by 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  which  is  the  gi-eat  subject  of 
revelation,  as  the  whole  has  reference  to  this,  and  would  be 
needless  in  any  other  view.  This  fixes  a  divine  stamp  on  the 
whole,  as  it  makes  a  more  clear,  full,  and  wonderful  manifes- 


THE    REASON'    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  705 

tation  and  display  of  the  divine  perfections  —  power,  wisdom, 
holiness,  goodness,  justice,  truth,  grace,  and  mercy  —  than 
otherwise  could  have  been  done ;  which  cannot  be  known  by 
those  who  never  heai'd  of  this  revelation,  or  who  reject  it  as 
not  coming  from   God. 

In  the  gospel  all  mankind  are  represented  as  sinners  — 
transgi-essors  of  the  law  of  God,  and  under  the  curse  of  it; 
and  a  way  is  opened  by  which  sinners  may  be  delivered  from 
this  curse,  and  be  recovered  to  holiness,  the  favor  of  God,  and 
eternal  life,  consistent  with  maintaining  and  honoring  the  law 
of  God,  and  displaying  his  justice  and  truth,  his  hatred  of  sin, 
and  disposition  to  punish  it.  This  has  been  effected  by  the 
incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  —  who  is  really  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh,  —  who,  by  his  suffering  unto  death  in  the  flesh, 
and  paying  perfect  obedience  to  the  law  for  man,  and  in  his 
stead,  has  so  honored  the  law,  both  the  precepts  and  penalty 
of  it,  that  God  may  be  just,  according  to  the  true  spirit  and 
design  of  it,  and  pardon  and  justify  sinners  who  approve  of 
the  character  and  works  of  the  Mediator  and  trust  in  him. 
This  is  the  sum  of  the  matter,  which  might  be  enlarged  upon, 
and  illustrated  without  end.  But  we  shall  only  say  now  that 
to  us  the  wisdom  and  all  the  perfections  of  God  are  displayed 
in  the  gospel  —  that  this  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life,  and 
that  with  good  reason,  and  with  the  most  perfect  safety,  we 
may  place  our  highest  hopes  on  this  sure  foundation. 

The  disciples  of  Jesus  appear  to  give  a  fair  and  honest  his- 
tory of  what  he  said  and  did,  and  of  the  treatment  he  received. 
They  neither  give  him,  or  themselves,  any  praise,  encomiums, 
or  flattering  titles ;  they  only  relate  facts  respecting  him, 
themselves,  and  his  friends  and  enemies,  without  making  any 
reflectiojis  in  his  or  their  own  favor,  or  against  his  enemies. 
They  relate  their  own  faults,  without  offering  any  palliation 
or  excuse.  No  uninspired  writer  ever  did,  or  could,  or  ever 
will,  write  a  history  of  any  particular  person,  or  of  so  many 
important  and  extraordinary  events,  in  which  he  is  as  much 
interested,  as  those  who  wrote  the  historical  part  of  the  New 
Testament  were  in  the  facts  which  they  relate,  in  the  manner 
in  which  they  have  written.  Christ  uniformly  spake  and  acted 
with  a  dignity,  condescension,  seriousness,  wisdom,  and  pru- 
dence which  became  a  person  of  the  character  which  he  sus- 
tained, and  the  work  he  came  into  the  world  to  perform.  He 
never  erred  or  made  the  least  mistake  in  all  he  said  and  did. 

Christ  taught  the  most  sublime,  important,  and  pure  doc- 
trines respecting  God  and  the  state  of  man  —  the  way  of  his 
recovery  to  the  favor  of" God,  to  holiness  and  true  happiness, 
and  in  what  these  consist.     He  taught  that  God  was  sover- 


706  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

eign  and  independent  in  bestowing  his  mercy  on  men  —  that 
he  had  mercy  on  whom  he  pleased,  for  which  men  depend 
wholly  on  him  ;  that  all  men  were  so  wholly  depraved  and 
wicked  at  heart  that  they  refused  to  come  to  the  light  when 
set  before  them;  that  they  hated  the  light  —  yea,  that  they 
hated  him  and  God  his  Father,  and  continued  to  do  so  till 
they  were  born  again  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  a  new, 
obedient  heart  was  given ;  that,  previous  to  this,  they  did  not 
understand  or  see  the  things  of  the  Spirit  and  kingdom  of 
God :  therefore,  all  who  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
and  embrace  the  gospel,  are  taught  of  God ;  in  which  he  has 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  making  the  distinction 
according  to  the  dictates  of  his  wisdom  and  goodness  —  what 
will  be  best  to  promote  the  highest  good  of  the  universe,  which 
cannot  be  done  by  the  salvation  of  all.  This  is  clearly  and 
concisely  expressed  by  Christ :  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me 
shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out."  This  recommends  the  gospel  to  us  as  true 
and  from  Heaven  —  as  consistent  and  most  excellent;  (as  no 
man  or  set  of  men,  uninspired,  would  have  represejited  man- 
kind in  so  bad  a  light,  and  so  dependent  on  God  for  a  new 
and  better  heart;)  or  that  every  thing  and  circumstance  relat- 
ing to  the  salvation  of  men  is  under  the  direction  of  Infinite 
Wisdom  and  Goodness ;  all  which  is  clearly  taught  in  the 
Bible. 

This  leads  us  to  say  that  the  gospel  appears  to  us  evidently 
of  divine  original;  and  we  are  sure  that  it  is  not  of  man,  because 
it  represents  man  as  so  infinitely  guilty,  odious,  and  ill  deserv- 
ing, that  he  cannot  recommend  himself  to  the  least  favor  by  any 
thing  he  can  do  or  suffer ;  and  that  it  is  unbecoming  the  holy 
and  just  God  to  pardon  and  save  him  out  of  respect  to  any 
thing  good  and  deserving  in  him,  but  purely  on  the  account 
of  the  atonement,  righteousness,  and  infinite  worthiness  of  a 
Mediator,  to  whom  the  unworthy  sinner  is  united  by  faith  : 
so  that  the  salvation  of  men,  from  the  foundation  to  the  top- 
stone,  from  beginning  to  the  end,  is  of  mere  sovereign,  won- 
derful mercy  and  grace,  by  which  man  is  thoroughly  abased 
and  humbled ;  and  his  salvation  must  be  ascribed,  not  in  the 
least  to  himself,  but  wholly  to  the  undeserved,  sovereign  grace 
of  God.  This  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  the  law  of  God,  and 
the  sinful,  guilty  state  of  man ;  and  there  is  no  other  possible 
way  in  which  he  could  be  saved,  consistent  with  the  divine 
law  and  the  guilty  state  of  man.  It  is  impossible  that  this 
should  be  the  contrivance  of  man,  as  it  is  directly  contrary  to 
his  thoughts  and  reigning  disposition,  and  is  the  principal 
reason  of  the  opposition  men  make  to  the  gospel,  and  why 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  707 

none  will  cordially  embrace  it  till  they  have  a  new  heart,  a 
heart  to  confess  their  sins,  and  humble  themselves  in  the  sight 
of  God,  and  receive  offered  mercy  as  a  free,  undeserved  gift 
to  the  infinitely  guilty  and  wretched,  and  with  pleasure  ascribe 
all  the  honor  and  glory  of  their  salvation  to  God  alone ;  by 
which  they  are  prepared  to  enjoy  true  happiness,  of  which 
they  were  before  wholly  ignorant  and  destitute. 

We  have  another  all-convincing  evidence  that  the  gospel  is 
true,  and  has  a  divine  original,  from  the  duties  and  the  nature 
of  the  religion  taught  and  enjoined  by  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
which  are  different  from  any  thing  of  this  kind  recommended 
by  men  not  inspired,  and  in  many  respects  contrary  thereto. 
The  Bible  teaches  that  all  true  religion  has  its  beginning  in 
the  heart  of  man,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  consists  in  supreme 
love  to  him,  and  unreserved  devotedness  to  his  honor  and  in- 
terest in  all  our  exercises  and  conduct,  which  implies  constant 
devotion  in  prayer  and  praise,  and  a  religious  acknowledgment 
of  him  at  all  times,  and  in  the  proper  seasons  of  public  and 
social  worship,  as  well  as  that  which  is  more  private  and 
secret.  Christ  said,  men  must  deny  themselves,  and  forsake 
all  they  had,  for  his  sake,  in  order  to  be  his  true  disciples ; 
that  they  must  be  humble,  meek,  upright,  and  benevolent,  even 
towards  their  worst  enemies ;  do  them  all  the  good  in  their 
power,  and  pray  for  them  ;  forgive  those  who  injured  them, 
and  indulge  no  disposition  to  retaliate  and  avenge  themselves, 
but  be  harmless,  and  injure  no  man.  In  sum,  the  religion  and 
morality  taught  in  the  Bible,  especially  by  Christ  and  his 
apostles,  is  as  much  superior  in  its  reasonableness  and  excel- 
lence to  any  thing  of  the  kind  which  has  been  taught  by  men 
who  have  not  derived  their  sentiments  from  revelation,  as  light 
is  to  darkness,  and  is  perfectly  suited  to  make  those  who 
heartily  embrace  it  and  conform  to  it  happy  in  this  world  and 
forever.  And  we  must  further  observe,  that  the  religion  and 
morality  inculcated  in  the  Bible  is  urged  by  the  strongest  mo- 
tives, not  only  as  most  reasonable,  and  tending  to  render 
society  happy  in  this  v/orld,  but  as  it  is  enjoined  by  divine 
authority,  with  the  promise  of  eternal  happiness  to  all  who 
obey,  and  an  awful  threatening  of  endless  punishment  to  all 
others ;  in  which  opposite  states  all  shall  be  fixed  at  the  great 
day  of  general  judgment. 

We  have  now,  in  a  summary  way,  given  the  reasons  of  our 
belief  and  assurance  that  the  Bible  contains  a  divine  revela- 
tion, and  of  our  hope  in  Christ.  We  see  enough  in  him  to 
satisfy  us,  even  all  we  can  wish,  or  hope  for,  or  desire  ;  enough 
to  make  us  happy,  beyond  our  present  conception,  in  his  eter- 
nal kingdom ;  and  not  us  only,  but  all  that  shall  believe  on 


708  TEIE    REASO>f    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

him,  which  we  would  earnestly  urge  on  all  those  to  whom  we 
have  access ;  knowing  that  all  who  believe  shall  be  saved,  and 
all  who  do  not  believe  on  him  shall  be  damned. 

We  are  sensible  that  Christianity  has  been  greatly  opposed 
in  all  ages  since  its  institution,  and  much  has  been  written, 
and  many  objections  have  been  made,  against  it,  by  men  of 
great  parts  and  learning,  which  have  been  fully  and  abun- 
dantly refuted  by  Christian  writers,  some  of  whose  writings 
we  have  seen.  We  know  also  that  infidelity  has  greatly  in- 
creased of  late,  and  is  now  increasing;  and  that  many,  who 
profess  to  believe  Christianity  to  be  true,  are  rejecting  the 
most  essential  doctrines  of  it,  and  there  are  many  others  who 
do  not  cordially  embrace  it,  or  live  answerable  to  the  precepts 
of  it.  But  this  is  so  far  from  making  us  hesitate,  or  abating 
our  belief  and  confidence  of  the  truth  of  it,  that  we  consider 
it  as  a  confirmation  that  it  is  from  God.  For  if  mankind  be 
so  corrupt  and  wicked  as  to  be  enemies  to  the  true  God,  which 
the  Bible  asserts,  and  is  proved  by  their  general  conduct,  then 
they  must  dislike  and  be  enemies  to  all  the  manifestations  of 
his  character,  and  whatever  he  requires  as  most  agreeable  to 
him.  Besides,  the  Bible  relates  many  instances  of  this  oppo- 
sition to  the  truth,  and  predicts  that  the  gospel  would  be  op- 
posed and  rejected  by  men.  Christ  says  to  his  disciples, 
"  Behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves, 
and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake."  And 
the  Bible  says,  "  The  time  will  come,  when  men  will  not  en- 
dure sound  doctrine;  and  shall  turn  away  their  ears  from  the 
truth,  and  shall  be  turned  unto  fables."  And  it  has  been  ob- 
served, that  the  present  infidelity  and  wickedness  which  pre- 
vail in  Christendom  is  particularly  predicted  in  the  Bible. 
Notwithstanding  all  this,  we  know  the  truth  of  the  gospel  is 
great,  and  will  overcome  ;  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
pevail  against  it. 

Finally :  we  know  that  the  Bible  could  not  be  invented 
and  forged  by  dishonest,  wicked  men  ;  for  this  is,  for  many 
reasons,  not  only  improbable,  but  impossible.  And  we  know 
that  no  honest,  good  men  would  have  any  hand  in  it,  if  it 
were  a  forgery.  It  follows  that  the  very  existence  of  it,  in  the 
form  in  which  it  is,  is  a  demonstration  that  it  came  from  God, 
and  was  written  by  divine  inspiration.  We  have  as  great 
and  full  evidence  of  this,  yea,  greater,  than  we  have  of  the 
existence  of  the  visible  world,  or  of  any  thing  which  we  per- 
ceive by  our  bodily  senses.* 

*  The  above  evidences  of  the  truth  and  divine  origin  of  Christianity  it  is 
supposed  every  Christian  is,  or  ought  to  be,  able  to  produce  on  all  proper  occa- 
sions.    Others  are  omitted,  together  with  answers  to  the  objections  which  are 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  709 

Second.  Christians,  in  giving  the  reason  of  the  hope  that 
is  in  them,  must  give  the  reason,  not  only  of  their  beUef 
and  assurance  that  the  gospel  is  true  and  a  revelation  from 
Heaven,  but  also  the  reason  of  their  hope  that  they  do  cor- 
dially embrace  it,  and  are  interested  iii  all  the  blessings  which 
are  promised  to  all  true  believers.  When  they,  in  proper 
times  and  circumstances,  are  asked  the  reason  of  this  their 
hope  by  those  who  appear  to  want  information  and  to  have 
a  right  to  it,  and  it  may  promote  a  good  and  important  end, 
they  can  make  the  following  answer :  — 

We  all  hope  that  we  are  friends  to  Christ,  and  are  interested 
in  the  promises  he  has  made  to  those  who  believe  in  him. 
But  our  hope  is  stronger  or  weaker  at  different  times,  accord- 
ing to  the  strength  and  constancy,  or  weakness  and  incon- 
stancy, of  our  religious  exercises,  and  the  consciousness  we 
have  of  them,  and  the  sight  of  our  own  hearts.  We  sometimes 
attain  a  degree  of  assurance,  or  that  confidence  which  excludes 
all  sensible  doubts ;  but  many  of  us,  perhaps  the  most,  have 
often  many  doubts,  and  some  of  us  have  generally  many  doubts 
and  fears.  Others  are  generally  more  confident,  and  seldom,  if 
ever,  doubt  of  their  being  real  Christians.  What  is  the  cause 
of  this  difference,  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  determine ;  at  least, 
in  many  cases.  But  this  we  are  confident  of,  that  it  is  owing 
to  our  imperfection  in  knowledge,  discerning,  or  Christian  exer- 
cises, if  we  be  real  Christians,  that  we  have  the  least  doubt  of 
it,  and  do  not  always  enjoy  an  assurance  that  we  are  friends  to 
Christ.  At  the  same  time,  we  believe  that  the  reason  why  some 
real  Christians  do  not  admit  a  doubt  of  their  being  Christians, 
is  their  imperfection  in  knowledge,  discerning,  and  Christian 
experience.  There  are  others  who  profess  to  be  assured  con- 
stantly, without  one  doubt  for  a  long  course  of  years,  that  they 
are  Christians,  and  shall  be  saved,  whose  life  and  conversation 
discover  that  they  know  not  what  it  is  to  be  a  real  Christian. 
But  we  will  proceed  to  give  the  reason  of  our  hope. 

In  the  first  place,  we  would  observe,  that  we  trust  we  have 
been  convinced  of  sin,  and  reproved  for  it,  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  as  none  are  but  those  to  whom  he  applies  the  benefits 
of  redemption.  Antecedent  to  our  hearts  being  renewed  by 
divine  power  to  new  and  gracious  exercises,  we  were,  the  most 
of  us,  if  not  all,  brought  to  a  degree  of  painful  conviction  of 
our  sinful  and  miserable  condition,  which  we  believe  is  the 

made  to  the  Bible,  because  every  Christian  may  not  be  supposed  able  readily 
to  exhibit  them.  A  more  ample  and  able  vindication  of  Christianity  is  contained 
in  Dr.  Trumbull's  "Twelve  Sermons  on  the  Divine  Origin  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures," and  Mr.  Fuller's  treatise,  entitled,  "  Christianity  its  own  Evidence,"  etc, 
both  which  are  recommended  as  worthy  of  the  perusal  of  all. 

VOL.  III.  60 


710  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

way  which  God  commonly  takes  with  those  whom  he  designs 
to  save.  But  as  such  conviction,  and  the  exercises  that  ac- 
company it,  are  so  different  in  different  persons,  as  to  their 
degree,  the  length  of  their  continuance,  the  attempts  and 
exertions  they  make  to  help  themselves,  and  the  particular 
means  by  which  they  have  taken  place  and  continued,  we 
shall  not  try  to  give  account  of  them,  which  every  one  may 
do  for  himself,  when  it  may  be  convenient.  Besides,  it  would 
be  deviating  from  our  present  purpose  —  which  is,  to  give  the 
reason  of  our  hope  that  we  are  Christians  —  to  enter  into  a  de- 
scription of  the  convictions  of  which  the  unregenerate  may 
be  the  subjects.  For  no  convictions  or  exercises  which  take 
place  in  the  mind  of  a  sinner,  antecedent  to  his  regeneration 
or  his  having  a  new  heart,  can  be  any  scriptural  evidence  that 
he  ever  will  be  renewed  and  become  a  Christian.  There  is 
no  connection  in  nature,  or  by  the  declarations  and  promises 
of  Scripture,  between  any  convictions  and  exercises  of  the 
unregenerate,  and  their  becoming  Christians.  In  any  stage  or 
degree  of  their  convictions,  change  of  sentiments,  or  external 
reformation,  all  may  come  to  a  full  stop,  and  be  lost ;  or,  if 
they  continue  in  any  degree,  they  may  never  issue  in  a  true 
conversion.  We,  therefore,  mean  to  speak  only  of  that  con- 
viction of  sin,  and  humiliation  for  it,  which  is  an  evidence  of 
our  being  regenerated,  as  it  can  take  place  only  in  a  renewed 
heart,  and  is  connected  with  salvation. 

Our  eyes  have  been  opened  to  see  that  the  law  of  God, 
which  requires  our  obedience  to  it,  respects  the  heart,  and 
every  motion  and  exercise  of  it  which  is  of  a  moral  nature,  re- 
quiring that  they  all  should  be  perfectly  right  and  in  conformity 
to  it,  and  forbidding  every  thing  contrary  to  this  rectitude  of 
heart,  on  pain  of  eternal  punishment;  that  this  law  is  perfectly 
right  and  good  in  all  the  requirements  and  threatenings  of  it. 
This  has  been  attended  with  a  conviction  of  the  exceeding 
wickedness  of  our  hearts,  being  wholly  contrary  to  the  law  of 
God,  and  the  source  of  every  thing  wrong  in  our  outward 
actions.  We  could  not  but  approve  of  the  law  as  right,  holy, 
and  good,  and  felt  that  we  were  wholly  blamable  for  every 
thing  in  our  heart  and  life  contrary  to  this  law,  and  were 
wholly  without  excuse.  Our  heart  appeared  to  us  to  be  natu- 
rally wholly  depraved  and  wicked,  and  all  sin  against  God  so 
infinitely  criminal  and  vile,  and  we  so  unspeakably  guilty, 
having  done  nothing  but  sinning  against  God  and  his  law, 
that  we  felt  and  acknowledged  from  the  heart  that  we  deserved 
to  have  the  penalty  of  the  law  executed  upon  us,  that  God 
would  be  just  and  glorious  in  doing  it,  and  we  must  justify 
him  in  it,  and  remain  forever  without  the  least  reason  of  com- 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  711 

plaint.  Thus  we  submitted  to  God,  and  accepted  the  punish- 
ment of  our  iniquity,  and  felt  a  calmness  and  pleasure  we 
never  experienced  before,  in  viewing  with  delight  the  divine 
character  exhibited  in  his  law  and  works  of  creation  and  provi- 
dence. We  knew  our  heart  to  be  naturally  so  totally  de- 
praved and  wicked,  hard,  obstinate,  and  impenitent,  that  it 
would  never  be  made  better  by  us,  or  by  any  means  or  crea- 
ture, unless  it  were  renewed  by  the  almighty  power  of  God, 
which  he  was  under  no  obligation  to  do  ;  that  we  were  utterly 
undone  and  lost  in  ourselves ;  that  we  were  in  the  hands  of 
God,  as  the  clay  is  in  the  hands  of  the  potter,  to  deal  with  us 
according  to  his  sovereign  pleasure ;  and  we  heartily  acqui- 
esced in  this,  in  being  thus  dependent  on  him.  And  when 
we  were  brought  to  a  more  particular  and  realizing  view  of 
Christ,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  (of  which  we  shall 
speak  presently,)  our  sins  and  the  evil  that  is  in  our  heart  ap- 
peared in  a  worse  light  to  us,  and  unspeakably  aggravated,  in 
that  it  was  necessary  that  Christ  should  suffer  so  much  to 
make  atonement  for  sin,  in  which  such  great  and  astonishing 
love  to  sinners  was  manifested.  Our  abuse  of  the  gospel,  and 
disposition  to  slight  and  reject  Jesus  Christ,  of  which  we 
had  been  actually  guilty  in  ways  and  instances  innumerable, 
appeared  to  us  great  and  aggravated  beyond  description,  and 
discovered  the  exceeding  malignity  and  baseness  of  our  heart, 
the  wickedness  and  obstinacy  in  refusing  to  accept  Christ 
offering  himself  clothed  with  love  and  salvation.  O,  who  can 
express  or  fully  conceive  of  the  magnitude  and  aggravations 
of  the  sin  of  impenitence  and  unbelief,  of  which  they  are  guilty, 
who  live  under  the  gospel  and  will  not  embrace  it ! 

Thus  we  have  been  convinced  of  sin,  and  reproved  for  it, 
and,  we  trust,  have  submitted  to  the  reproof  in  the  exercise  of 
repentance,  condemnation,  shame,  and  abhorrence  of  ourselves. 
"We  think  this  is  described  by  Christ  when  he  says,  "  And 
when  he  is  come,  (that  is,  the  Holy  Spirit,)  he  will  reprove 
the  world  of  sin  ;  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me." 
And  here  we  would  observe,  that  this  conviction  of  sin,  from 
the  beginning  of  it,  and  in  its  progress,  has  been  attended  with 
an  evidence  to  us  that  the  Bible  is  true  and  from  God,  in  that 
it  describes  the  character  of  man  to  be  the  same  which  we 
found  ours  to  be  when  we  saw  the  depravity  and  wickedness 
of  our  hearts.  This  description  is  given  in  the  relation  of 
the  facts  by  which  men  in  different  circumstances  have  in  all 
generations  acted  out  and  discovered  the  depravity  and  great 
degree  of  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  and  in  many  particu- 
lar assertions  of  the  great  and  total  depravity  of  the  human 
heart.     And  the  gospel  is  founded  on  this — that  mankind 


712  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OP    A    CHRISTIAN. 

are  all  sinners  to  such  a  degree  that  they  are  wholly  lost  and 
undone,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sin,  enemies  to  God,  and 
under  the  curse  of  the  law,  which  is  vindicated  and  hon- 
ored, both  in  the  commands  and  threatenings  of  it,  by  the 
gospel ;  and  it  asserts  that  man  is  naturally  so  under  the 
power  of  sin  that  he  hates  the  light  of  truth,  and  will  not 
come  to  it,  but  chooses  to  remain  in  the  darkness  of  sin,  till 
he  is  born  from  above,  and  has  a  new  heart  given  to  him. 
We  are  assured  that  no  men  not  inspired  by  God  would  have 
written  such  a  book,  which  represents  man  in  a  light  so  con- 
trary to  what  men  naturally  think  of  themselves,  or  ever  would 
have  thought  of  it.  We  are  sensible  that  our  ignorance  of 
ourselves  before  we  were  convinced  of  our  own  sinfulness,  as 
we  have  been  describing  it,  was  the  ground  of  our  ignorance 
of  the  Bible,  and  our  criminal  disregard  to  it ;  and  by  this  con- 
viction we  have  been  confirmed  in  the  truth  of  divine  revela- 
tion as  we  never  were  before.  And  we  are  certain,  beyond  a 
doubt,  that  all  the  professed  and  open  infidelity,  or  secret  dis- 
belief of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  is  owing  to  a  want  of  a  true 
and  real  conviction  of  sin.  And  in  this  view  we  do  not  won- 
der at  their  unbelief;  for  how  can  they  who  are  so  wholly 
ignorant  of  their  own  moral  character,  and  of  their  standing  in 
any  need  of  the  provision  made  in  the  gospel,  believe  and  em- 
brace it  ?  How  can  they  believe  who  are  proud,  and  have  so 
high  an  opinion  of  themselves,  and  seek  honor  one  of  another  ? 
As  well  may  they  who  feel  themselves  perfectly  sound  and 
whole  think  they  want  a  physician. 

We  would  observe  further,  that  the  conviction  of  sin  and 
reproof  for  it  has  not  been  a  transient  thing,  which  soon  passed 
away  and  was  forgotten  ;  contrary  to  this,  it  abides  by  us, 
continues  and  increases.  Our  hope  of  pardon  of  all  our  sins, 
and  of  salvation  by  Christ,  does  not  abate,  but  increases  it. 
We  see  more  and  more  the  evil  nature  of  sin,  and  the  ill  de- 
sert of  it,  as  we  increase  in  our  sense  of  the  righteousness  and 
excellency  of  the  law  of  God,  the  wisdom  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  worthiness  and  glory  of  God  and  the  Redeemer.  And  we 
daily  see  more  and  more  of  the  sinfulness  of  our  own  hearts, 
our  indwelling  depravity,  that  sin  cleaves  to  us  in  all  our  ex- 
'ercises,  and  defiles  them.  We  have  an  increasing  sense  of 
our  desert  of  everlasting  destruction ;  of  our  constant  and  ab- 
solute dependence  on  Christ,  his  atonement  and  righteousness, 
for  pardon  and  justification,  and  to  renew  our  hearts,  and  for 
every  right  thought  and  exercise,  of  which  assistance  and 
grace  we  are  infinitely  unworthy ;  therefore,  if  we  shall  be 
saved,  it  must  be  all  of  free,  undeserved  grace.  This  convic- 
tion and  sense  of  sin,  and  of  our  own  helplessness  and  infinite 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  713 

unworthiness,  accompanies  all  our  exercises  of  religion  and 
piety,  as  essential  to  them,  and  increases  as  we  grow  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ. 

We  proceed  to  say,  when  we  were  led  to  a  particular  view 
of  Jesus  Christ,  his  character,  work,  and  design,  all  this  ap- 
peared as  a  reality,  and  the  wisdom,  love,  and  grace  of  God 
shined  in  him,  and  the  way  of  salvation  by  him,  in  a  new,  glori- 
ous, and  affecting  light.  And  we  could  not  but  highly  approve 
of  all  this,  and  the  whole  character  of  Christ,  and  were  filled 
with  wonder  and  pleasure.  We  saw  there  was  all  fulness  in 
Christ,  enough  to  supply  every  want  of  such  sinners  as  we 
were ;  that  there  was  every  thing  in  him  that  we  could  desire, 
and  nothing  undesirable;  and  that  all  he  has  for  sinners  is 
freely  offered,  without  money  and  without  price,  to  all  who  are 
willing  to  accept  of  it.  This  view  and  sense  of  heart  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  worthiness  and  excellency  of 
Christ  and  approbation  of  his  character,  and  the  way  of  salva- 
tion by  him,  is  so  fixed  in  our  hearts,  that  we  have  never  lost  it, 
though  it  is  sometimes  more  clear,  impressive,  and  affecting 
than  at  others. 

Thus  we  have  described  the  conviction  and  reproof  we  had 
of  sin,  ^nd  our  consequent  view  and  approbation  of  Christ  and 
the  gospel,  as  some  of  us  have  sensibly  experienced  these  in 
this  order,  and  it  is  the  order  of  nature  ;  for  it  is  impossible  that 
any  man  who  is  not  convinced  of  sin  and  reproved  for  it,  so  as 
to  submit  to  God,  approve  of  his  character  as  Legislator,  and 
of  his  law,  should  understand  and  approve  of  the  gospel. 
Though  there  may  be  some,  yea,  many  of  us,  who  have  not 
so  distinctly  and  sensibly  discerned  the  operations  of  their  own 
minds  as  to  ascertain  the  order  in  which  their  convictions  and 
exercises  took  place,  yet  they  are  sensible  they  have  had  them 
aU,  as  to  substance,  sooner  or  later,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree. 
Some  of  us  have  remained  a  longer  and  more  sensible  time, 
after  we  submitted  to  God  in  the  manner  which  has  been 
described,  before  we  had  clear  and  affecting  views  of  Christ 
and  the  gospel,  than  others,  and  our  views  of  the  latter  have 
been  more  gradual.  Others  have  had  all  crowded  on  their 
minds  so  much  at  once  as  not  to  be  able  to  distinguish  the 
former  from  the  latter,  so  as  to  say  which  was  first  or  last,  from 
the  perception  of  their  own  minds  ;  and  there  is  a  great  variety 
in  the  degree,  way  and  manner,  time  and  means,  in  and  by 
which  these  things  have  taken  place  in  different  persons.  Yet 
the  work  and  effect  appear  to  be  the  same,  as  to  substance  and 
the  essentials  of  it. 

Not  one  of  us  have  entertained  a  hope  that  we  shall  be 
saved,  or  have  been  led  to  approve  of  the  gospel  nnd  hr^nrr.<^ 

eo* 


714  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

friendly  to  God  and  his  law,  wholly  from  a  persuasion,  some- 
how impressed  on  our  minds,  that  Christ  died  for  us  and  would 
save  us,  or  something  Hive  this ;  for  it  is  impossible  that  such 
a  persuasion,  be  it  ever  so  clear  and  strong,  should  be  true, 
and,  therefore,  must  be  false,  and  a  great  and  dangerous  delu- 
sion ;  and  they  whose  religion  is  built  on  this  foundation  only 
are  building  on  the  sand,  and  going  to  inevitable  ruin. 

Our  hope  that  we  belong  to  Christ,  and  shall  be  saved  by 
him,  is  built  on  the  evidence  we  think  w^e  have  that  we  have 
cordially  embraced  the  gospel,  and  have  been  brought  to  the 
exercise  of  the  Christian  graces  —  such  as  repentance,  faith  in 
Christ,  love  to  God,  our  fellow-Christians,  and  our  neighbors, 
or  any  of  those  Christian  graces  which  are  implied  in  these 
and  connected  with  them.  Some  of  us,  we  believe,  have,  at 
their  first  conversion,  had  such  clear  and  impressive  views  of 
the  truth  and  excellence  of  the  gospel,  that  they  not  only  knew 
it  was  divine,  but  also  that  they  did  embrace  it  with  all  their 
heart  and  strength  of  mind ;  that  they  were  turned  from  dark- 
ness to  marvellous  light,  and,  consequently,  should  be  saved; 
and  the  Spirit  of  God  has  so  excited  holy  affections,  and  shined 
on  his  own  work,  as  to  be  a  witness  with  their  spirits  that  they 
were  born  of  God ;  and  some  have  been  so  happy  as  to  enjoy 
this  evidence  all  their  days,  without  much  interruption,  espe- 
cially those  who  have  been  called  to  labor  and  suffer  much  for 
the  cause  of  Christ  and  religion.  There  are  others  who,  at  the 
time  of  their  conversion,  have  had  such  great  light  and  strong 
affections,  that  they  were  confident,  without  the  least  doubt, 
that  they  had  passed  from  death  to  life,  who  yet  have  soon 
fallen  into  darkness  and  doubts  whether  they  were  really  con- 
verted or  not;  others,  who  have  had  such  mistaken  notions 
about  conversion,  and  the  feelings  and  exercises  in  which  it 
consisted,  and  of  Christians  previous  to  their  own  conversion 
and  after  it,  that  when  they  really  passed  this  change  they  did 
not  know,  and  had  not  one  thought  that  they  were  converted 
then  and  for  a  considerable  time  after.  But  as  real  Christian 
exercises  continued,  and  perhaps  on  some  occasions  rose  higher, 
upon  reflection  on  their  own  past  experience  and  exercises, 
they  have  entertained  a  hope  that  they  were  real  Christians ; 
and  the  evidence  of  this  has  increased  on  passing  through 
trials,  and  their  hope  has  grown  into  a  confidence  which  often 
excludes  all  doubt.  All  these  differences,  and  those  which 
have  been  before  mentioned,  and  many  others  not  mentioned, 
may  and  do  take  place  among  real  Christians,  from  causes  and 
for  reasons  which  we  do  not  pretend  to  be  able  fully  to  explore 
and  explain.  If  they  have  been  convinced  of  sin,  —  have  sub- 
mitted to  God,  and  embraced  the  gospel  in  the  manner  before 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  715 

stated,  and  have  and  exhibit  the  further  evidence  that  they 
are  Christians,  which  we  now  proceed  to  mention,  —  they  may 
reasonably  think  themselves  svTch,  and  must  be  embraced  by 
us  as  the  friends  of  Christ. 

Our  evidence  that  we  have  really  embraced  the  gospel,  by 
which  our  hope  is  supported  and  strengthened,  arises  from 
those  exercises  and  the  conduct  w^hich  have  attended  or  fol- 
lowed the  things  which  have  been  already  mentioned. 

When  we  understood  and  believed  the  gospel,  as  before 
described,  it  had  a  powerful  influence  on  our  hearts  and  affec- 
tions, which  is  lasting,  and  never  wholly  lost;  at  some  times 
less  sensible,  at  others  more  so,  and  is  on  the  whole,  we  hope, 
increasing.  We  were  brought  into  a  new  moral  and  spiritual 
world,  and  our  affections  were  taken  off  from  the  things,  the  en- 
joyments, and  pleasures  of  this  world,  on  which  they  were  before 
fixed,  as  the  great  and  chief  good,  and  fixed  on  the  infinitely 
important,  glorious,  and  beautiful  objects  of  the  invisible  and 
spiritual  world  revealed  in  the  Bible.  Our  minds  have  been 
so  renewed  and  transformed  by  divine  power  accompanying  the 
gospel,  that  we  hope  we  have  no  longer  lived  unto  ourselves, 
but  have  with  strong  affection  devoted  ourselves  to  Christ,  and 
given  ourselves  away  to  him,  to  serve  him,  and  promote  his 
honor  and  interest ;  and  in  our  attention  to  his  character  and 
the  truths  contained  in  the  gospel,  our  affections  and  the  exer- 
cises of  our  minds  are  excited  to  a  higher  degree  and  greater 
strength  than  they  ever  were  towards  any  worldly  object,  or 
possibly  could  be;  at  the  same  time,  we  are  conscious  that 
they  are  not  flighty  and  imaginary,  but  solid  and  rational. 
We  feel  a  fixed  determination  and  resolution  to  follow  Christ, 
and  adhere  to  the  practice  of  Christianity,  by  divine  assistance ; 
and  whatever  Vv^e  were  before,  and  though  some  of  us  were 
openly  vicious,  we  are,  by  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  power  it  has  had  on  our  hearts,  become  strictly  conscien- 
tious in  all  our  thoughts,  exercises  of  heart,  words,  and  actions, 
watchful  and  careful  that  they  all  may  be  conformable  to 
the  divine  commands ;  and  what  is  found  contrary  to  these 
in  our  hearts,  of  which  we  see  much,  we  lament,  and  with 
pain  and  sorrow  condemn.  As  to  all  external  vicious  conduct 
in  words  and  actions,  we  hope  we  are  thoroughly  reformed, 
and  condemn  and  abhor  ourselves  for  being  guilty  of  them,  and 
for  all  our  sins ;  and  have  an  earnest  longing  to  be  delivered 
from  all  sin,  and  to  become  perfectly  holy,  which  we  hope  is 
what  Christ  means  by  "hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteous- 
ness." We  think  this  change  in  us  could  not  be  wrought  by 
any  thing  short  of  divine  power,  accompanying  the  gospel,  by 
which  it  has  been  made  unto  us  "the  power  of  God  unto  our 


716  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

salvation;"  and  we  hope  we  have  received  '"the  spirit  of 
power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind." 

We  hope  we  have  received  from  God  the  spirit  of  love,  such 
love  which  in  the  nature  and  exercises  of  it  differs  from  all 
kinds  of  love  natural  to  man,  and  is  peculiar  to  Christians,  and 
conformable  to  the  moral  character  of  God,  which  consists  in 
love.  This  love  consists  most  essentially  in  disinterested  good 
will,  or  goodness  of  heart.  This  has  fixed  our  hearts  in  the 
first  place,  and  chiefly,  on  God,  in  cordial  and  strong  desires 
that  he  may  be  exalted,  infinitely  blessed,  and  glorified  forever, 
and  readiness  to  devote  ourselves  to  answer  this  end ;  and 
when  we  reflect  on  the  subject,  and  learn  that  God  is  glorifying 
himself  by  every  thing  that  has,  does,  or  will  take  place  to 
eternity,  we  are  highly  pleased,  and  rejoice ;  and  when  we 
consider  that  the  work  of  redemption  by  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God,  is  suited  to  make  the  greatest  display  of  the  divine 
perfections,  both  in  them  who  shall  be  saved  and  in  them  who 
perish,  and  that  all  the  sin  and  misery  that  do  or  ever  shall 
take  place  will  serve  to  praise  and  glorify  Christ,  and  promote 
the  greatest  possible  good  of  the  universe,  and  that  Christ  will 
bring  the  redeemed  and  all  the  friends  of  God  to  the  highest 
happiness  and  glory  in  his  eternal  kingdom,  even  to  unspeak- 
ably greater  happiness  than  could  possibly  have  taken  place  if 
no  sin  and  misery  had  ever  existed,  and,  consequently,  there 
could  have  been  no  such  character  as  that  of  God  manifested 
in  the  flesh,  and  no  such  works  as  he  has  done  to  glorify  God 
and  redeem  the  elect,  —  when  we  consider  and  realize  all  this, 
we  are  filled  with  comfort,  wonder,  and  joy,  finding  in  this 
divine  plan  all  that  benevolence  can  wish,  even  the  highest 
possible  good  of  the  universe.  This  is  an  object  suited  in  the 
highest  possible  degree  to  please  the  benevolent,  and  to  raise 
their  gratitude  to  the  highest  pitch  to  tiie  God  of  love  and 
Redeemer  of  men. 

This  same  love,  which  fixes  our  hearts  on  God,  and  renders 
us  friendly  to  his  being,  felicity,  and  glory,  and  ckuses  us  to 
rejoice  that  he  will  be  glorified,  and  produce  the  greatest  good 
of  which  the  created  universe  is  capable,  unites  us  also  to  all 
the  friends  of  God,  especially  the  friends  of  Christ  among  men, 
whom  we  consider  as  our  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ,  who 
bear  the  image  of  Christ  in  their  hearts,  and  are  friends  to,  and 
laboring  to  promote,  his  interest  among  men,  in  which  we  also 
are  engaged;  who  are  the  special  objects  of  the  benevolence, 
complacency,  and  delight  of  Christ.  For  these  we  have  a 
peculiar  friendship,  desiring  and  rejoicing  in  their  welfare,  lov- 
ing to  serve  them  and  do  them  all  the  good  we  can;  and  we 
have  a  peculiar  complacency  and  delight  in  them  and  their 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  717 

friendship,  conversation,  and  company,  which  we  cannot  enjoy- 
in  others.  This,  we  hope,  is  that  love  of  our  brethren  which 
in  the  Scripture  is  connected  with  love  to  God,  and  is  pecu- 
liar to  true  Christians. 

We  hope  we  have  that  benevolent,  universal  love  to  all  our 
fellow-men  which  is  peculiar  to  Christians,  which  leads  us  to 
wish  them  the  greatest  good  they  are  capable  of  enjoying  in 
this  life  and  in  the  world  to  come,  and  to  do  good  as  far  as 
we  have  an  opportunity ;  and  we  hope  we  love  even  our  ene- 
mies, so  that  whatever  evil  they  do,  or  attempt  or  desire  to  do 
us,  this  does  not  make  us  to  cease  to  wish  them  well,  and  to 
do  them  all  the  good  we  can,  and  to  pray  heartily  for  their 
welfare ;  always  studying  and  endeavoring,  if  it  be  possible, 
to  live  in  peace  with  ail  men. 

We  have  been  led  by  our  acquaintance  with  Christ  and  the 
gospel,  we  hope,  in  some  good  measure  to  keep  our  bodies 
under,  and  crucify  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts ;  to 
avoid  all  intemperance  and  unlawful  sensual  indulgence,  and 
lay  aside  passion,  anger,  envy,  and  malice;  and  to  put  on 
humility,  meekness,  and  a  calm  and  quiet  spirit,  and  to  prac- 
tise that  self-denial  and  government  of  ourselves,  our  appetites 
and  particular  propensities  and  inclinations,  according  to  the 
holy  rules  of  the  gospel,  so  as  not  to  injure  ourselves  or  any 
one  else  by  the  criminal  indulgence  of  them.  We  hope  our 
selfishness  or  covetousness,  pride,  and  levity  of  mind  have 
been  so  far  subdued  as  not  to  reign  in  us ;  and  that  the  con- 
trary principles  of  benevolence,  humility,  and  sober-mindedness 
have  dominion  in  our  hearts ;  that  we  set  our  affection  on 
things  above,  and  not  on  things  on  the  earth;  that  we  see  the 
vanity  of  the  world  and  the  things  and  enjoyments  of  it,  and 
are  impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  reality,  importance,  and 
excellence  of  the  things  and  enjoyments  of  religion,  and  feel 
unhappy  when  these  things  are  in  any  measure  out  of  sight,  and 
our  religious  exercises  respecting  them  do  sensibly  subside. 

We  love  and  greatly  prize  the  Bible.  It  is  better  to  us  than 
all  the  riches  in  the  world,  or  than  all  other  books.  We  also 
prize  and  read  the  books  which  serve  to  explain  the  Bible  and 
vindicate  the  doctrines  and  duties  contained  in  it.  We  have 
great  delight  in  reading  and  meditating  on  the  Bible,  especially 
at  times  when  the  truths  we  find  there  are  impressed  on  our 
minds.     We  make  the  Bible  the  rule  of  our  faith  and  practice 

We  spend  much  time,  when  we  are  alone  especially,  in 
meditating  on  the  subjects  of  religion,  and  are  pleased  with 
religious  conversation  in  the  company  of  Christians.  We 
have  great  pleasure  in  secret  prayer,  especially  when,  as  we 
think,   the    Holy   Spirit   enlarges   our   hearts  and   helps  our 


718  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

infirmities,  in  a  clear  and  affecting  view  of  divine  things.  We 
are  pleassd  with  joining  with  others  in  social  worship  when  we 
have  opportunity,  either  in  the  families  where  we  live,  in 
private  Christian  societies,  or  in  public  assemblies.  The 
Christian  Sabbath,  and  the  institution  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  supper,  appear  to  us  to  be  wise  and  good,  suited  to 
promote  the  highest  good  of  men  and  the  honor  of  Christ ;  and 
we  endeavor  conscientiously  to  attend  upon  them,  and  are 
much  instructed  and  edified  by  the  preaching'  of  the  gospel, 
when  the  great  truths  of  it  are  explained  and  vindicated,  and 
the  duties  therein  revealed  are  properly  urged,  and  the  preacher 
with  suitable  engagedness  declares  all  the  counsel  of  God. 

We  hope  we  live  in  the  exercise  of  an  unconditional  sub- 
mission to  God,  without  making  any  reserve  with  respect  to 
all  the  events  which  do  or  shall  take  place,  whether  greater  or 
smaller,  and  whether  they  relate  more  immediately  to  our- 
selves, or  to  the  church,  or  to  the  world  in  general.  We  firmly 
believe  that  God  has  determined,  and  does  order  every  thing, 
every  event,  both  great  and  small,  that  comes  to  pass,  accord- 
ing to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  which  is  perfectly  wise  and 
good  ;  and  we  are  disposed  and  love  to  say.  Thy  will  he  done, 
with  respect  to  all  events  which  do  take  place  now,  or  shall 
come  to  pass.  Nor  do  we,  and  we  dare  not,  ask  for  any  thing 
in  prayer  to  God  which  we  do  not  know  is  agreeable  to  his 
will  to  grant,  absolutely,  but  conditionally,  if  it  be  agreeable  to 
his  will  to  do  it ;  if  it  be  not,  we  are  prepared  to  say,  from  the 
heart.  Thy  will  be  done.  We  have  such  a  constant  convic- 
tion and  confidence  that  the  divine  will  is  infinitely  wise,  right, 
and  good,  that  it  is  matter  of  support,  comfort,  and  joy,  that 
the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reigns,  and  hath  done,  and  will 
forever  do,  whatsoever  pleaseth  him,  being  infinitely  above  all 
control ;  so  that  his  counsel  standeth  forever,  and  the  thoughts 
of  his  heart  to  all  generations. 

We  add,  in  the  last  place,  that  we  trust  that  our  conver- 
sation and  conduct  before  the  world  is  agreeable  to  our  Chris- 
tian profession  and  the  holy  rules  of  the  gospel.  If  this  were 
not  true,  but  the  contrary,  we  acknowledge  all  our  supposed 
inward  exercises,  which  have  been  mentioned  as  evidences  of 
our  Christianity,  are  not  to  be  relied  upon  by  us,  and  may  be 
justly  considered  as  mere  delusion  by  all  others.  But  if  what 
we  suppose  be  true,  for  which  we  appeal  to  all  who  are  ac- 
quainted v/ith  us,  and  we  have  been  brought  by  the  influence 
of  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  to  deny  all  ungodliness  and 
every  worldly  lust,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly 
in  this  present  evil  world,  we  think  it  to  be  a  strengthening 
evidence,  in  connection  with  our  inward  convictions  and  exer- 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OP    A    CHRISTIAN.  719 

cises  which  we  have  experienced,  and  have  now  related,  that 
we  are  the  subjects  of  the  power  of  divine  grace;  and  that, 
whatever  we  once  were,  we  are  now  washed,  and  sanctified, 
and  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit 
of  our  God ;  and  that  all  who  behold  our  blameless  and  good 
conversation  in  Christ  ought  to  consider  it  as  an  evidence  in 
our  favor,  and  of  the  truth  and  excellence  of  Christianity  ;  and 
that  they  who  speak  evil  of  us  as  of  evil  doers,  and  falsely 
accuse  us,  ought  to  be  ashamed. 

Thus  we  have  endeavored  to  give  an  honest  and  true  ac- 
count of  the  reason  of  the  hope  we  entertain,  that  by  believing 
the  gospel  it  is  become  the  power  of  God  to  us,  to  our  sal- 
vation. We  have  omitted  some  things  which  might  have 
been  mentioned,  and  perhaps  have  made  some  needless  repe- 
titions. Imperfect  as  this  account  is,  we  wish  it  may  prove 
some  advantage  to  Christians,  and  matter  of  conviction  to 
unbelievers.* 

III.  The  reasonableness  and  importance  of  the  direction  and 
command  which  has  been  explained  is  to  be  considered  and 
proved.     This  may  be  done  by  the  following  observations :  — 

1.  It  must  be  supposed  that  every  real  Christian  is  able  to 
comply  with  this  direction,  and  can  give  the  reason  of  his 
hope,  when  properly  inquired  of  and  asked.  If  this  were  not 
true,  the  command,  which  extends  to  all  Christians,  would  be, 
indeed,  unreasonable  and  nugatory.  It  is,  therefore,  reasonable 
to  suppose  and  be  certain  that  every  Christian  has  good  reason 
for  the  hope  that  is  in  him,  and  can  give  it  when  there  is  a 
call  for  it.  This  is  a  subject  which  he  thinks  upon  and  studies 
more  than  any  other.  He  certainly  does  meditate  upon  it 
night  and  day.  He  considers  and  examines  over  and  over 
again  the  evidence  he  has  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  theme  is  familiar  to  his  mind,  and  the  evidence 
of  the  truth  increases,  in  his  view,  in  strength  and  clearness  ; 
and,  of  course,  he  is  constantly,  and  with  solemn  concern, 
considerins:  the  evidence  he  has  of  his  being  a  real  Christian. 
He  must,  therefore,  be  always  ready  to  give  the  reason  of  this 
hope  that  is  in  him.  And  it  is  reasonable  and  iinportant  that 
Christians  should  do  this,  when  asked,  because,  — 

*  It  is  supposed  that  the  evidence  given  above  by  Christians,  of  their  hope 
of  a  saving  interest  in  Christ,  is  common  to  every  real  Christian,  without  -which 
no  man  has  reason  to  think  himself  to  be  one.  But  in  many  other  particulars, 
not  mentioned  here,  Christians  may  differ,  and  one  have  views  and  exercises 
which  another  has  not  experienced  in  the  same  manner  and  degree,  which  may 
be  a  strengthening  evidence  to  those  who  have  them,  and  to  those  to  whom 
they  relate  them,  that  they  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  If  any  de- 
sire to  see  the  subject  treated  more  largely,  they  are  referred  to  President 
Edwards,  on  "Religious  Affections." 


720  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

2.  It  is  greatly  for  the  advantage  and  benefit  of  Christians 
to  be  prejiared  and  ready  to  give  the  reason  of  their  hope,  and 
actually  to  do  it,  when  they  are  asked  in  a  proper  manner. 

This  has  a  greater  tendency  to  keep  their  minds  awake  to 
these  subjects  than  mere  private  meditation ;  to  increase  their 
knowledge  in  these  things,  and  to  strengthen  and  invigorate 
their  exercises,  and  establish  their  own  hearts  in  the  ground 
and  reason  of  their  hope.  Free  and  serious  conversation 
upon  interesting  subjects  of  religion  is  attended  with  advan- 
tages to  Christians,  which  could  not  be  enjoyed  if  every  one 
kept  all  his  religious  thoughts  and  exercises  wholly  to  himself. 
This  is  confirmed  by  reason  and  the  experience  of  Christians. 
And  many,  if  not  all,  have  found,  by  communicating  to  others 
the  reasons  of  their  belief  in  Christianity,  and  of  their  hope 
that  they  themselves  were  Christians,  their  hearts  more  estab- 
lished in  the  truth  and  importance  of  the  Bible,  and  their 
hope  of  salvation  by  Christ  become  more  clear  and  strong,  by 
being  quickened  in  their  religious  exercises. 

3.  A  compliance  with  this  command  tends,  many  ways, 
to  the  good  of  others.  It  tends  greatly  to  the  benefit  of 
Christians  to  converse  with  each  other  freely  on  these  subjects  ; 
to  communicate  to  one  another  their  reasons  for  believing  the 
gospel,  and  how,  and  in  what  way,  they  were  brought  to  a 
clear  conviction  and  assurance  of  the  truth  and  divinity  of  it; 
and  what  have  been  their  views  and  exercises,  on  which  they 
ground  their  hope  that  they  do  cordially  embrace  the  gospel 
and  are  the  real  friends  of  Christ.  By  this  they  become  par- 
ticularly acquainted  with  each  other,  and  obtain  the  knowledge 
of  the  discerning,  views,  and  exercises  of  their  hearts,  which 
could  not  be  so  well  and  fully  obtained  in  any  other  way. 
This  lays  a  foundation  for  an  intimacy,  love,  and  friendship, 
which  are  sweet,  edifying,  lasting,  and  peculiar  to  Christians. 
This  tends  to  increase  the  knowledge  of  Christians,  and  estab- 
lish their  hearts  in  the  belief  of  the  truth,  and  excite  and 
quicken  their  Christian  affections,  while  they  hear  others  give 
the  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them.  And  this  appears  to 
be  an  important  part  of  Christian  communion,  while  they  drink 
into  the  same  Spirit,  and  mutually  partake  of  the  comfort  and 
blessings  of  the  gospel. 

This  also  has  a  tendency  to  promote  the  best  good  of  un- 
believers. If  Christians  have  nothing  to  say  for  themselves, 
and  are  silent,  when  they  who  are  not  Christians,  wdth  appar- 
ent serious  desire  to  know,  ask  them  to  give  the  reason  of  their 
hope,  this  will  greatly  tend  to  prejudice  them  against  Chris- 
tianity and  professed  Christians,  and  lead  them  to  think  that 
the  gospel  is  unreasonable,  and    cannot  be  supported.     But 


THE  REASON  OF  THE  HOPE  OF  A  CHRISTIAN.      721 

when  they  find  Christians  able  and  ready  to  give  the  reason 
of  their  hope,  when  asked,  and  they  have  it  laid  before  them, 
they  have  matter  of  conviction  that  Christians  can  speak  for 
themselves,  and  that  Christianity  is  founded  in  reason  and 
truth;  and  it  may,  by  divine  influence,  reach  their  hearts,  as 
the  means  of  their  salvation.  And  doubtless  this  has  been 
the  means  of  the  salvation  of  many.  But  if  this  should  not 
be  the  happy  consequence,  and  the  unbeliever  persist  in  reject- 
ing the  gospel  to  his  own  destruction,  the  Christian  has  done 
his  duty;  and  his  labor  shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord,  but 
answer  <§ome  important  end. 

4.  In  this  way  Christians  honor  Christ  and  his  cause.  They 
who  are  not  able,  or  are  not  disposed,  to  give  the  reason  of 
their  Christian  hope,  when  properly  asked  to  do  it,  must  be 
numbered  among  those  who  are  ashamed  of  Christ  and  of 
his  words.  Of  such,  he  says,  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed, 
when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  the  Father,  with  the  holy  an- 
gels. He  will  consider  and  treat  them  as  a  disgrace  and  dis- 
honor to  him,  should  he  own  them  to  be  his  disciples  and 
friends.  But,  on  the  contrary,  he  says,  "  Whosoever  shall  con- 
fess me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father 
who  is  in  heaven,  and  before  the  angels  of  God."  As  these, 
by  confessing  him  before  men,  honor  him,  he  will  honor  them 
before  the  universe,  in  his  state  of  the  highest  exaltation  and 
glory.  They  who  are  able  and  ready  to  give  the  reason  of 
their  Christian  hope  to  those  who  ask  them,  to  whatever 
shame  and  sufferings  they  may  expose  themselves  by  this,  do 
hereby  confess  and  honor  Christ  before  men,  which  they  can- 
not do  effectually  in  any  other  way,  if  this  be  refused  or  neg- 
lected. And  this  is  one  important  way  for  Christians  to 
exhibit  their  true  character,  and  show  their  zeal  and  courage 
in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  honor  and  promote  it  in  the  world. 
How  reasonable,  then,  and  important,  is  this  injunction  of 
the  apostle  I 

IMPROVEMENT. 

I.  From  this  text,  and  the  subject,  we  have  warrant  to 
conclude,  that  they  who  are  not  able  to  give  a  reason  for  their 
hope  in  the  sense  explained,  or  they  who  refuse  to  do  it  to 
any  one,  at  any  time,  are  not  real  Christians,  whatever  they 
may  pretend. 

There  are  too  many,  who  would  pass  for  Christians,  who 
can  give  no  good  reason  why  they  believe  Christianity  to  be 
true  and  divine,  or  why  they  hope  to  be  saved  by  it.  They 
can  give  no  account  of  any  particular,  sensible  impressions 

VOL.    III.  61 


722  THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN. 

made  on  their  hearts  by  any  of  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  or  of 
any  view  or  exercise  which  indicates  a  real  change  of  heart. 
There  are  others  to  whom  the  general  arguments  for  the  truth 
of  the  gospel  are  familiar,  and  they  can  talk  well  and  readily 
upon  some  of  them  ;  but  if  they  be  asked  what  their  own 
inward  exercises  are  with  respect  to  the  gospel,  and  what  is 
the  ground  of  their  hope  that  they  are  Christians,  their  moutlis 
are  immediately  shut,  and  they  have  nothing  to  say,  unless  it 
be  to  object  against  the  propriety  of  asking  or  answering  such 
a  question,  as  no  one  has  any  business  to  inquire,  or  right  to 
know,  what  are  their  inward  exercises;  every  one  ought  to 
keep  these  to  himself,  etc.  Others  will  inveigh  against  Chris- 
tians telling  their  experiences,  as  it  is  called,  and  insist  it  is 
nothing  but  mere  enthusiasm.  All  these  may  be  justly  con- 
sidered as  having  no  good  reason  for  hoping  themselves  to  be 
Christians. 

There  are  others  who  are  forward  enough,  and  even  too 
forward,  to  tell  of  their  religious  experiences,  and  give  a  nar- 
rative of  their  conversion,  which  they  seem  to  think  to  be 
extraordinary  and  excellent.  And  they  do  it  when  there  does 
not  appear  any  particular  call  to  do  it.  They  appear  to  be 
proud  of  their  religious  experiences,  and  often  speak  of  them 
in  a  light  and  ostentatious  manner,  directly  contrary  to  meek- 
ness and  fear.  These  are  so  far  from  obeying  the  apostle's 
direction,  that  they  abuse  and  pervert  it,  and  do  not  appear  to 
be  real  Christians. 

11.  It  hence  appears  how  reasonable  and  important  it  is 
that  Christians  should  give  the  reason  of  their  hope,  when 
they  join  to  a  church,  and  make  a  Christian  profession,  and 
that  they  should  be  asked  concerning  their  doctrinal  knowl- 
edge, and  experience  of  the  power  of  divine  truths  on  their 
hearts.  Churches  have  a  right  to  know  of  such  the  reason  of 
their  hope,  and  with  what  views,  exercises,  and  motives  they 
desire  to  join  them.  And  by  this  means  they  get  acquainted 
with  them  as  they  could  not  in  any  other  way,  and  a  founda- 
tion is  laid  for  future  intimacy  and  Christian  communion. 
They,  therefore,  must  be  blamable,  and  give  reason  to  fear 
they  are  not  Christians,  who  refuse  to  join  a  church  because 
they  cannot  be  admitted  unless  they  will  give  the  reason  of 
their  hope,  as  above  explained.  And  those  churches  are  guilty 
of  great  and  criminal  neglect  who  admit  members  without 
any  examination  of  them  respecting  their  doctrinal  and  experi- 
mental knowledge  of  religion,  or  asking  them  to  give  the  rea- 
son of  their  hope.  The  consequence  generally'  is,  that  the 
members  of  such  churches  have  no  particular  intimacy  or  ac- 
quaintance with  each  other,  not  so  much  as  they  have  with 


THE    REASON    OF    THE    HOPE    OF    A    CHRISTIAN.  723 

the  men  of  the  world,  or  those  who  make  no  profession  of 
religion,  and  know  little  or  nothing  of  each  other,  and  are  in  no 
resjject  distingnished  from  non-professors,  but  merely  by  having 
made  a  profession,  and  meeting  together  at  the  Lord's  table. 

III.  This  subject  is  suited  to  awaken  Christians  to  a  con- 
cern to  be  ready,  and  more  ready  than  Christians  in  general 
have  been  and  are,  to  give  an  answer  to  those  who  ask  them 
the  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them.  They  ought  to  strive 
to  be  yet  better  able  to  offer  the  most  clear  and  convincing- 
evidence  of  the  truth,  authenticity,  and  excellence  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  to  increase  in  the  strength  and  constancy  of  every 
Christian  grace ;  that  they  may  have  increasing  evidence  in 
their  own  minds  that  their  hope  is  well  founded,  and  be  able 
to  give  more  satisfying  and  striking  evidence  to  others  that 
they  are  Christians  indeed ;  and  so  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation. 

Christians  have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  their  hope  and 
the  gospel,  let  who  will  speak  against  and  ridicule  it.  It  has 
stood,  and  will  stand,  the  test  of  the  most  severe  rational  trial 
and  examination.  The  more  it  is  examined  by  unprejudiced 
reason,  the  brighter  its  truth  and  divine  excellency  shine ;  and 
it  will  stand  and  prevail,  until  the  light  of  it  shall  fill  the 
world,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea,  and  all  the  opposers  of  it 
shall  be  turned  into  everlasting  darkness.  Wherefore,  let 
Christians  gird  up  the  loins  of  their  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope 
to  the  end,  for  the  grace  which  is  to  be  brought  unto  them  at 
the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  be  always  ready  to  give  an 
answer,  to  every  man  that  asketh  them  the  reason  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  them,  with  meekness  and  fear. 

There  is  a  special  reason  for  a  careful,  courageous  practice 
of  this  apostolic  direction  at  this  day,  which  is  the  time  in 
which  the  sixth  vial  is  poured  out,  predicted  in  Revelation,  six- 
teenth chapter,  when  the  spirits  of  devils  are  allowed  to  go 
forth  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them  to 
the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God  Almighty.  These  evil 
spirits  are  now  among  us,  and  have  great  influence  on  the 
minds  of  men,  in  the  uncommon,  rapid  spread  of  infidelity, 
and  all  manner  of  error  and  vice.  Christians,  therefore,  now 
have  a  loud  and  special  call  to  watch  and  be  sober,  to  vindi- 
cate the  truth,  and  honor  Christ  and  his  cause  in  all  possible 
ways.  Let  them  hear  and  obey  the  words  of  Christ,  which 
he  spake  with  particular  reference  to  this  time:  "Behold,  I 
come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth  and  keepeth  his 
garments,  lest  he  wallv  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame." 


TWO    SEEMONS 


THE 


SINS    OF    MEN 


ARE  SO   UNDER  THE 


DIRECTION   AND   CONTROL  OF   GOD, 

AS    TO    GLORIFY    HIM, 

AND   SUBSERVE   THE   GOOD   OF  HIS  KINGDOM, 

IN  EVERY  INSTANCE  OP  IT  WHICH  HE  SUFFERS  TO  TAKE  PLACE. 
61* 


TWO  sermons; 


SEBMON  I. 


Surely  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee :  the  remainder  of  wrath  shalt 
thou  restrain.  —  Ps.  Ixxvi.  10- 

In  this  Psalm,  God's  care  and  protection  of  his  church  is 
celebrated.  In  the  midst  of  all  revolutions,  wars,  and  confu- 
sions which  take  place  in  the  world,  and  the  various  and 
strong  combinations  of  wicked  men  against  his  people,  they 
are  safe  and  happy  under  his  care,  who  will  effectually  restrain 
all  their  enemies,  and  finally  utterly  defeat  and  destroy  them, 
and  give  deliverance,  peace,  and  salvation  to  his  church. 

In  the  words  now  to  be  considered,  the  absolute  and  univer- 
sal dominion  of  God  over  all  creatures  and  things  is  asserted, 
so  that  he  can  and  will  turn  all  the  opposition  which  is  made 
to  him  and  his  government,  however  strong  and  violent,  and 
however  long  it  may  continue,  to  promote  his  own  glory,  and 
answer  the  best  ends  possible ;  and  all  the  sins  which  would 
not  subserve  these  good  ends,  he  can  and  will  effectually 
restrain,  so  that  they  shall  not  exist. 

This  very  important  and  useful  sentiment  will  be  illustrated 
and  established  by  a  particular  explanation  of  this  passage  of 
Scripture,  and  the  inferences  to  be  made  from  it. 

"  Surely  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee."  This  is  as- 
serted not  only  as  a  truth,  but  as  a  most  evident  and  certain 
truth,  and  of  great  importance  to  be  believed  and  relied  upon 
with  the  greatest  confidence  and  assurance  at  all  times,  what- 
ever seeming  appearances  there  may  be  against  it,  and  though 
we  may  not  be  able  to  see  how  it  can  possibly  be  true.  This 
is  expressed  by  the  ,word  surely,  with  which  the  sentiment  is 
introduced. 

The  wrath  of  man  comprehends  all  the  rebellion  and  sins 
of  men  that  ever  have,  or  ever  will  take  place,  by  which  their 
hatred  of  God  and  his  law  and  government,  and  strong  oppo- 
sition to  these,  is  expressed.     Mankind,  ever  since  they  have 

*  Written  in  the  year  1800. 


728  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

multiplied  on  earth,  have,  in  general,  been  in  arms  —  at  war 
with  God  and  with  each  other ;  and  this  war  has,  in  numerous 
instances,  been  carried  on  with  great  apparent  engagedness, 
wrath,  and  fury ;  in  some  more  directly  against  God,  and  in 
others  immediately  against  each  other.  All  this  is  compre- 
hended in  the  "  wrath  of  man  "  in  our  text ;  and  so  are  all  the 
thoughts  and  exercises  of  heart  and  conduct,  however  private, 
and  more  or  less  apparent  and  strong,  which  are  contrary  to 
the  law  of  God ;  for  all  these  are  of  the  same  nature  and  kind 
with  those  sinful  actions  in  which  men  are  more  apparently, 
and  with  greater  wrath  and  violence,  combined  against  God 
and  each  other.  And  all  the  sins  of  good  men,  whether  com- 
mitted before  they  were  converted  or  after,  are  included  in 
this  expression,  as  they  are  as  really  in  opposition  to  God  and 
his  law  as  the  most  open  and  avowed  rebellion  and  rage 
against  him,  though  not  so  strong  and  visible.  Thus,  all  the 
sins  of  which  men  are  guilty  —  whether  greater  or  less,  more 
secret  or  open,  under  whatever  form  or  pretence  they  are  com- 
mitted —  are  included  in  "  the  wrath  of  man,"  as  they  are  all 
rebellion  against  God,  and  a  violation  of  his  law,  and  opposi- 
tion to  his  cause,  church,  and  kingdom ;  though  the  more  open 
and  violent  opposition  to  the  divine  government,  to  the  church, 
and  people  of  God,  and  to  each  other,  may  be  more  particu- 
larly intended  by  the  expression.  This  is  evident  and  certain, 
not  only  as  all  the  sins  of  men  are  of  the  same  nature  and  evil 
tendency,  but  they  are  all  so  united  and  combined,  that,  if  any 
instance  and  degree  of  sin  is  made  to  praise  God,  it  must  do 
so  in  every  instance  for  the  same  reason ;  and  if  it  w^ere  not 
so,  the  assertion  in  the  words  before  us  would  be  so  partial  as 
to  be  attended  with  great  uncertainty,  and  of  little  use  and 
importance  in  the  application  of  it,  as  will  appear  in  our  fur- 
ther attention  to  the  subject. 

"  The  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee ; "  that  is,  shall  honor 
and  glorify  thee.  The  sin  of  man  shall,  in  every  instance  of 
it,  be  the  occasion,  and  made  the  means,  of  the  manifestation 
and  display  of  the  glorious  character  and  perfections  of  God, 
which  could  not  have  been  made  to  such  advantage,  and  in 
so  great  a  degree,  in  any  other  way,  had  not  sin  existed  in 
every  instance  in  which  it  has  done,  or  ever  will  do.  This  is 
not  owing  to  the  nature  and  tendency  of  sin,  considered  in 
itself,  —  for  it  tends  to  directly  the  contrary,  to  dishonor  him, 
and  is  a  direct  and  awful  opposition  to  the  moral  government, 
perfections,  and  existence  of  God,  —  but  to  his  power,  wis- 
dom, and  goodness,  by  which  he  is  able  and  disposed  to  over- 
rule all  the  rebellion  against  him,  even  every  sin  which  is 
committed,  to  answer  his  ends  and  promote  his  own  glory. 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  729 

"  The  remainder  of  wrath  shalt  thou  restrain  ; "  that  is,  that 
wrath  and  those  sins  of  men  which  are  not  suited  and  neces- 
sary to  answer  this  end  —  to  be  so  governed  and  overruled  as 
to  praise  and  glorify  God  —  he  will  effectually  restrain,  and 
not  suffer  it  to  exist.  This  represents  God  as  the  supreme, 
sovereign  Disposer  of  all  things  and  events,  ordering  what 
shall  and  What  shall  not  exist,  from  the  greatest  to  the  least, 
and  directing  the  will  and  actions  of  men  in  every  motion  and 
exertion,  so  that  all  depend  upon  his  will  whether  they  shall 
have  an  existence  or  not;  and  this  includes  all  the  sins  of 
men  as  really  as  any  other  event  whatever.  The  counsel  of 
God's  own  will  determined  whether  there  should  be  any  such 
thing  as  sin  and  rebellion,  and  how  much  of  this  should  exist 
—  even  just  so  much  as  should  praise  him,  and  no  more; 
(which  necessarily  includes  a  determination  concerning  every 
instance  or  act  of  sin,  whether  greater  or  less ;)  as  his  deter- 
mining that  this  earth  should  exist  includes  a  determination 
how  large  it  should  be,  of  what  materials  it  should  be  com- 
posed, and  concerning  every  part,  and  every  grain  of  sand,  etc., 
of  which  it  should  consist.  All  this  is  necessarily  implied  in 
the  words  under  consideration;  for  in  determining  that  sin 
should  exist,  and  just  so  much  as  would  praise  him,  and  no 
more,  there  must  be  a  determination  concerning  every  act  of 
sin  that  should  take  place. 

The  existence  of  the  wrath  of  man,  the  continuance  of  it, 
the  height  to  which  it  should  rise,  and  all  the  consequences 
of  it,  depended  as  much  upon  the  will  of  God  as  did  the  ex- 
istence of  man,  and  of  a  particular  providence  to  be  exercised 
with  respect  to  him  from  the  first  to  the  last,  containing  the 
wisest  and  best  plan  by  which  God  is  most  praised  and  glo- 
rified and  the  greatest  good  promoted.  These  are  so  united 
and  blended  together,  the  one  implying  the  other,  that  all  must 
exist  together  in  order  to  form  a  perfectly  wise  plan  which 
shall  be  most  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  greatest  good  of 
the  universe ;  for  when  it  is  said  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise 
God,  it  is  equally  asserted  that  all  the  sin  which  does  or  ever 
shall  take  place  shall  promote  the  greatest  glory  and  happi- 
ness of  his  kingdom,  and  of  all  his  friends  who  shall  dwell  in 
it  forever;  for  their  glory  and  happiness  depend  upon  the 
glory  of  God,  the  manifestation  and  display  of  his  glorious 
perfections,  and  will  keep  pace  with  this  forever,  —  the  former 
necessarily  taking  place  and  rising  in  proportion  to  the  great- 
ness and  increase  of  the  latter,  —  there  being  a  necessary  and 
infallible  connection  between  them  ;  so  that  whatever  praises 
God,  and  serves  to  manifest  and  display  his  character  and 
glory,  equally  promotes  the  happiness  of  all  who  are  his 
friends,  and  the  glory  of  his  everlasting  kingdom. 


730  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

Of  all  this  there  is  the  greatest  assurance  and  certainty 
expressed  by  the  Psalmist  in  our  text ;  but  we  have  other 
strong  corroborative  evidence  of  these  same  truths,  both  from 
the  Scriptures  and  from  reason,  which  demands  our  careful 
attention. 

The  Scriptures  will  appear,  beyond  a  possible  doubt,  to  an 
attentive,  honest  mind,  to  be  on  the  same  plan,  and  to  exhibit 
these  same  truths,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end.  This  is 
manifest  in  so  many  ways  and  instances  that  they  cannot  be 
all  mentioned  here.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  suggest  the  fol- 
lowing :  "  The  Scripture  saith  unto  Pharaoh,  Even  for  this 
same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  show  my 
power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared  through- 
out all  the  earth."  The  wrath  of  Pharaoh  was  ordered  and 
brought  about  by  God  in  his  providence  on  purpose  that  he 
might  be  praised  and  glorified  —  that  his  name,  his  character, 
and  perfections  might  hereby  be  declared  throughout  all  the 
earth.  "  What  if  God,  willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  make 
his  power  known,  endured  with  much  long-suffering  the  ves- 
sels of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction  ? "  Here  the  sin  and 
destruction  of  those  who  perish  is  represented  as  ordered 
by  God  for  his  praise,  to  manifest  his  hatred  of  sin,  and 
his  dreadful  power  in  punishing  sinners  who  are  finally 
impenitent. 

The  innumerable  predictions  in  the  Scripture  of  events  to 
be  brought  about,  and  which  have  been  fulfilled  by  millions 
of  milUons  of  sinful  exercises  and  actions  of  wicked  men,  and 
predictions  of  many  particular  sins  which  men  should  com- 
mit, are  an  incontestable  evidence  that  God  has  the  direction 
of  all  the  sins  of  men,  and  that  none  can  take  place  unless 
by  his  disposal,  so  as  to  answer  his  ends  and  promote  his 
glory.  Two  or  three  instances  may  be  mentioned  to  illustrate 
this  remark.  * 

The  sins  of  the  brethren  of  Joseph  in  selling  him  into 
Egypt,  and  all  their  anger  and  wrath  which  led  to  this,  was 
determined  and  ordered  by  God  for  good  —  for  his  own  praise 
and  glory,  and  the  good  of  his  church.  Therefore,  God  is 
said  to  have  done  it,  and  to  send  Joseph  into  Egypt,  meaning 
it  all  for  good.  And  in  this  way  the  wrath  of  Joseph's  mis- 
tress in  Egypt,  and  of  her  husband,  did  praise  God,  and  could 
not  have  taken  place  had  it  not  been  necessary  to  accomplish 
the  benevolent  purpose  of  God ;  and  they  and  the  brethren  of 
Joseph  were  restrained  from  all  that  wrath  and  sin  which 
would  defeat  the  prediction  by  the  two  dreams  of  Joseph,  and 
not  answer  the  purpose  of  God  and  praise  him.  The  former 
were  restrained  from  putting  Joseph  to  death,  as  they  once 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  731 

proposed  ;  and  though  Potiphar's  "  wrath  was  kindled  "  when 
he  heard  the  false  accusation  against  Joseph  by  his  w.icked 
wife,  yet  his  wrath  was  so  restrained  that  he  did  not  take 
away  his  life,  which  had  either  of  them  done,  the  divine  plan 
could  not  have  been  executed. 

But  the  most  remarkable  instance  of  this  is  the  sin  and 
wrath  exercised  by  men  in  the  treatment  of  the  Savior  of  the 
world,  and  putting  him  to  death  in  the  most  cruel  manner. 
This  was  all  particularly  determined  and  appointed  long  before 
by  God,  and  foretold  by  the  prophets.  Hear  what  they  who 
were  inspired  say  of  this  in  their  solemn  address  to  God : 
"  Lord,  thou  art  God,  which  hast  made  heaven  and  earth,  and 
tlie  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is ;  who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant 
David  hast  said.  Why  did  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  vain  things?  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and 
the  rulers  were  gathered  together  against  the  Lord,  and  against 
his  Christ.  For  of  a  truth,  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus,  whom 
thou  hast  anointed,  both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the 
Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  together,  for  to 
do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined  before  to 
be  done."    (Acts  i v.  24-28.) 

All  this  scene  of  sin  and  wrath  against  Jesus  Christ  was 
determined  and  directed  by  the  hand  and  counsel,  the  pov/er 
and  wisdom  of  God,  which  was  necessary  for  the  greatest  dis- 
play of  the  divine  perfections  in  the  redemption  of  sinful  man 
which  has  ever  been  made,  and  could  not  have  been  made  in 
any  other  way,  and  will  be  to  his  praise  and  glory  forever,  and 
the  means  of  the  unspeakably  greater  happiness  and  glory  of 
all  his  friends,  the  members  of  his  eternal  kingdom. 

And  all  this  sin  was  ordered,  to  praise  and  glorify  God, 
that  he  might  hereby  accomplish  his  wise  and  intinitely  im- 
portant designs.  These  sinners  were  restrained  and  prevented 
from  committing  all  those  sinful  acts  which  would  not  praise 
God,  but,  contrary  to  this,  would  counteract  his  wise  purposes. 
Thus  Herod  was  not  able  to  put  Christ  to  death  in  his  infancy, 
when  he  attempted  to  do  it;  and  the  Jews  were  not  allowed  to 
lay  their  hands  upon  him  and  kill  him,  though  they  desired 
and  often  attempted  to  do  it,  as  this  would  not  have  been  to 
the  praise  of  God,  but  the  contrary.  They  were  restrained 
from  erfecting  their  purpose  till  the  proper  time  came,  when 
this  horrid  deed  would  praise  God,  and  was  necessary  to  his 
accomplishing  the  infinitely  wise  and  important  ends  he  had 
in  view. 

And,  indeed,  there  is  the  greatest  certainty  that  the  sins  of 
men  in  general,  and  the  universal  depravity,  rebellion,  and  guilt 
of  mankind,  were  necessary  in   order  to  there  being  such  a 

f 


732  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

character  as  that  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Redeemer,  and  the  won- 
derful, glorious  events  which  do  and  will  take  place  in  conse- 
quence of  what  he  has  done  and  suffered.  For  had  there  been 
no  sin,  by  which  the  human  race  are  fallen  into  a  state  of  total 
ruin,  there  could  not  have  been  any  Redeemer  or  redemption, 
by  which  God  will  be  more  praised  and  glorified  than  by  all  \iis 
other  works ;  and,  indeed,  all  his  other  works  have  reference  to, 
and  centre  in,  the  glorious  work  of  redemption,  and  derive  their 
chief  glory  from  this,  of  which  the  sin  of  man  laid  the  founda- 
tion, which,  therefore,  is  necessary  for  the  greatest  and  most 
bright  display  of  the  perfections  of  God,  and  the  consequent 
praises  from  all  his  friends,  and  their  happiness  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  him  forever. 

And  as  sin  in  general,  and  the  most  remarkable  instances 
of  it  recorded  in  Scripture,  some  of  which  have  been  men- 
tioned, are  made  to  praise  God,  there  is  hence  ground  of 
assurance  that  it  does  so  in  every  instance,  and  that  this  is  true 
of  every  sin  that  ever  has  been  or  will  be  committed  by  man,  and 
that  not  one  sin  which  would  not  praise  God  will  ever  take 
place,  had  not  this  been  expressly  asserted  in  our  text ;  and  it 
is  important  to  be  observed,  that  all  the  natural  evil  which  is 
the  consequence  of  sin,  which  does  or  ever  will  exist,  will 
answer  this  end,  and  is  necessary  for  the  brightest  manifesta- 
tion and  display  of  the  divine  perfections,  and,  consequently,  for 
the  greatest  happiness  of  all  the  friends  of  God.  This  is  im- 
plied in  the  words  of  the  apostle  Paul,  when  he  says,  "  We 
are  unto  God  a  sweet  savor  of  Christ  in  them  that  are  saved, 
and  in  them  that  perish."  According  to  this,  the  gospel  pro- 
duces that  which  is  pleasing  to  God,  in  the  effect  it  has,  not 
only  in  them  who  are  saved,  but  also  that  which  it  has  on 
those  who  perish.  It  is  the  occasion  of  discovering  the  total 
depravity  and  exceeding  hardness  and  strength  of  the  obsti- 
nacy of  the  human  heart,  in  the  universal,  strong,  and  fixed 
disposition  to  reject  the  offers  of  mercy,  which  no  means  will 
overcome  and  subdue ;  which  discovery  could  not  be  made  so 
fully  in  any  other  conceivable  way.  The  clear  and  striking 
manifestation  of  this  will  serve  to  display  the  righteousness  and 
holy  displeasure  of  God  in  punishing  sinners  with  everlasting 
destruction,  and  inflicting  a  greatly  aggravated  punishment  on 
those  who  perish  under  the  gospel,  as  neglecters  and  dcspisers 
of  Christ  and  the  great  salvation. 

The  same  sentiment  is  expressed  by  this  apostle  in  the  fol- 
lowing words :  "  What  if  God,  willing  [determining]  to  show 
his  wrath,  and  make  his  power  known,  endured  with  much 
long-suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction ;  and 
that  he  might  make  known  the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  733 

vessels  of  mercy  which  he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory?" 
Here  God  is  represented,  not  only  as  designing  to  show  his 
power  and  his  displeasure  with  sinners  by  fitting  them  for 
destruction,  but  also  by  this  to  make  known  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  in  the  salvation  of  the  redeemed. 

Thus  it  appears  that  there  is  the  most  clear  and  certain 
evidence  from  the  Holy  Scripture  that  all  the  sins  of  men  that 
have  or  ever  will  take  place,  with  all  their  circumstances, 
attendants,  and  consequences,  shall  praise  God,  shall  serve  to 
manifest  and  display  his  perfections,  as  otherwise  could  not 
have  been  done,  and  shall  be  the  occasion  of  all  that  good, 
that  glory  and  happiness  of  his  eternal  kingdom,  which  is 
implied  in  this;  that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  all  this  sin 
should  exist  just  as  it  does  and  will  do,  to  answer  this  end, 
and  no  more;  therefore,  all  that  sin  which  would  not  praise 
him  he  wills,  shall  not  exist,  and  effectually  restrains. 

And  all  this  appears  most  reasonable,  and  may  be  argued 
from  the  being  and  perfections  of  God  revealed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, in  so  short  and  plain  a  way  as  to  amount  to  a  clear 
demonstration,  to  the  reason  of  every  honest,  unprejudiced 
person,  who  will  carefully  attend  to  the  subject. 

God  is  omnipotent,  and  can  do  what  he  pleases.  He  is 
omniscient;  his  knowledge  extends  to  every  thing.  He  is 
infinitely  wise  and  good.  He  sees  what  is  the  greatest  good 
on  the  whole,  what  is  the  wisest  and  best  end,  and  what  are 
the  most  wise  and  best  way  and  means  to  accomplish  it,  and 
is  disposed,  yea,  has  an  infinite  propensity,  to  do  it.  It  is, 
therefore,  certain  that  all  things  and  events  absolutely  depended 
on  his  will  from  eternity  for  their  existence  and  the  manner 
of  it ;  therefore,  the  plan  of  all  future  existence,  of  all  creatures 
and  events,  and  the  particular  manner  and  circumstances  in 
which  they  should  exist,  was  in  the  divine  mind  from  eternity. 
And  as  it  must  be  the  wisest  and  best  possible  plan,  containing 
all  the  possible  good  that  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Goodness 
could  devise  and  desire,  and  Omnipotence  execute,  it  cannot 
be  altered  in  the  most  minute  particular  or  circumstance,  to 
eternity;  and  if  this  were  possible,  it  would  be  infinitely  unde- 
sirable and  calamitous,  yea,  an  infinite  evil.  It  is  matter  of 
the  greatest  joy  that  "the  work  of  God  is  perfect,"  being 
decreed  by  him  from  eternity ;  that,  "  whatsoever  God  doth,  it 
shall  be  forever;  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken 
from  it;"  that  "the  counsel  of  the  Lord  standeth  forever,  and 
the  thoughts  of  his  heart  to  all  generations  ; "  that  "  he  is  of 
one  mind,  and  none  can  turn  or  disappoint  him ;"  who  "v/ork- 
eth  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  wise,  unchangeable 
will." 

VOL.  III.  62 


734  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

This  leads  directly  to  the  point  before  us.  It  must  be 
determined  by  God  whether  there  should  be  any  sin  and  rebel- 
lion under  his  government  and  among  mankind.  This  de- 
pended wholly  on  the  will  of  God.  He  was  able  to  forbid 
and  prevent  the  existence  of  it;  and  if  it  was  contrary  to 
wisdom,  perfect  rectitude,  and  goodness,  —  that  is,  if  he  saw  it 
was  not  wisest  and  best,  and  necessary  to  effect  the  greatest 
good,  on  the  whole,  that  sin  should  exist,  —  he  could,  and  cer- 
tainly would,  prevent  the  existence  of  it.  There  is,  therefore, 
the  greatest  possible  certainty,  from  the  divine  perfections, 
that  sin  does  exist  just  in  the  manner  and  in  that  degree,  and 
in  every  instance  of  it,  with  all  the  attendants  and  conse- 
quences of  it  which  do  or  will  take  place,  agreeably  to  the 
dictates  and  will  of  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Goodness,  as  being 
necessary  to  accomplish  the  most  wise  and  best  end,  the  great- 
est possible  good,  of  the  universe;  and  the  sin  and  misery 
which  are  not  necessary  to  promote  this  end  shall  never  exist,  as 
it  is  contrary  to  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Goodness  that  it  should. 
We  may  be  as  sure  of  this  as  we  are  or  can  be  of  the  being 
and  perfections  of  God,  or  of  any  truth  whatever,  or  even  of 
our  own  existence.  And  to  disbelieve  and  deny,  or  even  to 
doubt  of  it,  tends  to  atheism,  and  is  really  a  degree  of  it. 

To  suppose  that  God  has  not  power  and  skill  enough  to 
prevent  the  existence  of  sin,  and  was  not  able  to  withhold 
man  from  sinning,  consistent  with  the  perfect  moral  freedom 
of  man,  if  he  had  chosen  to  do  it,  is  to  suppose  he  is  really 
unable  to  govern  the  world  agreeably  to  his  will,  and,  there- 
fore, is  not  to  be  trusted  in  a  matter  of  infinite  importance, 
and  that  he  cannot  be  perfectly  happy,  but  infinitely  to  the 
contrary,  while  he  cannot  prevent  sin  and  misery  taking  place 
in  a  most  awful,  undesirable,  and  even  infinite  degree,  most 
contrary  to  what  he  would  desire  and  wish,  were  he  able  to 
prevent  it.  And  if  God  were  not  able  thus  to  prevent  the 
existence  of  any  of  the  sins  which  have  been  committed  by 
man  since  his  creation,  then  he  cannot  be  supposed  to  be  able 
to  prevent  the  existence  of  any  supposed  degree  of  sin  in 
future,  in  any  moral  agent ;  consequently,  therefore,  there  can 
be  no  ground  of  assurance,  or  the  least  evide-nce,  either  from 
God  or  from  moral  agents,  or  from  any  other  quarter,  that 
sin  will  not  take  place  in  every  moral  agent,  even  in  all  those 
who  are  now  perfectly  holy,  and  those  who  are  holy  in  some 
degree,  in  the  greatest  strength  and  to  the  utmost  degree  of 
which  they  are  capable,  and  that  as  long  as  they  shall  exist. 
On  this  supposition,  how  could  God  know  what  would  take 
place  among  his  creatures?  and  how  can  he  declare  and 
promise  that  sin  shall  be  forever  excluded  from  the  holy  angels 


I 

GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEM.  735 

and  the  redeemed  from  among  men  ?  What  shall  we  do  with 
the  declarations  and  promises  of  this  kind  abundantly  made 
in  the  Bible  ?  Can  there  be  any  reliance  upon  them  ?  And 
what  reason  has  any  one  to  trust  in  God  to  preserve  him 
from  sin,  and  form  him  to  holiness,  or  to  ask  him  to  do  this  ? 
Dreadful  and  horrible,  and  presumptuous  supposition,  most 
unreasonable,  and  big  with  consequence^  most  terrible  and 
destructive !  It  leads  to  the  exclusion  of  divine  revelation, 
and  cuts  off  all  trust  and  confidence  in  God,  in  all  matters  of 
the  greatest  importance,  and  excludes  all  belief  of  a  particular 
and  universal  divine  providence,  and  naturally  leads  to,  and 
lands  men  in,  the  horrible  darkness  of  infidelity  and  atheism. 

But  if  God  be  able  to  prevent  the  existence  of  sin,  and  it 
was  wisest  and  best,  on  the  whole,  that  there  should  be  no 
sin,  then  wisdom  and  goodness  must  oppose  the  existence  of 
it ;  so  that,  to  suppose  that  it  is  not  best,  on  the  whole,  that  sin 
should  take  place  just  as  it  does,  is  to  suppose  that  God  is 
neither  wise  nor  good ;  for  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness, 
clothed  with  omnipotence,  always  prefer  and  effect  that  which 
is  most  wise  and  best,  most  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
greatest  good  of  his  eternal  kingdom,  and  will  certainly  and 
effectually  prevent  the  existence  of  every  thing  which  cannot 
be  made  to  promote  this  end.  To  deny  or  even  to  entertain 
the  least  doubt  of  this,  and  that  all  the  sin,  with  its  attendants 
and  consequences,  which  does  or  ever  will  exist,  is  necessary 
to  effect  the  greatest  good  of  the  universe,  the  brightest  display 
of  the  divine  perfections,  and  the  highest  glory  and  happiness 
of  his  kingdom,  is  equally  to  deny  or  doubt  of  the  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  and  to  represent  him  unworthy 
of  the  implicit  trust  and  confidence  of  his  creatures,  and  so 
to  leave  them  without  any  God,  or  one  who  is  rather  to  be 
dreaded  than  loved  and  adored.  How  dishonorable  to  God 
this  is,  being  as  gloomy  and  shocking  as  atheism  itself,  every 
truly  pious  person  cannot  but  discern  and  feel. 

The  Holy  Scriptures,  and  our  reason  from  the  perfections 
of  God,  therefore,  join  in  declaring  this  truth,  and  oblige  us  to 
believe  and  say,  "  Surely  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  God, 
and  the  remainder  of  wrath  he  shall  restrain,"  in  the  sense  in 
which  these  words  have  been  explained  and  vindicated,  viz., 
that  all  the  evil  which  has  taken  place,  or  ever  will  exist,  both 
moral  and  natural,  sin  and  misery  does  take  place,  in  every 
the  least  and  greatest  instance  of  it,  under  the  superintend- 
ency  and  direction  of  the  infinitely  wise  and  benevolent  will 
of  God,  as  necessary  to  promote  the  greatest  possible  good 
of  the  universe,  his  own  glory,  and  the  highest  happiness  of 
his  moral,  eternal  kingdom.     And  he  will  restrain  and  prevent 


786  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

the  existence  of  all  that  which  is  not  necessary  to  answer 
this  end.* 

This  is  equally  true  of  all  the  sin  and  rebellion  of  the  fallen 
angels,  with  all  the  attendants  and  consequences  of  this. 
Their  sins  are  many  ways  connected  with  the  sins  of  men. 
They  were  the  wicked  instruments  of  introducing  sin  among 
mankind,  and  are  fepresented  in  the  Scriptures  as  having  a 
great  hand  in  all  the  sins  which  are  committed  by  men,  and 
deceiving  and  tempting  the  whole  world  of  mankind.  They 
are  allowed  to  come  down  to  the  earth  in  great  wrath 
against  God  and  man,  and  to  go  forth  to  the  whole  world,  to 
excite  them  to  unite  in  horrible  war  against  God.  But  they 
are  in  the  hand  of  God,  and  under  his  restraints ;  and  when 
they  have  done  all  the  work  he  designs  they  shall  do,  he  will 
cast  them  into  the  bottomless  pit,  and  shut  them  up,  and  set 
a  seal  upon  them,  that  they  shall  deceive  the  nations  no 
more  till  the  proper  time  shall  come  to  let  them  loose  again. 
Thus  the  wrath  of  devils  shall  praise  God,  and  the  remainder 
of  their  wrath  he  shall  restrain. 


IMPROVEMENT. 

This  subject  affords  matter  of  sufficient  support,  of  great 
comfort  and  joy,  to  the  true  friends  of  God,  in  the  midst  of 
all  the  evil,  both  sin  and  misery,  which  may  take  place.  The 
Lord  reigneth,  clothed  with  omnipotence,  infinitely  wise  and 
good,  just  and  true.  He  is  above  all  control.  He  hath  done, 
and  will  do,  whatever  he  pleaseth,  in  heaven  and  in  the  earth. 
He  is  infinitely  above  all  possibility  of  any  disappointment, 
or  of  being  opposed  so  as  not  to  accomplish  all  his  designs 
in  the  best  and  most  perfect  manner.     All  the  rebellion,  sin, 

*  This  truth  has  been,  and  still  is,  greatly  opposed,  and  many  objections  are 
made  to  it.  It  has  been  often  and  by  many  asserted,  that  if  sin  answers  so 
good  an  end,  then  sin  is  a  good  thing,  and  the  more  there  is  of  it  the  better ; 
that  this  is  the  greatest  encouragement  to  sin  ;  and  there  is  reallj'  no  crime  in 
sin,  if  so  much  good  comes  by  it,  and,  therefore,  sinners  cannot  be  justly  blamed 
and  punished  for  it.  And  it  has  been  often  said,  by  those  who  think  and  pro- 
fess themselves  to  be  wise,  that  tliis  doctrine  is  inconsistent  with  human  liberty, 
and  really  makes  God  the  Author  of  all  the  sin  that  takes  place.  But  the  truth 
is  great,  and  must  and  will  prevail ;  and  the  folly  of  all  these  objectors,  who 
understand  neither  what  they  say  nor  whereof  they  affirm,  shall  be  manifest 
mito  all  men. 

It  is  needless  to  attempt  to  answer  any  of  these  objections  here,  as  this  has 
been  publicly  done  over  and  over  again.  If  any  have  a  desire  to  see  them 
answered,  they  may  find  it  done  in  President  Edwards's  "  Treatise  on  Free- 
dom of  Will,"  Dr.  West's  "  E.^say  on  Moral  Agency,"  Dr.  Edwards's  "  Disser- 
tation concerning  Liberty  and  Necessity,"  the  author's  "  System  of  Doctrines 
contained  in  Divine  Hevelation,"  and  his  "  Sermons  on  Horn.  iii.  5-8." 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  737 

and  suffering  of  creatures  that  do  or  ever  will  take  place  are 
so  far  from  frustrating  his  designs,  that  they  are  intended  and 
ordered  to  take  place  just  as  they  do,  as  necessary  to  make 
the  greatest  possible  manifestation  of  his  perfections,  and  pro- 
mote tho,  greatest  good  of  his  kingdom.  There  is  not  the 
least  sin  in  thought,  word,  or  deed,  nor  the  least  instance  of 
pain,  nor  can  any  evil  exist,  greater  or  less,  which  is  not  de- 
signed to  answer  some  good  end,  so  that  it  is  best  that  it 
should  exist  just  as  it  does.  Then  let  the  friends  of  God  re- 
joice in  Him  who  made  them  and  all  things  else,  and  orders 
every  event,  great  and  small,  for  the  best.  Let  the  children 
of  Zion  rejoice  in  their  King ;  yea,  let  them  always  rejoice. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  God,  who  was  once  manifested 
in  flesh,  is  received  up  into  glory,  has  sat  down  on  the  throne 
of  the  universe,  possessed  of  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth, 
and  having  all  things,  angels,  men,  and  devils,  in  his  hand, 
reigns  over  all,  and  will  reign,  till  he  has,  in  the  best  time  and 
manner,  completely  accomplished  his  infinitely  wise  and  good 
designs,  destroyed  the  works  of  the  devil,  by  wholly  defeating, 
confounding,  and  disappointing  him,  and  all  who  join  with 
him,  in  all  their  attempts  against  him  and  opposition  to  him, 
and  turning  all  they  have  done  or  will  do,  and  all  that  does  or 
will  take  place  respecting  them,  to  answer  his  own  ends,  to 
the  greater  glory  of  God,  and  to  make  his  work  in  the  redemp- 
tion of  sinners  more  perfect  and  glorious.  He  having,  by  his 
sufferings  and  obedience,  made  an  atonement  for  sin  and  ob- 
tained righteousness  for  the  justification  of  sinners,  is  thus 
exalted  to  give  repentance  and  forgiveness  of  sins  and  ever- 
lasting life  to  all  who  believe  on  his  name  and  come  unto 
him  ;  being  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  them  who  come 
unto  God  by  him.  And  as  none  of  the  human  race  will  come 
to  him  —  though  all  who  hear  the  gospel  are  invited  —  unless 
they  be  drawn  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  made  willing  by  his 
power  and  grace,  he  in  this  exerciseth  his  sovereignty,  and  has 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he 
hardeneth.  And  his  will  is  infinitely  wise,  right,  and  good. 
It  is  not  best  that  all  mankind  should  be  saved,  most  for  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole ;  but  that 
the  design  of  Christ  in  dying  to  redeem  sinners  may  in  the 
best  manner  and  highest  degree  be  answered,  some  must  be 
given  up  to  the  destruction  which  they  deserve ;  and  who  is 
better  able  to  determine  this,  and  how  many  and  what  indi- 
viduals shall  be  saved,  than  He  who  is  infinite  in  wisdom, 
rectitude,  and  goodness,  who  cannot  make  any  mistake,  or  do 
the  least  wrong  to  any  creature  ?  Yea,  who  can  do  it  but 
He?  Every  one  who  has  a  spark  of  true  wisdom  and  .rrood- 
62* 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

ness  will  earnestly  desire  that  he  may  fix  this  matter  with 
respect  to  every  individual,  and  rejoice  that  it  is  and  will  be 
done  by  him.  And  who  has  a  better  or  any  right  to  do  this 
than  He  who  has  made,  and  is  the  absolute  and  only  Proprie- 
tor of,  all  creatures  ?  "  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the 
clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel  unto  honor  and 
another  unto  dishonor  ?  " 

To  every  benevolent  friend  of  Christ  the  Savior,  it  is  most 
desirable  and  pleasing  that  he  should  have  all  things  in  his 
hand,  and  save  as  many  and  whom  he  will,  and  leave  whom 
he  will  to  destruction.  He  has  a  peculiar  right  to  this,  since 
he  has  been  at  such  infinite  expense  to  redeem  sinners,  that 
he  should  accomplish  the  end  of  his  sufferings  and  death  in 
the  best  manner,  and  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be 
satisfied,  to  have  every  thing  effected  with  regard  to  the  re- 
deiXiption  of  man  so  as  in  the  highest  degree  to  please  his 
wisdom  and  goodness.  To  this  end  he  has  every  creature 
and  thing  in  the  universe  put  into  his  hands,  and  he  directs 
every  miOtion  and  event  among  creatures  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose for  which  he  died,  which  he  will  accomplish  in  the  best 
manner,  perfectly  agreeable  to  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness. 
He  will  save  all  of  the  human  race  who  can  be  saved  consist- 
ent with  wisdom  and  infinite  goodness.  And  to  all  who  trust 
in  him  he  is  an  almighty  Friend  and  Protector,  and  will  secure 
them  from  all  evil,  and  cause  all  things  to  work  together  for 
their  good,  and  will  make  them  perfectly  holy,  and  carry  them 
through  death  to  heaven  in  the  best  manner  and  time,  and 
they  shall  inherit  all  things  forever. 

In  sum,  all  things  and  every  event  are  constantly  under  the 
direction  and  control  of  infinite  wisdom,  rectitude,  and  good- 
ness, and  are  conducted  and  going  on  in  the  best  manner,  as 
fast  as  can  be,  to  the  most  agreeable  and  happy  issue  possi- 
ble, the  greatest,  most  bright,  and  happifying  exhibition  of 
the  divine  character,  and  the  highest  glory  and  felicity  of  the 
everlasting  kingdom  of  God,  from  which  no  creature  will  be 
excluded  but  those  whose  presence  there  is  inconsistent  with 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  greatest  good  of  his  kingdom,  and, 
therefore,  contrary  to  wisdom  and  goodness,  and  who  do  at 
the  same  time  exclude  themselves.  Every  thing,  circum- 
stance, and  event  is  right,  and  all  conspire  to  promote  the 
greatest  good,  and,  all  things  considered,  it  is,  on  the  whole, 
best  that  they  should  be  just  what  they  are,  and  take  place 
exactly  as  they  do.  No  alteration  can  possibly  be  made,  with- 
out injuring  and  spoiling  the  divine  plan  formed  by  infinite 
understanding,  wisdom,  and  goodness.  All  this  is  to  be  seen 
with   the   greatest   certainty  in  the  infinitely  important  and 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OP    MEN.  739 

excellent  character,  works,  and  revealed  designs  of  the  glorious 
Savior  of  the  world. 

Surely  no  intelligent  and  truly  benevolent  person  can  be- 
lieve and  realize  all  this  without  feeling  a  peculiar  pleasure 
and  joy,  which  will  more  than  support  him  vmder,  and  coun- 
terbalance, all  the  evil  which  he  may  feel,  or  that  is  in  his 
view.  He  can  with  peculiar  satisfaction  and  joy  say,  "  Sure- 
ly the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee ;  and  the  remainder  of 
wrath  thou  shalt  restrain.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  reigns;  let 
the  earth  rejoice.  Rejoice  always  in  the  Lord;  and  again  I 
say,  Rejoice  evermore;  for  he  brings  the  greatest  good  out  of 
all  evil,  and  this  shall  certainly  be  the  happy  issue  of  all.  He 
is  the  Rock,  his  work  is  perfect;  for  all  his  ways  are  judgment : 
a  God  of  truth,  and  without  iniquity ;  just  and  right  is  he." 

Here  it  may  be  useful  to  attend  to,  and  answer,  several 
questions  which  may  arise  in  the  minds  of  some. 

Question.  How  can  we  have  any  joy  or  comfort  in  any  or 
all  of  this,  while  we  do  not  know,  and  have  little  or  no  evidence 
or  hope,  that  we  are  interested  in  all  this  good,  but  fear  that 
Christ  does  not  intend  to  save  us,  and  that  we  shall  perish 
forever  ?  If  we  knew  we  were  Christians  and  real  friends  to 
Christ,  and  should  be  saved,  this  would  give  us  comfort  and 
joy ;  but  as  we  know  not  that  this  is  true,  and  do  often  much 
doubt  of  it,  what  is  all  the  good,  which  has  been  represented 
as  the  issue  of  all  evil,  to  us,  while  we  know  not  that  we  shall 
have  any  part  in  it,  but  may  be  cast  oif,  and  be  miserable 
forever  ? 

Answer.  If  you  are  wholly  selfish,  and  have  no  desire  that 
God  may  be  glorified,  and  the  greatest  good  of  his  kingdom 
promoted,  and  can  take  no  pleasure  in  the  prospect  and  as- 
surance of  this,  unless  you  are  certain  your  own  personal 
happiness  will  be  secured  and  promoted  hereby,  then  this  dis- 
covers and  decides  your  state  and  character,  that  you  are  not 
a  real  friend  to  Christ  and  his  church,  and  no  true  Christian. 
All  your  hope  and  thoughts  of  this  are  a  mere  delusion,  and 
ought  to  be  immediately  dismissed.  You  must  be  born  again 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  become  new  creatures,  before  you  can 
be  Christians.  But  if  you  have  any  true  benevolence,  and  are 
friends  to  Christ  and  his  cause  and  interest,  and  the  greatest 
happiness  of  his  church  and  kingdom,  you  cannot  but  have 
comfort,  pleasure,  and  joy  in  the  view  and  assurance  that  all 
things  and  every  event,  however  evil  and  of  a  bad  tendency 
in  itself,  will  be  overruled  by  him  for  his  honor  and  the  great- 
est good  of  his  kingdom  ;  that  his  interest  is  secure,  and  will 
be  promoted  by  every  thing  that  takes  place,  without  consid- 
ering your  own  personal  interest,  whether  this  is  secure  or  not. 


740  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SIXS    OF    MEN. 

And,  indeed,  you  cannot  know  or  have  any  ground  to  think 
or  hope  that  you  have  an  interest  in  Christ  and  shall  be  saved, 
until  you  have  this  benevolent  affection  towards  Christ  and 
his  people,  and  are  conscious  that  it  does  take  place  in  your 
hearts  in  some  degree,  or  those  exercises  which  imply  this  or 
are  implied  in  it.  But  when  these  exercises  and  benevolent 
affections  take  place  in  your  hearts,  and  arise  to  such  strength 
and  constancy,  that,  when  you  reflect  upon  your  own  views  and 
feelings,  you  are  conscious  that  you  have  them,  that  you  are 
pleased  and  have  enjoyment  and  comfort  in  the  thought  and 
assurance  that  Christ  will  get  honor  by  all  the  sins  of  men  and 
opposition  made  to  him  by  men  and  devils,  and  the  conse- 
quent ruin  of  those  who  perish,  and  that  all  will  issue  in  the 
greatest  possible  good,  on  the  whole,  you  will  have  reason  to 
hope  and  conclude  that  you  are  friends  to  Christ,  and  shall 
partake  in  all  the  happiness  and  glory  of  his  eternal  kingdom, 
and  may,  in  this  way,  arrive  to  a  degree  of  assurance  of  it ; 
and  this  is  the  only  proper  and  safe  way  of  obtaining  a  true 
and  well-grounded  hope  and  confidence  that  you  are  real 
Christians  and  shall  be  saved;  and  as  this  hope  increases  and 
continues,  your  comfort  and  joy  will  be  increased.  But  your 
comfort  and  joy  does  not  so  depend  upon  or  consist  in  this, 
that,  if  this  confidence  and  hope  should  give  way  to  doubt  and 
fear,  all  your  comfort  and  joy  would  cease ;  you  could,  and 
would,  even  then  rejoice  in  the  character,  glory,  and  happiness 
of  the  Savior,  and  that  all  things  were  conducted  by  him  so  as 
to  answer  the  best  end;  that  he  would  save  all  that  can  be 
saved  consistent  with  wisdom  and  goodness,  with  his  glory, 
and  the  greatest  good  of  his  church,  whether  you  are  included 
in  that  number  or  not;  and  if  you  find  you  can,  and  do, rejoice 
in  this  view,  it  is  a  good,  perhaps  the  best,  evidence  that  you 
belong  to  that  number. 

There  are  too  many  professing  Christians  whose  religious 
comfort  and  joy  appear  to  consist  wholly  in  a  hope  or  confi- 
dence that  they  shall  be  saved  ;  their  comfort  rises  in  propor- 
tion to  the  degree  and  strength  of  their  hope,  and  when  that 
sinks  and  fails,  and  is  even  given  up,  their  comfort  is  all  gone, 
and  all  is  darkness  and  gloom ;  so  that  all  light  and  comfort 
with  them  in  their  religion  consists  in  thinking,  or  a  hope,  that 
their  own  personal  interest  is  secure,  and  all  their  religious 
darkness  and  trouble  arise  from  doubts  of  this.  Their  comfort 
first  began  in  a  hope  and  belief  that  they  should  be  saved,  and 
still  depends  wholly  upon  this.  This  does  not  look  like  the  ex- 
perience of  true  Christians,  but  to  be  a  wholy  selfish  religion,  as 
different  from  real  Christian  exercises  as  darkness  is  from  light. 

QuES.  II.  But  must  Christians  pay  no  regard  to  their  own 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  741 

interest?  May  they  not  feel  and  dread  personal  pain  and 
misery  ?  And  may  not  their  own  sins  and  sufferings  occasion 
grief  and  sorrow  ?  And  ought  they  not  to  feel  for  the  sins  and 
calamities  of  others,  and  the  sinful,  wretched  state  of  mankind 
in  general,  and  mourn  and  lament,  in  the  view  of  these  evils? 
Must  they  always  be  all  joy  and  gladness,  and  feel  no  mental 
pain  and  sorrow? 

Answer.  A  Christian  ought  to  regard  his  personal  interest 
according  to  its  comparative  greatness  and  real  worth ;  but 
must  have  no  interest  of  his  own,  distinct  and  separate  from 
the  general  interest,  or  the  highest  and  best  interest  of  the 
whole  universe.  This  is  the  interest  to  be  regarded  and  sought 
supremely,  and  the  interest  of  every  individual  of  this  whole, 
according  to  the  importance  and  worth  of  it;  and  as  this  must 
be  small  and  inconsiderable  in  comparison  with  the  grand 
interest  of  the  whole,  it  must  be  disregarded  and  given  up,  if 
it  be  inconsistent  with  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole ;  and  he 
must  and  will  have  an  aversion  from,  and  dread  of,  personal 
pain  and  suflering,  as  it  is  in  itself  an  evil ;  but  this  is  con- 
sistent with  rejoicing  at  the  same  time  in  the  happiness  of 
others,  and  in  the  greatest  general  good,  and  he  will  have  a 
peculiar  satisfaction  and  joy  when  he  believes  and  realizes  that 
his  pain  and  suffering  will  promote  the  good  of  the  whole, 
which  is  in  all  instances  true,  by  the  superintending  care  of  the 
Redeemer.  Thus  the  apostles,  when  they  were  beaten  and 
put  to  shame  by  the  council  of  the  Jews,  "  departed  from  the 
presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they  were  counted 
worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name." 

And  Christians  ought,  and  cannot  but  be  affected  with  the 
sin  and  misery  of  mankind,  so  far  as  it  comes  under  their 
view,  and  to  be  pained  and  grieved  when  they  attend  more 
particularly  to  it ;  for  it  is  in  itself  a  great,  and  to  us  incom- 
prehensible evil,  and  might  well  fill  a  benevolent  man  with 
insupportable  pain  and  sorrow,  and  sink  him  into  the  most 
distressing  gloom  and  overwhelming  grief,  were  he  not  certain 
that  all  this  is  under  the  direction  and  particular  care  and 
regulation  of  uncontrollable  wisdom  and  goodness,  and  has 
taken  place  because  it  is  necessary  for  the  greatest  good,  on 
the  whole,  and  no  more  shall  exist  than  shall  answer  this  end, 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  greatest  possible  happiness  of  his 
kingdom  ;  so  that  it  is,  on  the  whole,  best  there  should  be  just 
so  much  evil  in  the  universe  as  there  is  and  ever  will  be.  But 
when  he  attends  to  this,  his  sorrovv^  is  in  a  great  measure  turned 
into  joy ;  and  could  he  have  as  clear  and  comprehensive  a  view 
of  the  good  that  will  be  the  issue  of  all  the  evil  that  takes  place 
as  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  have,  all  his  sorrow  would  entirely 


742  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN. 

cease,  and  nothing  would  interrupt  or  abate  his  pleasure  and 
holy  joy.  But  in  this  imperfect  state,  where  so  much  evil  is  ' 
felt,  and  present  before  our  eyes,  and  the  good  which  will  be 
the  consequence  of  all  this,  though  believed  to  be  certain,  is 
not  so  present  and  in  so  full  and  clear  view  as. the  evil,  the 
latter,  especially  at  times,  will  occasion  pain  and  sorrow.  The 
good  man,  in  this  very  imperfect  state  especially,  cannot  be 
equally  attentive  to  every  object  at  the  same  time ;  and  when 
his  attention  is  particularly  turned  to  the  evils  that  take  place, 
and  his  mind  is  impressed  with  them,  he  will  have  pain  and 
sorrow,  though  he  does  not  doubt  that  all  things  are  ordered 
for  the  best,  and  that  all  the  evil  will  issue  in  the  greatest  good ; 
while  the  latter  is  more  out  of  sight,  or  less  the  object  of  his 
attention,  and,  consequently,  makes  a  less  impression  on  his 
mind.  At  other  times  his  attention  is  fixed  on  Christ,  his 
character,  works,  and  designs,  and  the  good  he  will  bring  out 
of  all  evil ;  his  faith  is  strong,  and  realizes  invisible  things,  that 
all  things  are  going  on  well,  and  could  not  be  better,  as  they 
are  guided  by  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness.  His  pain  and 
sorrow  are  turned  into  comfort,  joy,  and  praise. 

Thus  the  Christian  has  his  joys  and  sorrows  in  this  imper- 
fect, sinful  state  ;  but  the  latter  never  take  place  to  that  degree 
as  wholly  to  exclude  the  former ;  but  in  the  midst  of  sqrrow 
he  has  joy,  and,  in  a  sense  and  degree,  rejoices  always.  So 
the  apostle  Paul  "  had  great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow 
in  his  heart,"  in  a  view  of  the  sin  and  misery  of  his  nation ; 
yet  in  the  midst  of  his  sorrow  he  had  matter  of  joy.  There- 
fore, he  represents  himself  "  sorrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing." 
And  he  commands  Christians  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  always., 
and  repeats  the  injunction,  "  And  again  I  say.  Rejoice.  Re- 
joice evermore. ^^  And  our  glorious  Savior,  when  in  a  state  of 
humiliation  on  earth,  did  in  his  human  nature  rejoice  in  spirit, 
in  the  divine  will,  and  sovereign,  wise  disposal  of  all  things  and 
events  respecting  the  children  of  men.  (Luke  x.  21,  22.)  Yet 
he  wept  over  Jerusalem,  when  his  mind  was  impressed  with 
the  sin  and  ruin  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  city ;  and  though 
he  rejoiced  and  was  glad  that  Lazarus  was  dead,  as  it  was 
necessary  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  his  disciples, 
yet,  when  he  saw  Mary  and  her  friends  who  were  with  her 
weeping,  he  groaned  in  spirit,  was  troubled,  and  wept. 

QuEs.  III.  We  believe  a  Christian  may  have  such  comfort 
and  joy  as  has  been  described  ;  but  as  some  are  doubtless 
deceived,  and  make  great  pretensions  to  this  joy,  who  have, 
only  a  false  and  spurious  kind  of  joy,  we  should  be  glad  to 
know  how,  and  by  what,  the  former  may  be  distinguished  from 
the  latter  ? 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BV    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  743 

Answer.  This  may  be  in  some  measure  illustrated  and 
decided  by  the  following  particulars:  — 

1.  The  Christian's  joy  is  pure,  calm,  and  serene,  and  is  bet- 
ter felt  than  expressed ;  therefore  does  not  make  him  talkative, 
and  forward  to  tell  of  his  joy,  unless  when  it  appears  neces- 
sary for  the  instruction  and  benefit  of  others ;  and  then  he  is 
disposed  rather  to  speak  of  the  matter  and  reason  there  is  of 
comfort  and  joy  than  to  dwell  on  his  own  comfort  and  enjoy- 
ment. He  is  humble,  and  has  a  low  and  mean  opinion  of 
himself,  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  his  comfort  and  joy. 

2.  This  joy  does  not  tend  to  exclude  or  abate  a  sense  of  the 
evil  of  sin,  and  the  ill  desert  of  it,  and  of  the  misery  which 
takes  place  in  consequence  of  it;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the 
Christian  has  a  clear  view  of  his  own  sinfulness,  the  hatefui- 
ness  of  it,  and  of  his  desert  of  evil,  when  he  rejoiceth  in  the 
Lord.  His  joy  does  not  abate  his  sense  of  this,  but  rather 
increases  it.  Nor  is  he  insensible  of  the  evil  of  sin  in  general, 
and  of  the  misery  that  comes,  and  will  come,  on  men  for  their 
sins ;  while  he  rejoices  that  the  wrath,  even  all  the  sins  and 
misery,  of  man  shall  praise  God. 

Therefore,  they  whose  religious  joy  arises  from  a  belief  that 
there  is  no  great  evil  in  sin,  and  that  God  cannot  justly  —  or, 
if  he  could,  will  not  —  punish  it  with  everlasting  destruction, 
have  only  a  groundless  and  false  joy. 

3.  This  joy  is  so  far  from  making  persons  careless,  slothful, 
and  inactive  in  religion,  that  it  is  attended  with  directly  the 
contrary.  They  hate  sin,  and  endeavor  to  avoid  it  and  seek 
deliverance  from  it,  and  strive  to  prevent  and  suppress  it  in 
others,  as  far  as  they  have  opportunity  and  ability.  They  are 
fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.  When  they  rejoice  that  he 
is  praised,  thejj  seek  to  honor  and  praise  him  in  all  possible 
ways.  These  cannot  be  separated,  as  it  woulci  imply  an  ex- 
press contradiction.  They  not  only  praise  God,  but  pray  to 
him.  Their  comfort  and  joy  is  not  inconsistent  with  engaged- 
ness  and  pleasure  in  prayer,  for  the  latter  is  implied  in  the 
former.  They  pray  for  cleliverance  from  all  that  which  ap- 
pears to  them  to  be  evil,  and  for  all  things  which  they  judge 
desirable  for  themselves  and  others,  and  which  appear  most 
for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  advancement  of  his  interest  and 
kingdom  among  men. 

But,  in  all  their  desires  and  prayers,  they  are  resigned  to 
the  will  of  God.  They  subordinate  all  to  that,  and  say,  "  If  it 
be  consistent  with  thy  will"  —  desiring  that  his  will  maybe 
done,  which  they  know  is  best,  most  wise,  and  good,  however 
contrary  it  may  be  to  their  partial  views  and  particular  desires. 
And  in  this  resignation  to  the  divine  will  and  acquiescence  in 


744  GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SIXS    OF    MEN. 

it  there  is  implied  an  earnest  desire  and  prayer.  "  Thy  will  be 
done"  may  be  a  strong  and  earnest  petition,  and  always  is  so 
when  it  is  attended  with  a  proper  sense  of  the  desirableness 
and  importance  that  it  should  be  done  in  all  instances  as 
implying  the  greatest  possible  good,  and  with  a  disposition  to 
rejoice  in  it. 

It  is,  therefore,  certain  that  they  are  strangers  to  the  joy  of 
true  Christians,  who,  under  a  pretence  of  believing  that  all 
things  and  events  are  fixed  by  the  will  of  God,  and  take  place 
in  the  best  manner,  and  that  whatever  is  is  right  and  best,  are 
wholly  careless  and  easy  with  regard  to  their  own  state  and 
conduct,  and  whatever  sins  and  evils  take  place  —  have  no 
desires  to  cross  any  of  their  inclinations,  and  to  be  virtuous 
and  holy,  living  in  the  neglect  of  fervent  devotion,  prayer,  and 
praise. 

On  the  whole,  — 

This  subject  is  suited  to  excite  Christians  to  attend  to  and 
improve  the  truth  contained  in  the  text  which  has  been  ex- 
plained, so  as  constantly  to  enjoy  the  support  and  comfort 
which  they  need,  and  which  is  offered  to  them,  in  the  present 
dark  and  seemingly  evil  state  of  things  in  this  world.  Were 
it  not  for  this  truth,  there  would  be  no  support  for  Christians, 
but  their  minds  would  be  involved  in  the  most  painful  gloom 
in  the  view  of  their  own  sinful  state  and  the  sin  and  misery 
which  abound  in  the  world,  directly  tending  to  the  dishonor 
of  God  and  the  ruin  of  all  that  is  desirable  —  attended  with 
disorder  and  confusion  of  which  no  bounds  or  end  can  be 
realized  or  known,  or  so  much  as  conjectured.  The  good 
man  would  have  no  place  on  which  he  could  set  his  foot,  to 
prevent  his  sinking  and  being  overwhelmed  in  darkness  and 
despair. 

But  when  tjie  Christian  attends  to  this  truth,  and  feels  the 
certainty  of  it,  his  feet  stand  on  a  solid  fouridation  —  on  a 
rock  which  cannot  be  moved.  He  feels  calm,  and  has  divine 
support  and  comfort,  in  the  midst  of  the  storms  and  raging 
waves  which  toss  themselves  as  if  they  would  overwhelm  the 
world.  He  looks  above  all  these  threatening  appearances, 
and  beholds  a  serene  sky,  and  knows  the  storm  will  soon  be 
over,  and  the  dashing  waves  will  cease,  and  the  sun  will  shine 
more  bright  and  pleasant  than  if  there  had  been  no  storm. 
The  Christian,  whose  mind  is  firmly  established  in  this  ever- 
lasting truth,  and  is  sure  that  all  things  will  issue  well,  and 
that  it  is  best  they  should  take  place  just  as  they  do,  that 
good  will  be  the  issue  of  all  the  evil,  though  he  cannot  but  be 
affected  with  the  evils,  moral  and  natural,  with  which  he  is 
surrounded,  and  that  more  or  less  at  different  times,  yet  will 


GOD    IS    GLORIFIED    BY    THE    SINS    OF    MEN.  745 

have  sufficient  support,  and  be  filled  with  comfort  and  joy, 
especially  at  times,  knowing  that  the  Lord  reigns,  that  the 
wrath  of  man  shall  praise  him,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  he 
will  restrain. 

It  therefore  becomes  Christians,  as  their  duty  and  interest, 
to  attend  to  this  truth,  taken  in  the  whole  extent  of  it  —  to 
keep  it  in  their  minds,  and  maintain  a  constant  assurance  of 
it,  whatever  appearances  there  may  be  to  the  contrary.  It  is 
to  be  feared  that  many  Christians  are  greatly  deficient  in  this. 
They  dwell  too  much,  if  not  wholly,  on  the  dark  side  of  things, 
on  the  evils  which  are  in  their  view,  and  suffer  much  gloom, 
dejection,  and  pain  of  mind,  for  which  there  is  no  good  reason, 
and  which  they  might  escape  if  they  looked  more  at  the  bright 
side,  presented  in  the  truth  which  has  been  considered,  and 
kept  it  always  in  view,  and  their  tears  of  sorrow  would  be  in 
a  measure  dried  up,  and  succeeded  by  tears  of  joy.  It  is  ob- 
servable that  Christians,  when  they  meet  with  great  disap- 
pointments and  calamities,  either  personal  or  public,  in  which 
the  interest  of  the  church  and  religion  is  concerned,  are  obliged 
to  make  use  of  this  truth  for  their  support  and  comfort  — 
"  The  Lord  reigns,  and  orders  every  thing  right  and  well,"  etc. 
And  if  Christians  would  keep  this  in  constant  view,  and  see 
and  realize  the  hand  of  God  in  every  event,  they  would  have 
constant  support  and  comfort,  and  live  more  to  the  glory  of 
God.  And  this  tends  to  destroy  all  contracted,  selfish  views 
and  feelings,  and  to  enlarge  their  minds,  while  they  attend 
to  the  divine  character,  government,  and  kingdom,  and  the 
power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  by  which  all  things  in  the  uni- 
verse are  directed  and  governed.  And  the  more  they  realize 
and  are  pleased  with  this,  the  more  they  resemble  the  inhab- 
itants of  heaven,  and  are  prepared  to  be  members  of  that 
happy  society,  and  join  with  them  in  rejoicing  and  praising 
the  only  wise  God  their  Savior  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 
VOL.  III.  63 


746  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 


SERMON   II. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

The  author  hopes  the  candid  reader  will  not  be  displeased  with  his  speak- 
ing so  much  in  the  first  person  singular  in  the  following  discourse.  Such 
egotism  in  general  is  disagreeable  to  him,  and  he  has,  therefore,  avoided  it 
in  his  other  discourses,  as  the  reader  will  perceive ;  but  the  following  being 
of  a  peculiar  kind,  seemed  to  render  it  necessary,  and  it  is  hoped  will  not  be 
thought  selfish,  assuming,  or  improper. 


Tlie  Authofs  Farewell  to  the  World. 

Sm-ely  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee  :  the  remainder  of  w-rath  shalt 
thou  restrain.  —  Ps.  Ixxvi.  10. 

These  words  have  been  explained  in  the  preceding  dis- 
course, and  it  appears  that  they  contain  the  following  impor- 
tant truth :  — 

That  God,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness,  has  deter- 
mined that  there  should  be  just  so  much  evil,  both  moral  and 
natural,  as  has  been,  now  is,  and  ever  will  be,  and  no  more ; 
as  it  is  most  suitable  and  necessary  to  make  the  brightest  dis- 
play of  his  perfections,  and  effect  the  greatest  good,  glory,  and 
happiness  of  his  eternal  kingdom  ;  therefore,  it  is  most  wise 
and  best  that  all  this  evil  should  exist ;  and  every  instance  of 
it,  greater  or  less,  God  will  overrule  to  answer  this  end,  in  the 
highest  possible  degree. 

It  has  been  shown  that  this  truth,  being  believed  and  prop- 
erly improved,  is  a  sufficient  and  the  only  foundation  for  the 
support,  comfort,  and  joy  of  the  benevolent  friends  of  God, 
in  all  the  darkness,  confusion,  sin,  and  misery  with  which  they 
are  surrounded. 

And  now,  standing  on  this  sure,  firm  foundation,  this  im- 
movable, everlasting  rock,  I  look  around,  and,  as  far  as  I  am 
able,  view  the  world  of  mankind,  and  take  my  leave  of  them, 
expecting  soon  to  put  off  this  my  tabernacle,  ^ 

I  am  old,  having  lived  near  fourscore  years,  and  I  know 
not  the  day  of  my  death,  but  have  no  reason  to  think  it  is 
far  distant. 

It  is  my  earnest  wish  to  leave  a  blessing  behind  me  when  I 
shall  go  hence;  and  I  have  the  consolation  to  know  I  shall. 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.  He 
lives  and  reigns  head  over  all  things  to  the  church.     He  will 


I 
THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  747 

reign  till  all  his  enemies  are  put  under  his  feet,  till  he  has  de- 
stroyed the  works  of  the  devil,  and  perfectly  completed  the  work 
of  redemption  ;  yea,  he  will  reign  forever.  He  will  cause  all  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world,  in  which  Satan  has  reigned  so  long,  to 
become  his  own  kingdom  ;  and  all  nations  shall  serve  him,  and 
be  holy  and  happy  under  his  influence,  protection,  and  smiles. 
Of  this  blessed  time  the  Bible  is  full  of  predictions  and  prom- 
ises. This  blessing  I  leave  behind  me  for  the  world  to  enjoy 
long  after  I  am  dead ;  for  I  am  sure  that  the  time  is  coming 
when  all  the  families  and  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed 
in  Jesus  Christ.  The  assurance  of  this  affords  support  and 
consolation  to  me,  while  I  anl  surveying  mankind  in  their 
present  sinful  and  wretched  state. 

It  is  doubtless  impossible  to  make  an  exact  calculation  of 
the  number  of  inhabitants  now  living  in  this  world,  which 
shall  be  agreeable  to  the  truth,  and  may  not  err  in  fixing  on 
millions  less  or  more  than  do  actually  exist.  But  they  who 
have  attended  to  this  point,  and,  perhaps,  are  best  able  to 
judge,  have  supposed  that  there  are  not  less,  but  perhaps 
more,  than  eight  hundred  millions  of  people  now  living  on 
earth ;  that  of  these,  four  hundred  and  eighty-one  millions  are 
heathens,  one  hundred  and  forty  millions  are  Mahometans, 
and  nine  millions  are  Jews.  All  which  amount  to  six  hundred 
and  thirty  millions.  There  remain  one  hundred  and  seventy 
millions,  which  are  supposed  to  be  nominal  Christians.  Of 
these,  ninety  millions  are  Papists,  thirty  millions  of  the  Greek 
church,  and  fifty  millions  Protestants.* 

It  is  not  probable  that  this  computation  is  exact,  according 
to  the  truth,  and  some  may  make  a  different  one  ;  but  this  is, 
perhaps,  as  near  the  truth  as  any  that  can  at  present  be  made. 
I  cannot  speais:  to  all  these  so  as  to  be  heard,  and  there  is  but 
a  very  small  number,  compared  with  the  whole,  whom  I  shall 
ever  know  in  this  world,  or  who  wall  know  or  hear  of  me. 
But  I  am  sure  to  meet,  not  only  all  w^ho  are  now  in  the  world, 
but  all  the  countless  millions  who  ever  have  lived,  or  shall 
exist  hereafter  to  the  end  of  the  world,  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, when  I  shall  know  the  character  of  every  individual 
person,  and  mine  will  be  inspected  and  known  by  all. 

The  earth  is  far  from  being  filled  with  inhabitants.  There 
is  room  for  many  more,  probably  a  thousand,  yea,  many  thou- 
sands, to  one  of  the  present  inhabitants.  The  earth,  when 
properly  and  fully  cultivated,  and  the  produce  prudently  used 
to  answer  the  ends  of  living,  would  support  a  multitude  of 
inhabitants,  even  beyond  all  our  present  calculation.     Noah 

*  This  was  written  in  A.  D.  1800- 


748  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

and  his  sons,  and  in  them  every  generation  of  mankind  who 
have  descended  from  them,  received  a  command  from  God  to 
multiply  and  Jill  the  earth.  This  command  has  not  yet  been 
j:)roperly  regarded  by  mankind,  but,  instead  of  this,  they  have, 
in  a  great  measure,  depopulated  the  earth  by  wars  and  cruel 
slaughters  of  each  other,  and  the  practice  of  a  variety  of  de- 
structive vices,  by  which  multitudes  have  been  immaturely  cut 
off  in  every  age.  And,  by  reason  of  the  great  corruption  and 
horrid  rebellion  of  mankind  in  every  age,  God  has  been  pleased 
to  show  his  displeasure  by  destroying  the  bigger  half  that  have 
been  born  in  their  infancy  or  the  early  days  of  youth.  But 
the  time  is  coming  when  a  generation  shall  rise  up  who  shall 
know  and  fear  the  Lord,  and  love  their  neighbor  as  themselves, 
and  shall  learn  war  no  more,  and  there  shall  be  none  to  de- 
stroy or  hurt  in  all  the  earth  ;  and,  in  the  practice  of  piety  and 
every  social  virtue,  under  the  smiles  of  Heaven,  they  will  be 
happy,  and  multiply  and  fill  the  earth. 

According  to  the  foregoing  calculation,  the  greater  part  of 
mankind  now  on  the  earth  are  in  a  state  of  heathenism  ;  and 
there  are  near  as  many  Jews  and  Mahometans  as  nominal 
Christians,  who  are  professed  enemies  to  Christianity,  and  are 
in  as  bad,  yea,  worse  state  than  are  the  heathen. 

It  is  the  preceptive  will  of  God  our  Savior  that  all  men 
should  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  and  be  saved.  He 
commanded  his  disciples  to  "go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature."  And  every  one  to  whom  the 
gospel  is  preached  is  commanded  to  repent  and  believe  the 
saving  truth.  It  is,  therefore,  wholly  owing  to  the  disobedi- 
ence and  wickedness  of  man,  both  Christians  and  heathen, 
Mahometans  and  Jews,  infidels  and  atheists,  that  the  gospel 
has  not  been  preached  to  all  mankind,  and  that  they  have  not 
all  embraced  it  to  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 

Notwithstanding  man's  natural  disposition  to  oppose,  hate, 
and  reject  the  gospel,  and  the  many  difficulties  and  dangers 
which  hence  arise  in  attempts  to  spread  the  gospel  among  the 
heathen  and  others,  it  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  exert  them- 
selves, and  take  every  proper  method  to  propagate  it  far  and 
wide,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power,  looking  to  and  trusting  in 
C'hrist,  to  cause  his  word  to  run  and  be  glorified.  Love  to 
Christ,  and  benevolence  to  men  who  are  perishing  in  darkness 
and  sin,  are  sufficient,  if  properly  exercised,  to  induce  Chris- 
tians to  unite  in  the  prosecution  of  this  most  important  affair. 
Christians  enjoy  the  richest  treasure  by  the  gospel,  and  they 
will  not  diminish  but  increase  their  own  part  in  it  by  their 
attempts  to  impart  it  to  others. 

Within  a  few  years  past  a  great  and  extraordinary  zeal  and 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  749 

engagedness  to  propagate  the  gospel  among  the  heathen  and 
others  who  have  it  not  preached  to  them  has  appeared,  and 
been  uncommonly  exerted,  both  in  Europe  and  America. 
And  I  observe  with  approbation  and  pleasure,  that  all  the 
societies  which  have  been  formed  are  agreed  in  the  great  and 
leading  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  which  have  been  called  the 
doctrines  of  grace^  or  Calvinism;  and  that  they  appear,  in  all 
their  publications,  to  express  a  spirit  of  true  piety,  and  zeal  to 
maintain  and  propagate  these  doctrines,  and  to  approve  of  no 
missionaries  who  do  not  appear  cordially  to  embrace  them, 
and  to  be  truly  pious,  as  I  am  certain  that  this  is  the  only 
scheme  of  doctrines  which  is  consistent  with  itself,  and  with 
the  Bible,  and  suited  to  convey  saving  truths  to  the  minds 
of  men. 

This  is  an  important  and  commendable  design  and  work, 
and  worthy  to  be  pursued  with  increasing  zeal  and  steady 
perseverance  by  all  Christians,  whatever  difficulties,  disap- 
pointments, and  apparent  discouragements  may  occur.  And 
though  the  attempts  should  not  be  succeeded  in  the  conver- 
sion of  one  heatlien,  yet  they  who  honestly,  and  from*  truly 
Christian  principles,  engage  in  this  cause,  however  much  they 
risk  or  expend,  and  even  if  they  lose  their  own  lives  in  it,  they 
will  really  lose  nothing  by  it,  but  meet  with  a  rich  reward. 
And  if  but  few  souls  shall  be  gathered  to  Christ  and  be  saved, 
this  will  more  than  compensate  for  all  the  cost  and  pains  that 
can  be  bestowed  in  the  cause ;  for  one  soul  is  worth  more 
than  ten  thousand  worlds.  And  though  Israel  be  not  now 
gathered,  and  there  shall  be  no  great  and  remarkable  success 
at  present,  yet  they  shall  be  acceptable  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord,  and  it  will,  in  some  way,  though  now  unknown  to  us, 
serve  to  promote  and  hasten  on  the  happy  day  when  the 
heathen  shall  be  given  to  Christ  for  his  inheritance,  and  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  possession. 

In  this  view,  I  rejoice  when  I  am  taking  my  leave  of  the 
world,  and  heartily  wish  success  and  God  speed  to  all  who 
are,  and  the  many  more  who  hereafter  shall  be,  engaged  in 
this  happy,  glorious  work. 

Of  nominal  Christians  above  two  thirds  are  Papists,  or  of 
the  Greek  church,  and  near  one  third  are  Protestants,  who  are 
not  more  than  the  sixteenth  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth.  The  Popish  church  has  corrupted  the  gospel,  intro- 
duced innumerable  superstitious  institutions  and  practices, 
and  an  idolatry  in  many  respects  more  gross  and  wicked  than 
that  of  the  heathen.  In  Scripture  the  head  of  this  church,  the 
pope,  is  called  antichrist  and  the  beast,  who,  with  all  his  fol- 
lowers, who  receive  his  mark,  are  doomed  to  destruction.  The 
63* 


750  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

Greek  church  is  sunk  into  ignorance  and  superstition,  and 
have  departed  from  the  essential  truths  and  duties  of  Chris- 
tianity. We  are  not,  therefore,  to  look  into  either  of  these 
churches  for  many,  if  any,  real  Christians.  As  public  bodies, 
they  will  cease  to  exist,  when  real  Christianity,  in  the  truth 
and  power  of  it,  shall  prevail  through  all  the  world.  I,  there- 
fore, take  my  leave  of  them,  as  by  the  Scripture  doomed  to 
destruction. 

The  Protestants,  who  began  their  separation  from  the  church 
of  Rome  in  the  sixteenth  century,  when  what  is  called  the 
reformation  from  Popery  took  place,  under  the  preaching  and 
writings  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  and  many  other  reformers,  are 
now  divided  into  various  different  sects,  parties,  and  denom- 
inations, differing  in  the  doctrines  which  they  hold,  and  in 
their  manner  of  discipline,  and  in  the  mode  of  administering 
the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  and  the 
{proper  subjects  of  these  ordinances,  and  in  the  mode  of  wor- 
ship, etc.  In  the  time  of  the  reformation,  and  for  some  time 
after,  the  body  of  the  reformed  agreed  in  the  most  important 
and  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  which  appears  by 
their  confessions  of  faith  and  catechisms,  which  they  published, 
and  are  the  same,  as  to  substance,  with  the  doctrines  which 
Calvin  published  in  his  "  Institutions."  The  articles  of  faith 
of  the  church  of  England,  formed  not  long  after  the  refor- 
mation from  Popery,  are  after  the  same  model — Calvinistic. 
About  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  a  confession  of 
faith  and  catechisms  were  formed  by  an  assembly  of  divines, 
called  together  from  England  and  Scotland,  by  both  houses 
of  the  English  parliament;  which  confession  and  larger  and 
smaller  catechisms  ware  approved  and  ordered  to  be  published 
by  both  houses  of  said  parliament,  and  the  parliament  and 
general  assembly  of  the  church  of  Scotland.  And  they  were 
subscribed  or  assented  to  by  all  ranks  of  people  in  England, 
Scotland,  and  L-eland.  This  confession  of  faith,  and  these 
catechisms,  are  what  may  be,  and  is  generally,  called  strict 
Calvinism ;  and  they  have  been  assented  to,  taught,  and 
maintained  by  many  to  this  day. 

But  doctrines  contrary  to  those  contained  in  this  confession 
of  faith  were  introduced  among  Protestants  not  long  after  the 
reformation  from  Popery,  and  were  considerably  spread,  when 
the  abovesaid  confession  was  formed;  such  as  are  called  Ar- 
minianism  and  Antinomianism,  and  those  held  by  Arians  and 
Socinians,  who  not  only  agree  with  Arminians  in  rejecting 
Calvinism,  or  what  are  called  the  doctrines  of  grace,  but  deny 
the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  These  doctrines  have  had  a 
great  increase  and  spread  among  Protestants  since  that  time, 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  751 

especially  in  this  century ;  and  the  prevalence  of  Deism,  to 
which  these  doctrines  have  a  direct  lead,  has  taken  place, 
and  real,  practical  religion  has  decayed,  and  vice  of  almost 
every  kind  has  increased  and  abounded  in  proportion  to  the 
propagation  of  these  doctrines,  which  are  opposed  to  Calvin- 
ism, and  have  a  tendency  to  spread  infidelity. 

About  the  middle  of  this  century  the  attention  of  multitudes 
was  roused,  and  there  was  a  great  and  remarkable  revival  of 
religion  in  Britain,  Ireland,  and  America,  principally  under 
the  preaching  of  Whitefield  and  those  who  joined  with  him. 
Great  numbers  were  hopefully  converted,  and  embraced  the 
doctrines  of  Calvinism.  But  there  was  too  great  a  mixture 
of  delusion  and  false  religion,  which  has  continued  and  been 
spreading  since  that  time,  while  the  whole  has  been  the  means 
of  the  increase  of  light  and  knowledge  of  the  truth,  by  which 
true  religion  has  been  distinguished  from  that  which  is  false, 
and  the  important  doctrines  of  the  gospel  have  been  pointed 
out  and  vindicated,  in  opposition  to  the  various  errors  which 
have  been  embraced  by  many,  by  the  writings  or  preaching 
of  those  who  have  appeared  to  have  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  But  by  far  the  greater  part,  even  the  body  ^of 
the  people,  appear  not  to  have  partook  of  the  benefit  of  this 
revival  of  religion ;  and  most  who  lived  in  the  time  of  it  were 
prejudiced  against  it,  and  opposers  of  it,  and  many  of  those 
vv^ho  at  first  appeared  friendly  to  it  apostatized,  and  either  em- 
braced errors  and  false  religion,  or  abandoned  themselves  to 
vice  and  infidelity;  and  on  the  whole  it  has  been  the  means  of 
hardening  men  in  sin,  and  against  the  truth  and  all  true 
religion,  and  against  Christianity  itself;  so  that  religion  has 
been  gradually  decaying,  in  general,  from  that  time  to  this, 
and  the  above-mentioned  errors,  and  Deism,  and  even  atheism, 
have  been  fast  spreading,  and  greedily  embraced  by  multi- 
tudes, in  opposition  to  all  truth.  And  vice  and  immorality 
have  kept  pace  with  this,  as  the  natural  effect. 

Deism  and  atheism,  which  are  near  akin,  as  the  former 
really  implies  the  latter,  and  naturally  runs  into  it,  both  being 
not  only  opposition  to  Christianity,  but  to  all  religion,  have 
for  a  century  had  a  rapid  spread  in  Germany,  and  more  or 
less  in  all  parts  of  Europe.  This  has  been  promoted,  with 
uncommon  zeal  and  secret  cunning,  by  a  number  of  pretended 
philosophers,  who,  with  their  abetters,  have  at  length  effected 
the  public  expulsion  of  Christianity  from  France.  And  they 
do  not  stop  here,  but  are  determined,  as  soon  as  possible,  to 
effect  the  extirpation  of  Christianity  and  all  religion  from  the 
Christian  world.  Yea,  they  extend  their  views  further,  and 
are  attempting,  as  far  as  they  shall  have  opportunity,  to  put 


752  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

ail  end  to  all  religion  of  every  kind,  and  all  civil  government, 
in  every  nation  on  earth  where  there  is  any  degree  of  these. 
They  have  extended  their  vievv'"s  to  America,  and  have  emis- 
saries, both  secret  and  more  open,  attempting  to  spread  these 
pernicious  principles;  and  there  are  multitndes,  especially  of 
the  rising  generation,  who  are  prepared  to  receive  them. 

Though  there  have  been  of  late  some  instances  of  apparent 
revival  of  religion,  both  by  zealously  embracing  and  pro- 
moting Calvinism,  or  the  true  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and 
exhibiting  the  power  and  life  of  experimental  religion  in  prac- 
tice, both  in  Europe  and  America,  yet  the  great  body  and 
mass  of  the  people  are  evidently  fast  growing  more  and  more 
corrupt  in  principle  and  practice.  But  very  few  of  the  whole 
are  willing  to  make  a  profession  of  religion,  and  by  far  the 
greater  part  of  professors  do  not  understand  or  believe  the 
important,  essential  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  are  far  from 
a  steady,  zealous  conformity  to  the  holy  rules  of  it  in  practice, 
and  shining  as  lights,  in  distinction  from  the  world.  Attend- 
ing on  public  worship  is  more  and  more  neglected  and  de- 
spised; and  profanation  of  the  Sabbath  is  more  common,  by 
irreligious  visits,  vain  companies,  and  walking  or  riding  abroad 
in  companies.  Family  religion  is  generally  excluded;  and 
family  government  and  good  order,  and  the  religious  instruc- 
tion and  education  of  children,  are  become  very  rare,  and  gen- 
erally neglected  ;  which  gives  a  dark  and  melancholy  prospect 
respecting  the  religion  and  morals  of  the  rising  and  future 
generations.  And  in  proportion  to  the  neglect  of  public  wor- 
ship, and  the  profanation  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  increase  of 
profaneness  and  other  vices,  there  is  an  increasing  desire  and 
engagedness  to  attend  the  foolish,  wicked,  and  corrupting 
diversions  of  the  stage  or  theatre,  and  other  sinful  assemblies 
and  amusements. 

The  present  state  of  religion,  both  as  to  the  doctrines  and 
practice  of  those  who  profess  to  believe  that  Christianity  is  a 
divine  institution,  and  of  those  who  are  professed  infidels, 
affords  a  clear  practical  demonstration  of  what  the  Bible  abun- 
dantly holds  i'orth,  viz.,  that  true  religion,  in  principle  and 
practice,  cannot  be  preserved  and  maintained  in  the  world,  but 
will  soon  vanish,  be  rejected,  and  lost,  if  the  powerful  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  be  withheld,  and  do  not  attend  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  administration  of  the  instituted  ordi- 
nances of  it,  to  the  saving  conversion  of  sinners,  and  the 
quickening,  strengthening,  and  comfort  of  believers.  When 
men  remain  under  the  power  of  the  natural  corruption  and 
ignorance  of  their  minds,  not  being  born  of  the  Spirit,  and 
taught  of  God  so  as  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  by 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  753 

the  renewing  of  their  minds,  their  carnal  mind,  which  is  enmity 
against  God,  will  either  lead  them  to  reject  the  gospel  wholly 
as  a  mere  fable,  and  not  worthy  of  credit,  or  to  corrupt  it  in 
the  doctrines  and  duties  which  it  inculcates,  so  as  to  render  it 
conformable  to  the  corrupt  inclinations  of  their  own  hearts. 
And  this  is  no  new  discovery,  but  the  evidence  of  it  has  existed 
and  been  increasing  ever  since  Christianity  has  been  published 
to  the  world,  by  the  treatment  it  has  received  from  all  to  whom 
it  has  been  preached,  except  those  who  have  known  and 
acknowledged  that  they  were  brought  to  understand  and  em- 
brace it  by  the  invisible  and  powerful  operations  of  the  Spirit 
of  God;  that,  were  it  not  for  this  distinguishing,  sovereign 
goodness  of  God,  and  they  had  been  left  to  themselves,  they 
should  not  have  believed  and  embraced  the  gospel,  and  dis- 
cerned and  loved  the  truths  and  duties  there  revealed,  but 
should  have  persevered  in  ignorance  and  disobedience. 

This  evident  fact  is  a  continual,  standing  evidence  of  two 
things,  viz.,  that  Christianity  is  a  wise  and  holy  institution, 
and  from  Heaven,  and  that  mankind  are  totally  depraved. 

1.  This  is  an  evidence  that  Christianity  is  from  Heaven,  and 
a  holy  institution  ;  and  that  two  ways.  It  is  an  evidence  that 
it  is  from  Heaven,  from  its  being  continued  and  maintained  in 
the  world  to  this  day,  notwithstanding  the  great  and  continual 
opposition  of  mankind  to  it,  and  their  unwearied  attempts  to 
extirpate  or  corrupt  it.  Had  not  Jesus  Christ  been  from 
heaven,  and  was  he  not  gone  there  to  maintain  his  cause  and 
church  on  earth,  so  that  the  gates  of  hell  should  not  prevail 
against  it,  agreeably  to  his  promise,  by  the  constant  exertion 
of  his  power  and  invisible  inliuence,  Christianity  and  the 
church  could  not  have  lived  to  this  time,  but  the  great  truths 
on  which  the  true  church  of  Christ  is  built  would  have  been 
discarded  and  forgotten  long  ago;  and  it  is  an  evidence  that 
Christianity  and  all  the  essential  doctrines  of  it  are  from 
Heaven,  and  that  it  is  a  holy  institution,  that  it  is  so  disagree- 
able and  displeasing  to  fiillen,  depraved  men,  by  v/hich  they 
are  disposed  to  oppose  and  reject  it,  unless  corrupted  and 
altered  so  as  to  be  agreeable  to  their  taste  and  their  reigning 
lusts.  Had  the  gospel  been  of  men,  a  mere  human  contri- 
vance, it  would  have  been  suited  to  the  natural  humor,  taste, 
and  inclinations,  of  man,  so  that  there  would  be  no  need  of  a 
supernatural  change  of  heart  in  order  to  their  cordial  approba- 
tion of  it,  and  compliance  with  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  it. 
But  if  it  be  from  Heaven,  it  must  be  a  holy  institution,  and, 
therefore,  disagreeable  to  fallen  man.  Were  it  suited  to  please 
the  corrupt  taste  and  sinful  inclinations  of  man,  it  would  be 
worse  than  nothing,  and  could  not  be  from  Heaven.    But  since 


754  THE  author's  fareavell  to  the  world. 

the  true  doctrines  and  precepts  of  Christianity  are  directly 
contrary  to  the  heart  and  reigning  inclinations  of  fallen  man, 
so  that  he  must  be  born  again  and  be  a  new  creature,  in  order 
to  his  being  a  friend  to  the  gospel,  or  even  understanding  and 
believing  it,  it  is  certainly  an  excellent,  holy  institution,  and 
must  be  from  Heaven.  Agreeably  to  this,  Christ  said  to  the 
Jews,  "  I  am  come  in  my  Father's  name,  and  ye  receive  me 
not.  If  another  shall  come  in  his  own  name,  him  ye  will 
receive."  And  Paul  said,  "  If  I  yet  pleased  men,  I  should  not 
be  the  servant  of  Christ." 

2.  This  is  an  evidence  of  the  total  depravity  of  mankind ; 
not  only  that  they  are  fallen  and  depraved,  but  that  they  are 
inholly  depraved  in  all  their  moral  powers  —  have  not  the  least 
degree  of  right  moral  taste  and  inclination,  but  are  wholly 
under  the  power  of  the  contrary.  As  the  Scripture  says, 
''  They  are  altogether  become  filthy ;  there  is  none  that  doeth 
good,  no,  not  one."  When  a  revelation  comes  from  Heaven 
perfectly  wise,  holy,  and  good,  and  suited  to  relieve  and  save 
man  from  his  fallen,  wretched  state,  revealing  a  Savior  infinitely 
excellent  and  glorious,  full  of  grace  and  truth,  and  offering 
complete,  eternal  salvation  to  every  one  who  is  willing  to  have 
it, — if  man  had  the  least  degree  or  spark  of  moral  goodness  or 
inclination,  yea,  if  he  were  not  wholly  an  enemy  to  God  and 
every  thing  right  and  holy,  he  would  not  hate  and  reject  such 
an  offer,  but  gladly  embrace  it.  Mankind  would  not  join 
together  to  invent  some  way  to  corrupt  and  spoil  it,  or  root 
it  out  of  the  world,  were  they  not  total  and  strong  enemies  to 
God  and  all  that  is  wise  and  good,  and  consequently  enemies 
to  their  own  good.  "  This  is  the  condemnation"  of  man,  as 
totally  corrupt  and  an  exceedingly  criminal  enemy  to  God, 
"  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  have  loved  dark- 
ness rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil." 

But  to  return  to  the  view  which  has  been  given  of  the 
.present  state  of  the  world.  It  appears  to  me,  as  it  also  doth 
to  some  noted  writers  on  the  Revelation,  that  the  sixth  vial, 
mentioned  Revelation  xvi.  12-16,  is  now  running,  and  began 
to  be  poured  out  at  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
or  some  years  before,  and  will  continue  to  run  some  part  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  perhaps  near  fifty  years  of  it.  Under 
this  vial  John  "  saw  three  unclean  spirits,  like  frogs,  come 
out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet.  For 
they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  [or  wonders,] 
which  go  forth  unto  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  whole 
world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of  the  great  day  of  God 
Almighty."     Eight  years  ago  I  published  a  particular  explana- 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  755 

tion  of  this  passage  in  a  "  Treatise  on  the  Millennium."  It  is 
needless  to  rejjeat  that.  I  shall  only  observe  here,  that  this  is 
a  representation  of  the  uncommon  spread  and  prevalence  of 
error  and  wickedness  of  every  kind  over  all  the  world,  among 
all  orders  of  men,  especially  the  Christian  world,  under  the 
influence  of  the  devil,  by  which  men  in  general  will  be  in  an 
unusual  degree  combined,  engaged,  and  armed  against  the 
reigning  God  the  Savior,  and  shall  produce  great,  strange,  and 
wonderful  events;  and  when  the  iniquity  of  the  world  is 
become  full,  and  men  in  general  are  ripe  for  destruction,  God 
will  come  forth  out  of  his  place  to  punish  the  world  for  their 
wickedness,  in  a  most  terrible  battle  against  them,  by  pouring 
the  most  dreadful  calamities  and  destruction  upon  them,  under 
the  seventh  and  last  vial  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  repre- 
sented in  this  chapter,  verse  seventeenth  to  the  end,  and  in  the 
nineteenth  chapter,  verse  eleventh  to  the  end.  This  will  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  introduction  of  the  millennium,  when  the 
church  of  Christ  shall  increase  and  prosper,  in  an  unexampled 
state  of  purity  and  happiness,  for  a  thousand  years. 

In  the  view  of  this  present  dark  and  evil  state  of  the  world, 
and  the  prospect  of  yet  greater  wickedness  and  more  dreadful 
calamities  which  are  to  take  place  for  ages  and  generations  to 
come  on  the  stage,  I  now  take  my  leave  of  it,  with  a  mixture 
of  grief  and  joy ;  knowing  that  all  this  wrath  of  man  shall 
praise  God,  and  all  the  sin  and  misery  that  will  take  place  is 
necessary  for,  and  will  issue  in,  the  most  glorious  display  of 
the  divine  character,  and  the  greatest  glory  and  happiness  of 
Christ  and  his  church  ;  and  that  he  will  hasten  an  end  to  these 
evils  in  this  world  as  fast  and  as  soon  as  it  can  be  done  con- 
sistent with  his  wisdom  and  goodness,  and  so  as  to  bring  on 
the  millennium  in  the  best  manner  and  time. 

I  think  their  notion  is  entirely  without  foundation,  yea, 
contrary  to  Scripture,  who  imagine  that  the  end  of  the  world 
may  come,  and  Christ  come  to  judgment  immediately,  at  any 
day  or  hour  now.  Christ  has  foretold  many  things  which  must 
come  to  pass  between  this  time  and  that  grand  event.  Nor, 
as  they  think,  would  the  preaching  of  such  a  doctrine  tend  to 
awaken  people,  and  prevent  their  going  on  in  security  and  sin, 
more  than  what  constantly  takes  place  before  the  eyes  of  all, 
in  the  death  of  others,  and  reminding  people  that  no  one  is 
secure  from  death  one  hour;  that  Christ  may  come  when  they 
think  not,  and  carry  them  out  of  the  world,  which  will  be  as 
fatal  to  them,  if  they  are  living  in  sin,  as  if  he  had  come  to 
judgment. 

Nor  is  their  opinion  founded  on  any  reason  or  Scripture, 
who  think  that  but  few  of  mankind,  on  the  whole,  will  be 


756  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

saved.  What  our  Savior  says  of  this  respected  the  then 
present  time.  His  words  are  in  the  present  tense  :  "  Few  are 
saved."  He  does  not  say  what  will  be  in  other  ages  of  the 
world.  He  has  foretold  a  time  when  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  shall  be  brought  into  his  church  and  kingdom ;  and  so 
many  may  exist  in  this  time  as  to  outnumber  all  that  will 
be  left. 

Therefore,  while  I  am  taking  my  leave  of  the  world  of  man- 
kind, who  now  lie  in  the  wicked  one,  and  are  going  on  from 
bad  to  worse,  I  may  look  beyond  this  evil  time,  and  with 
pleasure  hail  the  incalculable  millions  of  holy  and  happy  sons 
and  daughters  of  Adam  who  shall  yet  arise  and  live  on  the 
earth,  and  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  the  glory  of  Christ  and  their 
salvation. 

How  many  and  which  of  the  nations  which  are  now 
heathen  or  Mahometans  will  be  preserved  as  a  distinct  people 
through  all  the  revolutions  and  dreadful  judgments  which  are 
to  take  place  preparatory  to  the  millennium,  and  will  be  then, 
or  before,  converted,  and  share  in  the  blessings  of  that  day, 
cannot  be  now  determined.  And  this  is  true  with  regard  to 
the  various  nations  now  in  Christendom.  Some  of  them  —  and 
we  know  not  how  many  —  may  become  extinct  in  the  evil  times 
that  are  coming,  and  the  gospel  be  carried  to  other  nations 
who  do  not  now  enjoy  it.  It  is  enough  for  us  to  know  that 
every  event  and  circumstance  with  respect  to  this  will  be 
ordered  in  the  wisest  and  best  manner  by  Christ,  so  as  to 
accomplish  his  purpose,  to  glorify  himself,  and  effect  the  great- 
est good  of  his  church.  As  to  the  Jews,  we  know  that  mercy 
is  in  store  for  them.  They  shall,  more  or  less  of  them,  be 
preserved  a  distinct  nation,  through  all  the  terrible  shakings 
of  the  earth  which  are  coming,  down  to  the  millennium,  and 
have  a  large  share  in  the  blessings  of  that  day. 

I  take  my  leave  of  them,  being  now  in  a  scattered,  afflicted 
state,  under  the  power  of  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  the  as- 
sured, joyful  prospect  of  the  great  good  that  is  coming  to 
them,  when  their  reception  into  the  church  of  Christ  will  be 
life  from  the  dead,  and  the  unsearchable  depth  of  the  riches 
both  of  the  wisdom,  goodness,  and  knowledge  of  Christ  will 
be  forever  adored  by  all  the  redeemed.  O,  how  shall  all  their 
past  and  present  wrath,  together  with  their  future  reconcilia- 
tion, praise  him  I 

When  I  turn  my  attention  to  Christendom,  with  pain  and 
abhorrence  I  pass  over  "the  beast"  —  the  pope  and  his  adher- 
ents, even  all  who  receive  the  mark  of  this  beast — as  doomed 
to  certain  destruction ;  and  I  am  without  any  assurance  that 
those  who  belong  to  the  apostate  Greek  church  will  escape 
this  dreadful  evil. 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  757 

But  what  shall  I  say  of  or  to  those  who  are  called  Protes- 
tants ?  Great  numbers  who  live  among  Protestants  have  pro- 
fessed to  disbelieve  and  renounce  Christianity,  and  many  have 
written  against  it,  and  attempt  to  prove  that  it  is  a  mere  fable, 
not  worthy  of  the  least  credit.  And  though  all  they  have  written 
has  been  fully  and  often  refuted,  they  persist  in  their  infidelity, 
and  their  number  appears  to  be  greatly  increasing,  either 
openly  or  more  secretly, — while  they  are  assiduously  endeav- 
oring to  insinuate  their  tenets  by  all  possible  means  wherever 
they  can  have  any  influence,  (which  they  appear  to  have,  es- 
pecially on  the  rising  generation,)  — so  that  they  will  soon  be 
greatly  the  majority,  if  they  are  not  so  now,  unless  Christ 
interpose  by  his  irresistible  power. 

I  take  my  leave  of  all  these,  knowing  that,  if  they  persist  in 
their  unbelief,  they  will  die  in  their  sins,  and  perish  in  a  greatly 
aggravated  and  everlasting  destruction.  But  at  the  same 
time  I  have  the  peace  and  comfort  which  no  man  can  take 
from  me,  in  the  assurance  that,  though  they  are  infinitely 
worse  than  lost  to  themselves,  they  are  not  lost  to  Christ  and 
his  church  ;  for  this  their  infidelity,  —  a  peculiar  kind  of  aggra- 
vated wrath,  —  and  all  the  consequent  evil  which  is  coming 
upon  them,  will  turn  to  the  praise  of  the  Redeemer  forever, 
and  he  will  be  more  honored,  and  the  redeemed  more  happy, 
than  if  such  infidels  had  not  existed. 

Still  a  more  affecting  and  dreadful  sight,  if  possible,  opens 
to  my  view.  There  is  in  the  Protestant  world,  and  among 
us,  an  innumerable  host  of  people,  who,  though  they  do  not 
profess  to  disbelieve  the  gospel,  yet  do  not  obey  it,  but  live  in 
opposition  to  it,  and  in  a  constant,  allowed  disobedience  to 
Christ,  and  that  not  only  by  refusing  to  do  what  he  has  com- 
manded, but  by  greedily  practising  what  he  has  forbidden.  It 
would  take  many  pages  to  enumerate  half  of  the  open  vices 
which  are  practised  by  Protestants,  notwithstanding  all  the 
restraints  of  civil  government.  These  vices  abound  among 
those  in  high  stations,  and  in  the  low  —  ricli  and  poor,  learned 
and  ignorant,  old  and  young.  From  all  these  I  take  my  sor- 
rowful departure,  knowing  that,  unless  they  repent,  the  time 
is  coming  when  Christ  will  say  to  them,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye 
workers  of  iniquity.  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  pun- 
ishment." But,  in  all  this  sorrow,  I  am  rejoicing  that  Christ 
will  cleanse  the  world  from  this  wickedness,  and  when  the 
wicked  are  turned  into  hell,  he  will  fill  it  with  holy  inhabit- 
ants ;  and  he  will  be  more  glorified,  and  the  church  more 
happy,  than  could  be  if  all  this  wickedness  had  not  taken 
place. 

Another  numerous  class  of  Protestants  now  come  into  view,. 
VOL.  III.  64 


7S8  THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD. 

who  are  too  ignorant  or  erroneous  to  be  saved.  Many  of 
these  are  included  in  the  class  last  mentioned,  but  not  all;  for 
whether  their  lives  be  vicious,  or  what  may  be  called  moral,  if 
they  be  ignorant  of  the  gospel  and  the  truths  of  which  it  con- 
sists, or  if  they  do  not  believe  these  truths,  but  deny  and 
reject  them,  they  cannot  be  saved  by  it. 

I  am  sensible  that  I  am  now  exposing  myself  to  the  indig- 
nation and  contempt  of  an  increasing  number,  whose  senti- 
ments on  this  head  are  what  they  call  catholic  and  liberal. 
These  will  say  to  me,  "  What  right  have  you  to  make  a  creed 
for  us,  or  any  other  man,  and  insist  that  all  must  believe  and 
cordially  embrace  the  doctrines  you  hold,  in  order  to  be  saved? 
We  believe  it  is  of  no  great  importance  what  a  man's  creed 
is,  or  whether  he  has  any,  if  he  be  honest  and  sincere  in  what 
he  does,  and  worships  God,  and  lives  a  good  moral  life." 

To  these  I  have  to  say.  Ye  are  some  of  those  whom  I  mean 
to  include  in  the  above  description.  You  assert  that  the  doc- 
trines or  truths  revealed  in  the  gospel,  if  there  be  any,  are  of 
no  importance;  so  that  he  who  does  not  believe  them,  what- 
ever he  believes,  and  he  who  is  totally  ignorant  of  the  truth, 
may  be  saved,  as  well  as  if  they  understood  and  believed  the 
truth.  You  are  yourselves  totally  ignorant  of  the  gospel,  and 
appear  to  be  real  enemies  to  it ;  for  if  what  you  assert  were 
true,  the  gospel  is  worth  nothing,  and  men  may  be  saved 
without  as  well  as  by  it. 

He  only  who  believes  the  gospel,  as  preached  by  the  in- 
spired apostles,  can  be  saved.  If  we  exclude  the  system  of 
truth  contained  in  the  gospel,  we  exclude  the  gospel,  for  it 
wholly  consists  in  a  revelation  of  these  truths.  Some  of  them 
are  these  :  that  all  mankind  are  sinners,  in  a  state  of  total 
moral  depravity  by  nature,  in  consequence  of  the  apostasy  of 
their  first  parents,  and  under  the  curse  of  the  righteous  law  of 
God ;  —  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  such  lost 
sinners  by  making  a  full  atonement  for  their  sins  —  by  suffer- 
ing in  their  stead,  and  meriting  eternal  life  for  them  by  his 
obedience,  and  power  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  renew  and  sanctify 
them ;  (all  which  is  infinitely  too  great  for  any  mere  creature 
to  do;)  therefore  he  must  be  a  divine  person  —  really  God 
with  us,  manifested  in  the  human  nature;  —  that,  in  order 
to  be  saved,  men  must  be  renewed  unto  holiness  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  (in  which  he  is  the  first  mover,)  by  regenerating  them  ; 
of  which  none  have  any  desert  or  claim.  "  Therefore  he  has 
mercy  on  whom  he  will,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth;" 
which  naturally,  and  even  necessarily,  introduces  the  doctrine 
of  the  divine  decrees  with  respect  to  man  and  his  salvation, 
and  consequently  respecting  every  thing  else ;  and  of  election, 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  759 

and  the  certain  perseverance  of  believers  to  complete  salva- 
tion ; —  that  men  obtain  pardon  and  justification  by  their 
union  to  Christ  —  by  their  believins^  on  and  trusting  in  him  for 
this  and  all  thoy  want,  which  they  receive,  not  out  of  respect 
to  any  goodness,  worth,  or  desert  in  themselves,  or  any  thing 
they  do;  —  that  they  are  wholly  dependent  on  God  for  every 
degree  of  right  disposition  and  will  to  do  what  God  requires, 
and  not  in  the  least  on  themselves ;  and  this  absolute  depend- 
ence on  God  extends  to  every  thing  in  which  they  have  any 
concern;  —  that  their  salvation  is,  therefore,  altogether,  from 
beginning  to  end,  the  effect  of  undeserved,  free,  sovereign 
grace;  —  that  true  holiness  consists  not  at  all  in  selfish  affec- 
tions, but  in  disinterested  love  to  God  and  man  ;  —  that  they 
who  do  not  believe  this  gospel,  and  are  not  partakers  of  this 
holiness,  and  persevere  in  this  way,  will  perish  in  everlasting 
destruction. 

These  doctrines  are  all  contained  in  the  gospel,  and,  with 
others  not  mentioned,  which  are  implied  in  these,  compose  a 
system  of  truth,  which  is  really  the  gospel,  and  is  often  in  the 
Scripture  called  the  truth;  to  which  Christ  came  to  bear  wit- 
ness ;  which  men  must  come  to  the  knowledge  of  in  order  to 
be  saved ;  which  all  true  Christians  are  represented  as  cordially 
embracing  and  walking  in,  as  the  bond  of  their  union  and 
love  to  each  other.  They,  therefore,  who  do  not  receive  this 
truth,  and  love  it,  but  in  their  hearts  hate  and  oppose  it,  do 
not  believe  the  gospel,  are  not  friends  to  it,  and  cannot  be 
saved. 

This  is  evidently  true  of  the  Arians  and  Socinians,  who 
deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and,  consequently,  the  need  of  any 
proper  atonement  for  sin,  and  oppose  many  other  doctrines  of 
the  gospel,  in  which  they  agree  with  those  called  Arminians. 
These  latter  deny  the  depravity  of  man  by  the  sin  of  Adam, 
or  that  he  is  totally  depraved,  and  that  they  stand  in  any  need 
to  be  regenerated  by  the  irresistible  influence  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  in  order  to  love  God,  and  do  those  good  works  by  which 
they  may  please  God  and  be  saved.  They  are,  of  conse- 
quence, enemies  to  the  doctrine  of  the  decrees  of  God,  as  they 
respect  the  agency  of  man  in  the  concerns  of  his  salvation,  as 
being,  with  the  other  doctrines  which  they  deny,  contrary  to 
the  natural  selfishness,  pride,  and  imagined  independence  of 
man.  There  are  others  who  hold  a  mixture  of  inconsistent 
doctrines,  and  do  not  professedly  join  with  Arminians,  but 
evidently  symbolize  with  them  in  many  respects,  and  so  as  to 
exclude  the  pure,  consistent,  and  essential  doctrines  of  the 
gospel. 

Some  there  are,  who  have  been  properly  called  Antinoraians, 


760  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

who  hold  that  Christ  has  so  abolished  the  moral  law,  that 
Christians  are  not  under  obligation  to  obey  it.  And  there 
are  many  others,  who  are  real  Antinomians,  who  deny  that 
any  man  can  or  ought  to  love  the  moral  law,  or  God  who 
made  it,  so  long  as  he  is  under  the  curse  of  this  law,  and  con- 
siders himself  so,  and  has  no  hope  of  being  delivered  from  it; 
but  he  must  have  some  discovery  that  God  is  merciful  to  sin- 
ners, and  that  there  is  salvation  for  them  by  Christ,  before  he 
can  love  God  or  his  law.  And  many,  perhaps  the  most  of 
this  class,  hold  that  no  man  can  love  God  or  the  Redeemer 
until  he  sees  and  believes,  on  good  ground,  that  God  loves 
him  and  designs  to  save  him ;  that  Christ  died  for  him  in  par- 
ticular, and  will  save  him.  The  love,  and  all  the  religion,  for 
which  all  these  plead,  is  altogether  selfish,  and  has  not  a  spark 
of  real  Christianity  in  it,  but  is  directly  contrary  to  it.  Jesus 
Christ  has  declared  it  to  be  so.  (Matt.  v.  43,  to  the  end  of  the 
chapter.)  He  says  that  the  love  to  others  which  is  grounded 
on  their  love  to  us  is  a  selfish,  wicked  love,  which  men  of  the 
worst  character  do  exercise;  that  Christian  love  is  of  a  differ- 
ent and  contrary  nature,  and  so  disinterested  that  it  will  ex- 
tend to  its  worst  enemies. 

There  are  many  who,  though  they  do  not  expressly  avow 
this  selfish  doctrine,  by  which  all  religion  is  bottomed  on  self- 
love,  but  discard  it,  yet  describe  the  religious  views  and  exer- 
cises of  Christians  as  consisting  very  much  or  altogether  in 
selfishness,  and  urge  the  choice  and  practice  of  religion  wholly 
from  selfish  motives.  And  if  it  be  urged  that  true  religion 
will  lead  Christians  to  those  disinterested  affections  and  that 
conduct  of  which  Christ  has  set  us  an  example,  they  cannot 
understand,  but  rather  oppose  it. 

There  is  another  class  of  people,  called  Universalists,  who 
hold  that  all  men  will  be  finally  saved.  There  has  been  for  a 
few  years  past  a  considerable  increase  of  those  who  profess  to 
embrace  this  sentiment.  Of  these,  some  are  Arminians,  oth- 
ers are  Antinomians,  and  some  enthusiasts.  Few  or  none  of 
them  appear  to  understand  and  believe  the  pure,  consistent 
doctrines  of  the  gospel.  They  do  not  of  late  appear  to  in- 
crease who  openly  espouse  this  doctrine,  and  yet  adhere  to  the 
Bible ;  and  most  of  these  soon  lose  their  zeal  in  their  cause. 
And  their  belief  appears  to  have  its  natural  effect  on  them,  and 
leads  them  to  live  a  careless,  irreligious  life ;  and  numbers  by 
degrees  give  up  the  Bible,  and  sink  into  infidelity.  There  is 
reason  to  believe  that  there  are  many  who  do  not  profess  to 
embrace  this  doctrine,  to  whom  it  is  so  pleasing  that  they  wish 
and  hope  it  to  be  true;  and  it  has  great  influence  upon  them, 
and  leads  them  to  a  careless  neglect  of  and  concern  about 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  761 

religion,  and  of  strict  morality,  and  so  hardens  their  hearts 
that  they  are  deaf  to  all  admonitions,  and  will  rather  give  up 
the  Bible  and  turn  infidels  than  admit  that  any  will  be  mis- 
erable forever. 

All  these,  even  those  whose  outward  conduct  is  not  im- 
moral, and  who  appear  religious,  who  yet  cordially  embrace 
and  are  at  heart  pleased  with  the  errors  which  have  been  now 
mentioned,  and  whose  religious  exercises  are  grounded  upon 
and  conformable  to  them,  are  strangers  to  true  religion,  and 
in  the  way  to  destruction  ;  and  all  these  false  doctrines  and 
notions  of  religion,  and  all  the  practical  religion  that  is  built 
upon  them,  will  be  consumed  by  Christ  with  the  spirit  of  his 
mouth,  and  destroyed  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming.  Of 
these,  therefore,  I  must  now  take  my  leave,  without  the  least 
disposition  to  flatter  them,  or  hope  of  their  prosperity  in  the 
way  they  are  going;  and  with  a  pleasing  certainty  that  all 
their  errors  and  false  religion  shall  be  utterly  abolished  by 
Christ,  and  that  he  will  be  praised  and  honored  by  all  these 
errors  and  this  opposition  to  him,  however  wide  may  be  their 
spread,  and  though  they  may  continue  yet  a  considerable 
time,  even  to  the  end  determined. 

I  must  now  turn  to  the  public  professors  of  religion,  the 
members  of  the  Christian  churches,  of  various  different  de- 
nominations, among   Protestants. 

The  pastors  of  churches,  or  the  clergy  of  every  degree  and 
character,  come  first  into  view.  It  is  doubtless  true  that  the 
clergy  are  the  leaders  and  principal  instruments  in  all  the 
moral  good  and  evil  which  takes  place  in  Christendom.  All 
of  the  clergy  in  the  Protestant  world,  who  must  be  classed 
with  those  before  described,  by  the  erroneous  doctrines  they 
hold,  or  not  preaching  any  scheme  of  doctrines,  but  who  really 
leave  out  all  the  essential  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  confine 
themselves  to  what  may  be  called  spurious  heathen  morality, 
and  all  of  immoral  lives,  whatever  doctrines  they  preach,  are, 
of  course,  excluded  from  the  number  of  truly  Christian  minis- 
ters. Jesus  Christ  has  fixed  their  doom.  "  Many  will  say  to 
me,  in  that  day.  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy 
name  ? "  etc.  "  And  then  will  I  profess  unto  them,  I  never 
knew  you :  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity."  To  these 
I  cannot  say,  "  God  speed,"  when  I  take  my  leave  of  them, 
lest  I  be  a  partaker  of  their  evil  deeds. 

But  I  must  be  allowed  to  sift  the  clergy  more  closely; 
especially  those  of  the  United  States  of  America,  who  are  not 
excluded  by  the  foregoing.  A  great  body  of  ministers  in  these 
states  are  professed  Calvinists,  differing,  however,  in  some 
points,  and  are  generally  irreproachable  in  their  moral  conduct. 
64* 


762  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

But  they  are  asked  seriously  to  consider  whether  they  have 
good  evidence  that  they  have  been  born  again,  agreeably  to 
the  Scripture  account  of  that  great  change,  and  find  them- 
selves real  friends  to  Christ  and  his  cause,  expressed  in  all 
proper  ways. 

It  is  to  be  feared  that  many  not  having  ever  passed  this 
change  is  the  reason  why  they  bring  forth  no  more  good  fruit, 
and  so  much  which  is  more  like  bad  than  good ;  in  that  they 
do  not  appear  to  encourage  experimental  religion,  or  preach 
upon  it  clearly  or  much,  if  at  any  time;  and  though  they 
would  be  thought  to  be  Calvinists,  they  appear  to  dislike,  and 
never  preach,  some  of  the  most  important  doctrines  of  Calvin- 
ism ;  such  as,  the  total  depravity  of  man ;  God's  first  moving 
and  sovereign  grace,  in  the  regeneration  and  conversion  of 
sinners;  and  the  doctrine  of  the  decrees  of  God,  taken  in  the 
only  proper,  strict,  and  extensive  sense ;  that  he  has  declared 
whatsoever  comes  to  pass.  They  ignorantly  say.  It  would  be 
'better  to  say,  God  forekneiv  whatsoever  comes  to  pass.  They 
choose  to  call  themselves  moderate  Calvinists;  but  might  as 
well,  and  perhaps  more  properly,  be  called  moderate  Arminians. 
But  I  should  be  willing  to  lay  all  these  names  aside,  as  many 
appear  to  wish,  were  it  not  the  shortest  and  most  convenient 
way  to  denote  the  general  scheme  of  doctrines  which  different 
persons  embrace.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  practice  of  the  Chris-* 
tian  church  in  all  the  ages  of  it,  whether  more  corrupt  or  more 
pure;  and  no  inconvenience  has  attended  it,  that  I  know  of, 
which  would  not  attend  any  other  method.  All  of  this  class  I 
must  leave,  with  the  fears  concerning  them  expressed  above ; 
and  while  I  fall  under  their  resentment  and  censure,  as  narrow 
and  bigoted  in  my  sentiments,  and  very  censorious,  I  cheer- 
fully leave  the  matter  to  the  day  when  the  Lord  will  bring  to 
light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  make  manifest  the 
counsels  of  the  heart. 

But  I  return  to  those  who  embrace  the  doctrines  of  the 
reformation,  of  Calvin,  and  the  chief  and  leading  doctrines 
contained  in  the  Westminster  confession  of  faith,  as  being 
agreeable  to  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  who  give  satisfactory 
evidence  that  they  are  the  subjects  of  divine,  regenerating 
grace,  and  are  friends  to  Christ,  and  heartily  engaged  in  his 
cause.  I  embrace  you  with  cordial,  benevolent  affection, 
wishing  you  success  in  your  work,  and  that  you  may  be  faith- 
ful unto  death.  It  is  to  be  wished  you  would  give  yourselves 
wholly  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  that  you  were  all 
students,  constantly  laboring  to  make  advances  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  divinity,  by  reading,  meditation,  and  conversing  with 
those  who  are  pursuing  the  same  study  of  the  Scripture.    We 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  763 

live  in  evil  times,  when  Christianity,  and  especially  true  religion, 
in  principle  and  practice,  is  greatly  opposed,  and  fast  decaying 
in  general,  as  if  it  would  soon  all  be  gone ;  and  we  have  rea- 
son to  believe  these  evil  times  will  grow  much  worse.  But 
this  is  so  far  from  being  a  reason  for  sitting  still  and  unactive, 
that  it  ought  to  be  a  motive  to  great  and  constant  exertion  to 
promote  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  oppose  the  flood  of  error  and 
iniquity,  which  is  coming  in  with  a  mighty,  rapid  stream. 
The  cause  of  Christ  will  not  be  lost.  His  truth  is  great,  and 
will  prevail.  Good  is  to  be  done  now,  and  some  sinners  must 
be  converted;  and  blessed  is  the  man  who  has  the  greatest 
hand  in  this  work.  We  are  commanded  to  pray  to  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest  to  send  forth  more  laborers  into  his  harvest;  and 
we  have  assurance  that  our  prayers  will  be  answered,  in  his 
own  way  and  time.  He  will  fill  the  church  and  the  world 
with  ministers,  furnished  with  such  abilities,  fortitude,  dili- 
gence, zeal,  knowledge,  and  true  wisdom,  as  to  exceed  any  of 
us,  beyond,  far  beyond  our  present  conception.  In  this  view,* 
I  overlook  the  present  dark  scene,  and  take  a  cheerful  farewell 
of  you  and  of  the  world. 

Having  taken  my  leave  of  the  clergy  and  pastors  of  churches 
among  Protestants,  I  must  not  pass  over  the  private  members 
of  these  churches,'in  very  different  worldly  circumstances  and 
stations,  and  of  various  denominations.  When  all  of  this 
class,  who  are  either  ignorant  of  the  essential  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  or  deny  and  oppose  them,  and  imbibe  contrary  errors, 
as  most  agreeable  to  their  hearts ;  and  all  those  who  take  the 
name  of  Christians,  but  do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  and  lead 
vicious  lives ;  also  all  mere  formal  professors,  who  do  not  live 
up  to  their  profession,  and  bring  forth  good  fruit,  but  in  their 
general  conversation  and  conduct  mix  with  the  men  of  the 
world,  and  live  more  conformably  to  them  than  like  real  Chris- 
tians ;  finally,  all  those  who  appear  strangers  to  experimental 
religion,  or  any  thing  like  being  born  again,  —  when  all  these 
are  excluded  and  set  aside,  as  not  the  proper  objects  of  Chris- 
tian charity,  how  comparatively  small  will  be  the  number  of 
the  remnant  who  are  left!  And  yet  it  is  probable  that  among 
these,  some,  if  not  many,  are,  under  a  fair  appearance,  but 
mere  hypocrites!  The  happy  number  of  true  Christians  can- 
not be  certainly  known  by  any  man,  and  some  of  them  are 
not  known  by  themselves  to  be  real  Christians ;  but  the  Lord 
knows  who  are  his,  and  will  own  and  take  care  of  them. 

They  are  all  united  in  believing  and  loving  the  truth 
as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  have  all  drank  into  the  same  Spirit, 
under  whatever  form  they  worship,  and  whatever  denomina- 
tion they  have  taken.     The  distinctions  by  which  the  various 


764  THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD. 

denominations  of  Christians  are  now  divided  will  doubtless 
vanish,  when  a  greater  degree  of  holiness  and  light  shall  take 
place,  and  jjrejudices  by  education  or  any  other  means  shall  be 
removed ;  and  Christians  will  be  united  and  of  one  mind  in 
those  things  about  which  they  are  now  divided,  and  their  creed, 
in  which  they  agree,  as  to  substance,  now,  will  remain  the 
great  bond  of  union.  They  who  understand  and  believe  that 
the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  God,  and  that  the  remainder  of 
wrath  he  will  restrain,  as  all  true  Christians  do,  must,  to  be 
consistent,  believe  the  doctrines  preached  and  written  by  that 
great  reformer  John  Calvin,  and,  consequently,  the  above- 
mentioned  confession  of  faith,  in  the  substance  of  it;  and, 
therefore,  must  be  agreed  in  the  chief  articles  of  their  creed; 
for  all  this  is  really  contained  in  this  passage  of  Scripture,  of 
which  every  unprejudiced,  candid  person  must  be  convinced, 
if  he  will  carefully  attend  to  the  words,  and  to  the  explanation 
that  has  been  given  of  them. 

To  you  I  address  myself  with  peculiar  pleasure.  You  live 
in  a  time  pointed  out  in  Scripture  prophecy  as  peculiarly 
evil ;  and  present  evils,  which  have  lately  increased,  both  moral 
and  natural,  doubtless  will  yet  make  a  rapid  progress,  till  they 
shall  rise  to  a  height  which  is  beyond  your  present  conception, 
and  you  have  no  reason  to  expect  to  live  to  see  the  end  of 
them.  Yet  these  words  of  the  text,  and  the  abundant  promises 
made  to  the  church,  and  to  every  true  believer,  are  a  sufficient 
ground  of  constant  support  and  consolation  to  all  real  Chris- 
tians. It  is  a  ground  of  support  and  comfort  to  reflect  and 
know  that  but  a  small  part  of  the  whole  time  of  the  trouble 
of  the  church  yet  remains  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  her  suffer- 
ing, though  the  last  conflict  may  be  most  severe.  I  believe 
we  have  not  yet  attained  any  light  from  Scripture,  from  which 
we  can  be  sure  that  Christians  will  not  suffer  persecution,  and 
that  a  more  trying  and  severe  one  than  any  that  has  yet  taken 
place,  before  the  millennium  comes  on ;  but  this  will  not  be, 
unless  it  be  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  church,  and  to  intro- 
duce the  time  of  her  p^'osperity  in  the  best  manner;  and  all 
this  wrath  of  man,  be  it  more  or  less,  of  longer  or  shorter 
duration,  shall  praise  the  Redeemer. 

The  church  will  live  and  prosper,  and  will  come  forth  from 
the  furnace  of  atlliction  as  gold  purified  seven  times.  "  And 
the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  return  and  come  to  Zion  with 
songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads.  They  shall  ob- 
tain joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away." 
And  why  may  not  Christians  begin  their  song  now?  Though 
you  do  not  see  the  glorious  Redeemer,  yet,  believing,  you  love 
him  who  orders  all  things  perfectly  well,  takes  the  best  care 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  765 

of  the  church,  and  of  every  one  who  trusts  in  him,  and  will 
glorify  himself  by  all  things  to  the  highest  degree.  Well  may 
you  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  while  you 
watch  and  keep  your  garments,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of 
the  gospel,  and  in  nothing  terrified  by  your  adversaries.  With 
joy  I  now  bid  you  a  hearty,  though  I  hope  not  a  long  farewell. 

But  New  England,  the  place  of  my  nativity,  demands  my 
more  particular  attention.  Aside  from  my  partiality  in  favor 
of  this  part  of  the  world,  I  believe  that  all  men  of  observation 
and  judgment  in  this  matter,  who  are  acquainted  with  the 
Protestant  world  in  general,  and  with  the  religious  state  of 
New  England,  from  the  first  settlement  of  it,  will  grant  there 
has  been  the  appearance  of  more  true  religion  in  principle, 
profession,  and  practice,  and  a  more  regular  moral  conduct, 
among  all  orders  and  ages  of  persons,  in  this  part  of  America, 
than  in  any  other  part  of  the  Christian  world  of  equal  extent. 
Boston,  the  metropolis  of  New  England,  has  been,  till  within 
less  than  fifty  years  past,  a  place  of  more  religious  order,  in 
the  observation  of  the  Sabbath  and  other  religious  duties,  a 
better  education  of  children,  and  of  a  more  decent,  sober, 
moral  conduct  of  the  inhabitants  in  general,  than  of  any  other 
equally  or  more  populous  city  or  town  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
And  the  people  ii.  general  in  New  England  were  disposed  to 
pay  respect  to  religion,  to  maintain  family  religion  and  wor- 
ship. The  Sabbath  and  public  worship  were  regarded  and 
attended  upon  by  the  inhabitants  in  general.  The  churches 
were  considerably  large,  and  a  degree  of  discipline  kept  up. 
Children  were  under  government,  instructed,  and  catechized. 
Gross,  open  vices  were  in  a  great  degree  restrained.  Leading 
men  in  public  stations  were  in  general  exemplary,  and  the 
bigger  part  of  people  were  intelligent  in  things  of  morality  and 
religion,  and  of  a  good  behavior. 

But,  alas !  "  how  is  the  gold  become  dim !  how  is  the 
most  tine  gold  changed ! "  Of  late  years,  a  great  and  rapid 
degeneracy  has  taken  place,  both  in  the  doctrines  and  duties 
of  religion.  Family  worsliip,  and  a  proper  government  and 
religious  education  of  children,  are  generally  neglected.  Error 
and  ignorance  in  religious  concerns,  and  vice  and  immorality 
in  conduct,  are  greatly  increasing.  Infidelity,  Deism,  and 
atheism  are  spreading  as  an  irresistible  torrent,  and  many,  if 
not  most,  of  the  youth  and  rising  generation  are  growing  up 
ready  to  imbibe  error  and  infidelity.  If  these  shall  have  their 
natural  course,  unless  divine  influence  interpose,  and  put  a 
.stop  to  them.  New  England  will  soon  become  as  famous  for 
irreligion,  infidelity,  atheism,  immorality,  and  heathenism,  as 
it  has  been  for  the  contrary,  and  Christianity  will  be  wholly 


766  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

excluded  and  forgotten.  It  is  true  that  all  Christian  ministers, 
and  others  in  public  and  private  stations,  who  are  friends  to 
the  cause  of  Christ,  ought  to  hope,  pray,  and  strive  against 
this  evil,  and  exert  themselves  to  the  utmost,  in  all  proper 
ways,  in  opposition  to  the  cause  of  sin,  Satan,  and  evil  men, 
and  be  ready  to  die  in  the  cause  of  truth  and  religion.  In 
tlie  pleasing  hope  of  this,  I  embrace  you  all,  whether  person- 
ally acquainted  with  you  or  not,  with  the  most  cordial  affec- 
tion and  benevolent  farewell.  At  the  same  time,  I  take  my 
leave  of  New  England,  with  the  painful  fear  and  prospect  of 
the  evils  which  have  been  mentioned,  flying  to  my  text,  and 
the  truths  contained  in  it,  for  support  and  comfort. 

Rhode  Island,  particularly  Newport,  the  capital,  in  which  I 
have  lived  near  thirty  of  the  last  years  of  my  life,  now  de- 
mands my  special  attention. 

This  town  has  been  long  noted  for  the  many  different 
religious  sects  and  denominations  into  which  the  inhabitants 
are  divided,  while  the  body  of  the  people  have  been  considered, 
I  believe  justly,  to  have  very  little  true  religion,  if  any;  and 
they  have  appeared  more  dissolute,  vicious,  erroneous,  and 
ignorant  than  people  in  general  are  in  other  parts  of  New 
England.  And  there  has  been  no  general  revival  of  religion, 
or  reformation,  to  this  day ;  and  the  moral  state  and  charac- 
ter of  the  inhabitants  in  general  has  not  become  better, 
but  the  contrary.  The  extraordinary  and  general  revival 
of  religion  in  New  England  and  many  other  places,  about 
sixty  years  ago,  did  not  reach  Newport  in  any  considerable 
degree.  While  the  heavenly  dew  fell  copiously  on  other  places, 
this  town  received  but  a  few  scattering  drops,  and  remained 
almost  wholly  dry.  There  are  a  great  number  of  families  in 
this  place  who  have  no  appearance  of  any  sort  of  religion  in 
their  houses,  and  who  never  attend  on  any  public  worship ; 
and  there  are  many  individuals  of  this  character  in  other 
families  ;  and  many  others,  who,  though  they  attend  public 
worship  sometimes,  yet  not  constantly  nor  often.  All  these, 
doubtless,  include  the  greatest  number  of  the  whole  inhabit- 
ants ;  and  a  great  part  of  them  are  so  inattentive  to  religion, 
and  so  ignorant,  that  they  have  really  no  religious  principles ; 
others  have  imbibed,  and  are  strongly  fixed  in,  religious  max- 
ims and  notions,  as  contrary  to  the  Bible  as  darkness  is  to  the 
light.  Of  those  who  constantly  attend  public  worship,  in- 
cluding the  professors  of  religion,  very  few  of  them  maintain 
any  family  worship  or  religion,  and  by  far  the  greater  part  are 
so  immoral  in  their  conduct,  or  ignorant  or  erroneous  in  their 
notions  of  religion,  as  to  fall  vastly  short  of  the  Scripture 
character  of  true  Christians. 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  767 

There  have  been  a  number  of  real  and  excellent  Christians 
in  this  town,  of  different  denominations,  who  are  now  in 
heaven  ;  and  doubtless  there  are  some  yet  among  us,  but  there 
is  reason  to  conclude  that  the  number  of  such  is  greatly  les- 
sened, and  that  there  are  now  but  very  few.  Of  you  I  take 
my  affectionate  leave,  wishing  you  may  increase  in  number, 
and  shine,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  generation, 
as  lights  in  the  world. 

The  slave  trade,  and  the  slavery  of  the  Africans,  in  which 
this  town  has  had  a  greater  hand  than  any  other  town  in  New 
England,  must  not  be  passed  over  unmentioned  here.  This 
inhuman  trade  has  been  the  first  and  chief  spring  of  all  the 
trade  and  business  by  which  this  town  has  risen  and  flourished; 
which  has,  therefore,  been  built  up,  in  a  great  measure,  by  the 
blood  and  unrighteous  sufferings  of  the  poor  Africans.  And 
this  trade  is  yet  carried  on  here,  in  the  face  of  all  the  light  and 
matter  of  conviction  of  the  unrighteousness  and  aggravated 
iniquity  of  it,  which  has  of  late  years  been  offered,  and  against 
the  express  laws  of  God  and  man.  And  there  is  no  evidence 
that  the  citizens  in  general  have  a  proper  sense  of  the  evil  of 
this  business,  of  the  guilt  which  has  been  contracted  by  it, 
and  of  the  displeasure  of  God  for  it,  or  that  they  have  a  just 
abhorrence  of  it;  but  there  is  much  evidence  of  the  contrary, 
and  that  there  is  little  or  no  true  repentance  of  it. 

In  this  dark,  unpleasant,  and  melancholy  view  of  the  state 
and  character  of  the  body  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town,  I 
must  take  my  leave,  with  a  painful  prospect  of  the  evil  which 
is  coming  upon  them  and  their  posterity ;  which  they  would 
not  believe,  were  they  told.  To  most  of  them  I  cannot  speak ; 
and  if  I  could,  and  they  should  know  what  I  think  and  say 
of  them,  it  would  only  serve  to  excite  the  resentment  and 
indignation  of  the  most. 

But  there  is  a  bright  side,  to  which  the  Christian  may  look 
for  support  and  comfort,  in  the  midst  of  all  this  dark  and  evil 
state  of  things,  which  cannot  be  too  often  brought  into  view. 
All  this  sin  and  wrath  of  man,  and  the  evils  which  attend  and 
follow  it,  will  praise  Christ,  and  turn  to  the  greatest  good  of 
his  kingdom.  And  all  the  wicked  shall  be  shaken  from  the 
earth,  and  from  this  island  too ;  and  it  shall  yet  be  full  of 
meek,  humble,  and  holy  inhabitants,  who  shall  praise  the 
Lord,  and  delight  themselves  in  the  abundance  of  peace  and 
happiness.  Amen.  "  Alleluia ;  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth." 

But  I  must  now  come  nearer  home,  and,  not  without 
sensible  and  affectionate  emotions,  take  my  farewell  of  the 
church  and   congregation  in   this  town  with  whom  I  have 


768  THE  author's  farewell  to  the  world. 

lived,  ministering  to  them  most  of  the  time,  for  above  thirty 
years. 

When  I  first  came  among  you,  the  church  was  not  small, 
and  increased  in  number;  and  the  congregation  appeared  to 
flourish.  Above  a  hundred  young  persons  used  to  repair  to 
my  house  at  appointed  times  for  religious  instruction.  But 
when  the  war  with  the  British  came  on,  we  were,  for  a  time, 
broiien  up,  and  many  of  us  scattered  into  the  country,  a  num- 
ber of  whom  never  returned  again.  In  this  time,  our  parson- 
age-house was  destroyed,  the  bell  of  the  meeting-house  was 
taicen  away,  and  the  inside  of  the  house  was  so  defaced  and 
destroyed  by  the  enemy,  that  public  worship  could  not  be  at- 
tended in  it ;  and  those  who  staid  in  the  town  during  the 
residence  of  the  British  here,  and  those  who  went  out  and 
returned  again,  suffered  losses  in  their  worldly  interest.  By 
these  events,  and  by  the  deaths  that  have  taken  place,  both  on 
the  land,  and  of  the  men  who  have  used  the  sea,  we  are  be- 
come few  in  number,  and  in  a  degree  poor  in  worldly  circum- 
stances. Most  of  the  church  and  congregation  which  were  on 
the  stage  when  I  first  came  here  are  gone  to  the  grave.  But 
the  greatest  calamity  of  all  is,  the  good  people  who  have  de- 
ceased have  none,  or  very  few,  to  succeed  them,  and  fill  up 
their  places,  and  have  left  us  in  a  great  and  awful  degree 
destitute  of  the  power  and  practice  of  true  religion.  In  these 
dark  and  disagreeable  circumstances,  I  now  take  my  leave 
of  you  ;  yet  with  a  hope,  though  a  faint  one,  that  after  I  am 
gone  God  will  build  you  up,  and  grant  you  and  your  children 
greater  spiritual  blessings  than  you  have  had  while  I  have 
been  with  you. 

I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of 
God,  so  far  as  I  have  understood  what  it  was.  In  doing  this, 
I  am  sensible  I  have  preached  and  published  doctrines  which 
are  very  offensive  and  odious  to  many,  though  I  hope  to  but 
few  if  any  of  you.  I  have  opposed  evil  practices,  by  which  I 
have  incurred  the  displeasure  and  resentment  of  many ;  and 
have  taught  and  inculcated  duties,  and  an  experimental,  prac- 
tical religion,  which  consists  most  essentially  in  self-denial,  as 
the  only  way  to  heaven,  which  are  disagreeable  to  many,  and 
not  believed  to  be  true.  Some  of  the  doctrines  which  I  have 
preached  and  published  have  been  opposed  from  the  press  and 
the  pulpit,  and  more  privately,  and  have  not  been  understood, 
and  represented  as  horrible  and  mischievous,  tending  to  de- 
stroy all  true  religion.  But  all  this  has  no  impression  on  me, 
to  excite  the  least  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  so  op- 
posed, or  to  incline  me  to  cease  to  assert  and  vindicate  them. 
I  have  such  clear  and  full  conviction,  and  unshaken  confidence, 


THE    author's    farewell    TO    THE    WORLD.  769 

that  the  doctrines  which  I  have  for  a  long  course  of  years 
preached  and  maintained  are  the  truths  contained  in  the 
Bible,  that  I  stand  as  a  brazen  wall,  unhurt,  and  not  moved 
by  all  the  shafts  of  opposition  and  reproach  which  have  been 
levelled  at  me  and  the  system  of  truth  and  religion  which  I 
have  espoused ;  being  assured  that  it  will  stand  forever,  and 
certain,  beyond  a  doubt,  from  Scripture,  reason,  and  experi- 
ence, that  a  cordial  belief  and  love  of  these  truths,  with  religious 
exercises  and  conduct  agreeable  to  them,  is  connected  with 
salvation,  and  is  a  sufficient  ground  of  support  and  comfort 
under  the  greatest  trials,  and  in  the  nearest  view  of  death  and 
eternity.  On  this  foundation  I  cheerfully  rest  my  eternal 
interest,  which  indeed  is  infinite,  and  invite  all  to  do  the  same. 

To  you,  therefore,  my  dear  people,  both  old  and  young,  as 
a  dying  man,  and  in  the  view  of  a  judgment  and  eternity  to 
come,  I  recommend  the  religion  which  I  have  endeavored  to 
preach  and  inculcate  among  you  for  a  number  of  years,  and 
to  exemplify  in  practice,  both  publicly,  more  privately,  and  in 
secret.  Being  assured  that  he  only  is  safe  and  happy  who  is 
a  real  Christian,  I  recommend  Christ  to  you  with  my  dying 
breath  as  the  only  refuge  for  sinners ;  for  "  he  that  believeth, 
and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned." 

Finally,  I  take  my  leave  of  all  my  acquaintance,  friends, 
and  relatives,  whether  nearer  or  farther  off,  wishing  they  may 
all  partake  of  the  saving  blessings  of  the  gospel ;  and  if  I 
have  any  enemies,  I  forgive  them,  and  wish  to  them  the  same 
blessings.  To  my  kind  benefactors  I  wish  the  abundant 
rewards  promised  in  the  Word  of  God  to  the  charitable  and 
bountiful,  even  to  all  who  give  so  much  as  a  cup  of  cold 
water  to  any  of  the  professed  disciples  of  Christ,  because  they 
belong  to  him.  To  my  particular  Christian  friends,  in  whom 
has  been  my  chief  delight,  and  who,  I  have  often  said,  are  my 
greatest  treasure  on  earth,  I  leave  my  best  wishes,  with  a  fond 
and  animating  hope  of  living  forever  with  you  in  the  most 
intimate,  perfect,  and  uninterrupted  friendship.  Amen. 
VOL.  in.  65 


INDEX. 


The  Roman  numbers  designate  the  volume,  the  figures  deeignate  tbe  page. 


A. 

Ability,  i.  509,  510;  iii.  132-137,  630-638. 

and  obligation,  commensiirate,  iii.  126,  127,  134-137,  296-304,  666 ; 

Memoir,  187. 
man  has  all  the,  needful  to  virtue,  iii.  85,  86.     (See  Inability.') 

needful  to  comply  with,  the  terms  of  salvation,  iii. 
250,  296-300. 
want  of  moral,  is  sin,  iii.  132,  633-636. 
Abolition  Societies,  Memoir,  125-128. 

Hopkins's  interest  in.  Memoir,  119-129. 
Adam,  apostasy  of,  i.  207. 

all  mankind  comprehended  in,  i.  211. 
all  under  condemnation  in  consequence  of,  L  212-216. 
children  of,  not  answerable  for  his  sin,  i.  230. 
connection  between  the  sin  of,  and  that  of  his  posterity,  i.  218,  222, 

363. 
covenant  made  -with,  made  with  his  posterity,  i.  192-202. 
disobedience  of,  decided  the  character  of  all  his  posterity,  L  211-215. 
his  sin  not  imputed  to  his  posterity,  i.  218,  230.     (See  Sin.) 
is  sentenced  to  death  of  body,  why,  i.  213. 

the  natural  head  of  the  race  by  divine  constitution,  i.  202,  204,  214, 
221,  222,  462. 
Addeess  to  Professing  Cheistians,  iii.  159. 
Afeica,  Christiaiuzation  of.  Memoir,  129-138. 

Agency,  divine  and  himian,  in  man's  conversion  and  salvation,  i.  137-139 ; 

iU.  6^7. 
in  hardening  the  heart,  i.  134-137. 
in  renewing  the  heart,  i.  139. 
divine,  in  producing  sinful  or  holy  volitions,  does  not  destroy  or  di- 
minish human  liberty  or  accountability,  i.  133-143. 
moral,  consists  in  volitions,  or  voluntary  action,  i.  236 ;  iii.  629.    (See 
MorcU  Agents.) 


772  INDEX. 

Agenct,  moral.     {Continued.) 

consists  not  in  natural  appetites  and  tastes,  iii.  113. 
Agents,  moral,  angels  and  men  only  are,  i.  169.     (See  Moral  Agents.) 
Angels,  made  for  man,  i.  173. 

probation  of,  for  a  season,  i.  172,  173. 

some  rebelled,  and  some  confirmed,  i.  174,  175. 

the  fall  of,  shows  the  weakness  of  the  most  exalted  creature,  i.  205. 
teaches  man  humility,  i.  205. 

imder  law,  i.  170,  171. 
Annihilation,  no,  of  moral  agents,  i.  171,  172. 

not  meant  by  the  death  threatened,  i.  190. 
Anthony,  Miss  Susan,  character  of,  Memoir,  99. 
Apostasy  of  Man,  i.  206. 

all  mankind  comprehended  in  the  first,  i.  211. 

all  men  sinners,  in  consequence  of  the  first,  i.  216,  217. 

all  pain  and  sorrow,  in  consequence  of  the  first,  i.  212. 

total,  i.  209,  210. 

the  natural  powers  and  capacities  of  manldnd  not  debased  by  the, 
i.  229. 
AsstTRAKCE  OP  Salvation,  believers  are  dependent  on  God  for,  i.  523. 

consists  in  a  consciousness  of  the  exercise  of  true  faith,  i.  520-523. 

different  degrees  of  hope,  i.  525-527. 

every  Christian  would  have  assurance,  were  it  not  for  the  weakness 

and  inconstancy  of  his  Christian  affections,  i.  528.  V 

it  is  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  have  a  constant  assurance  that  he 
is  a  true  Christian,  and  shall  be  saved,  i.  528,  529. 

it  necessarily  supposes  strong  and  lively  exercises  of  holiness,  i.  532. 

many  Christians  never  attain  to  it,  i.  524. 

not  essential  to  saving  faith,  i.  519. 

real  holiness  is  the  only  evidence  of,  i.  630. 

rises  and  sinks  according  to  the  degree  of  holy  exercises,  i.  533,  534 ; 
iii.  642-644. 

they  who  live  carelessly  cannot  have  assurance,  i.  531. 
Atheism,  practical,  i.  31,  32,  36. 

delusion  and  criminality  of,  i.  59,  60. 
Atonement  of  Christ,  i.  324-350. 

consists  wholly  in  his  sufferings,  i.  328,  360,  361. 

does  not  remove  guilt,  but  only  provides  for  pardon,  i.  361,  362. 

obedience  no  part  of  the,  i.  347- 

pointed  out  by  the  Jewish  sacrifices,  i.  326. 

sufficient  for  all  mankind,  i.  365. 

the  only  ground  of  the  sinner's  reconciliation  to  God,  i.  328 ;  iii.  673 
-680. 

B. 

Baptism,  Christian,  what  is  it,  ii.  97-101. 

not  to  be  repeated,  ii.  98. 
mode  of,  ii.  100. 


INDEX.  773 

Baptism,  Cliristiaii.    (Contimied.) 

subjects  of,  ii.  101. 

infant,  arguments  for,  ii.  102-116. 

nature  and  design  of,  ii.  116-166. 
Belief  in  Christ.     (See  Faith.) 
Believeks,  final  perseverance  of,  i.  611-519. 

prize  holiness  more  than  assurance,  i.  533. 

their  assurance  of  salvation,  i.  519. 

attainable,  i.  521. 

hoAv,  iii.  642-644. 
consists  in  what,  i.  520,  etc. 
different  degrees  of,  i.  625. 
is  a  duty,  i.  528. 
Bellamy,  Hopkins's  interview  with,  Memoir,  118. 
Benevolence  a  test  of  rehgious  character,  i.  393-397. 

consists  La  disinterested  love,  i.  236,  378  ;  iii.  34-62. 

disinterested,  import  of,  i.  380 ;  iii.  23,  24. 

essential  to  a  disciple  of  Christ,  i.  38 1-385. 

nature  of,  explained,  i.  385-388 ;  iii.  15,  etc.,  143. 

opposed  to  all  malevolence,  i.  52. 

seeks  the  greatest  good  of  aU,  ii.  195.     (See  Holiness.) 

tends  to  happiness,  i.  398. 
Bible,  a  revelation  from  God,  i.  7 ;  iii.  696-708. 

a  complete  and  perfect  ride  of  faith  and  practice,  i.  25. 

could  not  have  been  forged,  i.  10 ;  iii.  708. 

divine  origin  of,  proved,  i.  9-23,  146-148 ;  iii.  696-708. 

different  opinions  concerning  the,  accoiinted  for,  i.  26. 

God  not  obhged  to  give  it,  i.  28. 

gratitude  due  to  God  for  the,  i.  27. 

Hopkins's  deference  for  the.  Memoir,  180,  181. 

has  stood  the  test  of  the  severest  scrutiny,  i.  7. 

has  no  marks  of  forgery,  i.  10,  11. 

its  influence  on  Hopkins's  style.  Memoir,  181. 

many  reject  and  despise  the,  exalting  their  own  reason,  i.  29. 
folly  of  so  doing,  i.  312-314. 

not  to  be  understood  by  persons  of  a  corrupt  mind,  i.  25,  26. 

obligations  to  make  the  best  improvement  of,  i.  30. 

the  fault  of  man  that  it  is  knovm  to  so  few,  i.  28. 

those  without  it  have  no  excuse  for  sin,  i.  29.  \, 
Biblical  Inquiry,  free,  Hopkins's  love  of.  Memoir,  176-180. 
Blindness,  spiritual,  nature  of,  iii.  555-560.     (See  Moral  Darkness.) 
Brainerd,  David,  Hopkins's  interview  with,  Memoir,  16,  17. 


c. 

Caltinist,  Dr.  Styles's  opinion  of  New  England  Calvinism,  Memoir,  129,  130. 
Hopkins  a.  Memoir,  16,  183,  184,  201. 

opposed  for  his  Calvinism,  Memoir,  189,  190. 

65* 


774  INDEX. 

Channing,  De.  W.  E.,  his  description  of  Hopkins,  Memoivy  92,  101^  199- 

explanations  of  Hopkins's  unpopularity  in  the  pul- 
pit, Memmr,  109,  110. 
opinion  of  Hopkins  as  a  reformer.  Memoir,  112. 
remarks  on  Hopkins's  theory,  Memoir,  211,  212. 
Dr.  "Walter,  his  testimony  concerning  Hopkins,  Memoir,  94,  166. 
Chauncy,  Dr.,  his  opposition  to  Hopkins,  Memoir,  133. 
Children,  the  pious  education  of,  a  duty,  ii.  186,  199. 

their  relation  to  the  church,  Memoir,  168. 
Christ,  the  exalted  character  of,  iii.  501.     (See  Jesus  Christ.) 
Christian  Exercises,  or  graces,  order  of,  Memoir,  239. 
Christian  Practice,  ii.  182-221. 
Christians,  dwell  too  much  on  the  dark  side  of  things,  iii.  745. 

exhortation  to,  to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  iii.  622-625. 

grieved  at  sin,  iii.  741. 

have  joy  and  sorrow,  iii.  742. 

hope  of,  what,  iii.  691. 

how  they  work  out  their  salvation,  iii.  581-606. 

motives  of,  to  work  out  their  salvation,  iii.  653. 

reasons  for  the  hope  of,  iii.  693. 

should  be  able  and  ready  to  give  a  reason  of  their  hope,  iii.  690, 

719-721. 
should  not  spread  an  evil  report,  ii.  197. 
their  fear  and  trembling,  what  meant  by,  iii.  607-618. 
they  work,  while  God  works  within  them,  iii.  600,  605,  627. 
Church  of  Christ,  ii.  69-75. 

articles  of  a,  Memoir,  167-169. 

consists  of  whom,  ii.  69-71. 

discipline  of  the,  ii.  171,  etc. 

duty  of  the,  in  regard  to  its  pastor.  Memoir,  169. 

Jesus  Christ,  the  sole  Lawgiver  and  Ruler  in  the,  ii.  71. 

officers  of  the,  ii.  75-83. 

order  and  succession  of  the,  ii.  77-82. 
~  public  institutions,  ordinances,  and  worship  of  the,  ii.  83,  etc.     (See 
Public  Worship.     Baptism.     Lord's  Supper.) 
■will  be  imperfect  while  in  this  world,  ii.  72-74. 
Church  Action  in  regard  to  slavery.  Memoir,  157,  158. 

measures  for  securing  the  freedom  of  a  slave  Owned  by  Dr.  Hop- 
kins's deacon,  —  resolution  against  slaverj',  157. 
College  of  New  Jersey,  Hopkins's  relation  to,  Memoir,  65,  66. 
Colonization,  of  the  Africans,  ii.  610,  611  ;  Memoir,  138-154. 
arguments  for  colonization.  Memoir,  145-148. 
correspondence  with  Dr.  John  Erskine,  Memoir,  143,  144. 
correspondence  with  Granville  Sharp,  Memoir,  140-143. 
correspondence  with  Zachary  Macaulay  on.  Memoir,  150-153. 
first  distinct  allusion  to  the  colonization  scheme.  Memoir,  139. 
Hopkins's  perseverance  and  generosity  in  the  cause  of  AfricMi  mis- 
sions and  colonization.  Memoir,  148,  149,  153. 
its  connection  with  the  evangelization  of  Africa,  Memoir,  138. 


INDEX.  775 

CoLONiZATiox,     (Contimied.) 

opinion  concerning  Dr.  Thornton,  Memoir,  139. 
proposal  to  form  a  colonization  company,  Memoir,  146,  147. 
proposal  to  secure  the  aid  of  the  national  government  for  colonizing 
Africa,  Memoir,  146. 
*  union  of  the   plan  for  evangelizing  -with  the   plan  for  colonizing 

Africa,  Memoir,  144,  145. 
Contribution,  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  according  to  ability,  a  part  of 

Christian  duty,  ii.  185,  186. 
Controversy,  utility  of,  iii.  185-190,  279-281. 
Conversion,  i.  374. 

consists  in  active  exercises  of  heart,  iii.  572—575. 
not  the  effect  of  mere  light  and  conviction,  iii.  103,  555—560.     (See 
Regeneration.^ 
Convert,  true,  iii.  572—576. 
Conviction,  by  the  law,  iii.  529,  538,  611-613. 

increased  enmity,  while  under,  iii.  101-104. 
necessity  of,  in  order  to  conversion,  3i.  101. 
Correspondence,  Hopkins's.     See  Memoir,  222-229. 
Covenant,  of  redemption,  i.  356-358. 
of  grace,  i.  486-489. 

a  new  covenant,  i.  490. 

difference  between  this  and  covenant  of  works,  i.  492. 
everlasting,  i.  489. 
its  blessings  proffered  to  all,  i.  493. 
safety  and  happiness  of  all  who  lay  hold  of  it,  i.  495. 
of  the  church  with  God,  iii.  100. 
with  Adam,  made  Avith  all  his  posterity,  i.  199,  202. 
Creation,  i.  151-164. 

a  proof  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  God,  i.  162. 
goodness  of  God  in,  i.  162. 
lays  men  under  obligation  to  love  God,  i.  163. 
manner  and  order  of,  i.  153-155. 
dT  man,  i.  158. 

of  all  things,  for  Christ,  i.  161. 
why  not  sooner,  considered,  i.  156,  157. 
Creature,  dependence  of  the,  i.  141,  219. 

consistent  with  his  freedom  and  moral  agency,  i.  141-143. 
cannot  be  independent,  i.  142. 
tempted  of  God,  in  what  sense,  i.  143. 
Criticism,  Hopkins's,  on  Edwards's  and  Bellamy's  Works,  Memoir,  50,  51. 


D. 

Davies,  President,  letter  to.  Memoir,  228-231. 
Death,  ii.  37-39. 

does  not  mean  annihilation,  i.  190. 

spiritual,  not  that  threatened  to  Adam,  i.  191-194. 


776  INDEX. 

Death.     (^Continued.) 

spiritual,  the  crime,  not  the  punishment,  i.  191-194. 
temporal  or  natural,  ii.  37-39. 

a  benefit  to  the  redeemed,  but  a  terrible  evil  to 

others,  ii.  39,  68. 
no  part  of  the  penalty  threatened,  i.  187-190. 
that  threatened  to  Adam,  what  is  meant  by,  i.  179-195,  209. 
the  consequence  of  sin,  i.  214-216. 
Decrees  of  God,  i.  67-148  ;  ii.  703-744. 

are  universal,  unchangeable,  and  eternal,  i.  68,  69,  73  ;  ii.  706,  707,  etc. 
a  knowledge  of  the,  promotes  true  piety,  i.  149. 
a  test  of  true  piety,  ii.  743. 

a  source  of  satisfaction  and  joy  to  all  the  children  of  God,  i.  74  ;  ii.  727. 
definition  of  the,  i.  67,  68. 

foreknowledge,  implies  and  involves  the,  i.  70,  71-76  ;  ii.  707. 
implied  in  his  independence  and  supremacy,  i.  146. 
importance  of  preaching  the,  i.  149,  loO. 
include  the  means  as  -vfell  as  the  ends,  i.  81 ;  ii.  733. 
means  and  agency  of  man  as  needful  as  if  there  were  no,  i.  81. 
not  inconsistent  with  the  liberty  and  moral  agency  of  men,  i.  75-88, 
106,  147;  Memoirl  212. 
with  the  use  of  means,  with  prayer,  i.  75-88;   ii. 

733-735. 
with  natural  and  moral  evil,  i.  88. 
objections  to,  considered,  i.  75-97. 

proof  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Scriptures,  i.  146,  147. 
the  result  of  the  infinite  perfections  of  God,  i.  73,  74. 
the  foundation  for  confidence  in  God  and  submission  to  his  will,  i. 
149 ;  ii.  724-726. 
of  piety,  ii.  703-744. 
of  prayer,  ii.  731-739. 
the   source   of  support   and  consolation   in  trials,   i.    148 ;   ii.    727, 

742,  743. 
tend  to  exalted  views  of  God,  i.  148. 
those  in  heart  opposed  to  tlie  doctrine  of,  strangers  to  true  piety,  ii. 

739-741. 
the  wisest  and  best  that  can  be,  ii.  708-710. 
Depeavitt,  consists  in  selfishness,  i.  241. 

not  in  want  of  holy  principle,  iii.  138-141. 
child  may  have,  as  soon  as  he  exists,  i.  224. 
derived  from  Adam,  i.  223. 

lies  in  the  heart,  not  in  the  understanding,  i.  369,  370  ;  iii.  652,  553. 
of  Adam's  posterity,  wholly  their  own,  i.  228-231. 
renders  men  blind  to  spiritual  things,  i.  227,  228. 
renders  regeneration  necessary,  iii.  546. 
total  and  universal,  i.  217,  226-230  ;  iii.  546,  547,  note,  754. 

and  regeneration  by  light,  inconsistent  with  each  other,  iii.  104. 
does  not  remove  or  abate  obligations  or   ability  to  repent,  L 

501,  502. 
what  meant  by,  iii.  546. 


INDEX.  777 

Depratity.     {^Continued.) 

the  ground  of  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  iii.  547. 
Dependence  on  God.     (See  God.) 
Devil,  Christians  must  resist  the,  iii.  592-594. 

unxegenerate  men  under  the  power  of  the,  iii.  592. 
works  in  the  hearts  of  men,  iii.  592. 
Discipline  of  the  Church,  ii,  171-182. 
DisiNTEKESTED  AFFECTION,  i.  378-398.     (See  Holiness.) 
a  new  heart  consists  in,  i.  385. 
essential  to  a  disciple  of  Christ,  i.  383,  384. 
the  sum  and  substance  of  all  religion,  i.  392-398. 
Disinterested  Submission,  Memoir,  209-211.     (See  Submission  to  God.) 

Hopkins's  views  on,  Calvinistic,  Memoir,  209,  210. 
Disposition,  called  sometimes  principle,  taste,  or  frame  of  mind,  the  founda- 
tion of  right  exorcises  of  heart,  resolved  into  diviae  constitution 
or  law  of  nature,  iii.  553,  note, 
want  of  a  virtuous,  does  not  destroy  obligation  to  be  holy,  ii.  86. 
Divinity  of  Christ,  sermon  on,  iii.  501,  Memoir,  199. 
Doctrines,  of  the  Bible,  connected  and  consistent,  i.  1 ;  ii.  211. 

knowledge  of  the,  necessary  to  conversion  and  sanc- 

tification,  iii.  266-268. 
should  be  understood,  believed,  and  loved,  ii.  214-217  ; 
iii.  513,  758-760. 
of  divine  sovereignty,  decrees,  etc.,  consistent  with  human  freedom, 

Memoir,  172. 
of  entire  dependence  on  God,  of  election  and   perseverance  of  the 

saints,  should  be  preached,  iii.  644,  645. 
the  character  of  the,  not  to  be  decided  by  the  word  new  or  old,  iii. 
342,  343. 
Donelly,  Miss,  Memoir,  100,  101. 


E. 

EDtiCATiON  Society,  Memoir,  138. 

Edwardeans,  who  were  regarded,  Memoir,  235-237. 

Hopkins's  defence  of,  Memoir,  64,  65. 
Edwards,  President,  his  views  of  true  virtue,  defended,  iii.  69. 

«  subjected  him  to  the  charge  of 

new  divinity,  iii.  106. 

and  Emmons  and  Hopkins,  Memoir,  173-175,  235-237. 

his  agreement  Avith  Hopkins,  Memoir,  101,  216-220,  235-237  ;  iii.  344, 
345,  348,  349. 

his  dismission.  Memoir,  50. 

his  treatise  on  the  nature  of  virtue.  Memoir,  218,  219,  265,  266. 

Hopkins's  first  knowledge  of,  Memoir,  18  ;  visit  to,  49,  50. 

intimacy  with  Hopkins,  Metnoir,  2 19',  220. 

views  of  preaching  without  notes.  Memoir,  39. 

vindicated  against  the  charge  of  Mr.  Hart  and  others,  iii.  69,  etc. 


778  INDEX. 

Edwabds.     {Continued.) 

Dr.'s  remarks  on  Hopkins's  system,  Memoir,  204-207. 
Mks.   President,    her   kind   reception  and  treatment  of  Hopkins, 
Memoir,  19. 

her  Hopkinsian  sentiments,  Memoir,  22. 
Hopkins's  description  of  her,  Memoir,  254-257. 
Election,  doctrine  of,  ii.  3-23. 

affords  the  only  ground  of  encouragement  and  hope, 

ii.  17. 
does  no  injury  to  the  non-elect,  ii.  13. 
does  not  make  God  a  respecter  of  persons,  ii.  12,  13. 
import  of,  ii.  3-13. 

is  suited  to  humble  the  pyide  of  man,  and  serves  to 

develop  the  character  of  the  true  Christian,  ii.  20-23. 

not  inconsistent  with  the  offer  of  salvation  to  all  men, 

ii.  14-17. 
not  inconsistent  with  the  most  perfect  freedom,  ii.  18,  19. 
Scriptvire  proof  of,  ii.  5-10. 
should  be  preached,  iii.  644,  645. 
Emmons,  Hopkins's  opinion  of,  Metnoir,  176,  200. 
Emmonsism,  germ  of.  Memoir,  200. 
Eternal  State,  of  happiness  or  miscrj',  ii.  55-69. 

the  righteous  will  be  unspeakably  happy  in  the,  ii.  56-64. 
the  wicked  wiU  be  unspeakably  miserable  m  the,  ii.  64-68,  371-489. 
EvUi,  Moral,  Calvin's  views  on  permission  of,  i.  131,  note. 

could  not  exist,  unless  it  were  the  will  of  God  that  it  should,  i.  108  ; 

nor  unless  it  were  necessary  to  the  greatest  good,  i.  99,  iii.  735. 
designed  and  overruled  for  the  greatest  good,  i.  95,  etc.,  335-337  ;  iii. 

725-744. 
forbidden  in  the  divine  law,  i.  99,  note. 
God  is  said  to  form  or  produce,  to  superintend  and  direct  all,  i.  98, 

99,  120. 
God  not  the  author  of,  in  any  sense  dishonorable  to  him,  i.  100,  109, 

note. 
God's  agency  in  producing  it,  no  more  inconsistent  with  human  free- 
dom than  his  agency  in  producing  holiness,  i.  133-144. 
God  able  to  prevent  it  if  he  pleased,  i.  89,  90  ;  iii.  733,  734. 
God's  permitting,  considered,  i.  103-110,  130,  131,  145. 
human  and  divine  agency  united  in  causing,  i.  134-140. 
in  itself,  undesirable,  odious,  i.  92,  99. 
in  what  sense,  God  the  cause  of,  i.  108-146. 

if  no  divine  agency  in  causing,  then  none  in  causing  holiness,  i.  132. 
no  impiety  in  saying  God  foreordains,  orders,  and  directs  it,  1.  114. 
no  moral  evil,  in  the  cause  of  moral  evil,  i.  101,  102. 
no  more  contrary  to  infinite  goodness  to  cause  it,  than  to  cause  nat- 
ural evil,  i.  123-126,  146. 
notions  of  the  Magians'conccming,  i.  121,  note, 
necessary  to  the  greatest  good,  and,  all  things  considered,  desirable, 
i.  89-99. 


INDEX.  779 

Evil,  Morai.     {Continued.) 

objections  to  God's  causing,  stated  and  answered  by  the  apostle, 
i.  128-130. 

objection  to  God's  foreordaining,  because  it  makes  him  the  author, 
groundless,  i.  102,  103. 

origin  of,  considered,  i.  89,  100-129. 

previous  certainty  of,  not  inconsistent  with  liberty,  i.  106. 

safe  to  use  the  language  of  Scripture  concerning,  i.  130. 

this  system  containing  moral  and  natural  evil,  the  best  possible  sys- 
tem, i.  90-100. 

this  world  the  better  for  it,  i.  92-98. 

the  origin  or  cause  of,  not  itself  evil,  nor  inconsistent  with  human  lib- 
erty, i.  100,  106. 

the  sinner  as  guilty,  and  deserving  the  divine  displeasure,  as  though 
no  good  resulted  from  it,  i.  99,  note. 

to  say  that  God  permits  it,  removes  no  difficulty,  i.  103,  130,  131,  144. 

views  of  Calvin,  Edwards,  and  the  catechism  on  the  production  of, 
i.  109,  note,  144,  145. 

will  promote  the  glory  of  God,  i.  97  ;  iii.  722-745.     (See  Sin.) 
Exercise  Scheme,  iii.  522 ;  Memoir,  200. 


F. 

Faith,  nature  of,  i.  422. 

saving,  i.  421-445;  ii.  758-766  ;  iii.  558,  note,  678-681. 
conviction  of  sin  precedes,  iii.  671. 

definition  of,  i.  422,  448  ;  iii.  664-679,  680  ;  objection  to  Har- 
vey's, ii.  760-770  ;  iii.  679-681. 
has  its  foundation  in  the  heart,  iii.  590,  065. 
implies  love,  i.  429,  472,  repentance,  432,  obedience,  440. 
implies  a  discernment  and  approval  of  the  excellency  of  the 
divine  character  and  law,  and  a  renunciation  of  all  self- 
righteousness,  i.  471. 
is  commanded  as  a  duty,  iii.  665. 

is  a  different  thing  from  what  many  have  supposed,  iii.  679. 
law  of,  iii.  662-685. 

man  cannot  be  saved  by,  without  holiness,  i.  455  ;  iii.  682-684. 
necessity  of,  iii.  589-591. 

Paul  and  James  agree  in  regard  to,  i.  456  ;  iii.  683. 
the  first  act  of,  brings  into  a  justified  state,  i.  476. 
the  gift  of  God,  iii.  681.     (See  Justification  by  Faith.) 
Farewell,  the  author's,  to  the  world,  iii.  746. 
Fasting,  to  be  joined  with  prayer,  occasionally,  ii.  190. 
FoREOEDiNATiON.     (Scc  Decrees.) 
Friendship,  Christian,  a  discourse  on,  ii.  627-700. 

between  the  Redeemer  and  the  redeemed,  ii.  629-652. 
between  believers,  ii.  652-664. 

to  Christ  not  grounded  on,  nor  does  it  originate  from  a  belief  that  he 
loves  us,  ii.  681. 


780 


INDEX. 


FcLLER,  Andrew,  his  correspondence  with  and  opinion  of  Hopkins,  Memoir, 

223-227 ;  letters  to,  ii.  758,  Memoir,  236,  237. 
Future  State  of  the  wicked,  ii.  371-489. 

the  punishment  of  tlie  wicked  in  the,  endless,  ii.  398-489. 

the  wicked  will  be  punished  in  the,  ii.  371-398. 


G. 

God,  a  pure  spirit,  and  absolutely  perfect,  i.  37,  38. 

aU  things  and  events  depend  on,  for  existence,  iii.  733. 
being  and  perfections  of,  i.  30,  37-60  ;  the  foundation  of  all  religious 
truth,  i.  497. 
delusion  of  rejecting  the,  i.  59,  60. 
foundation  for   confidence,   comfort,  and  joy, 

i.  91. 
proved  from  his  works,  from   the  Bible,  and 

from  our  own  existence,  i.  33-36. 
ground   of   certainty  that  nothing   will  take 
place  which  is  not  on  the  whole  best,  i.  91. 
must  be  understood,   in   order  to  know   the 
moral  character  and  state  of  man,  i.  497- 
dependence  on,  for  salvation,  entire,  ii.  3,  4. 

does  not  lessen  obligation,   or  discourage  effort,  iii, 

627-637. 
for  every  volition,  consistent  with  human  liberty,  and 
with  blame  for  not  willing  and  doing,  i.  141-143 ; 
iii.  629-637. 
different  views  of,  the  origin  of  diversity  in  doctrines,  i.  37. 
enmity  to,  foUy  and  wickedness  of,  i.  57-59. 
evil  spirit  and  sinful  delusions,  said  to  be  from,  i.  117. 
glorified  by  the  sins  of  men,  iii.  727-745. 
glory  of,  should  be  the  supreme  end  of  all  actions,  ii.  741. 
goodness  of,  i.  203,  204. 
has  determined  not  to  save  all  mankind,  ii.  5. 
his  agency  in  men's  volitions,  sinful  or  holy,  does  not  destroy  their 

freedom,  i.  133,  etc. ;  iL  756  ;  iii.  629. 
his  hatred  of  sin,  i.  53,  184. 

his  infinite  excellence  consists  in  his  moral  perfections,  i.  41. 
his  moral  perfections  consist  in  his  holiness  or  love,  i.  41,  73. 
his  permitting  sin  consistent  with  his  law,  ii.  531,  532. 
infinite  -n-isdom  of,  i.  43  ;  ii.  533. 
is  love,  and  the  object  of  his  own  love,  i.  43-52. 
is  infinite  and  eternal,  i.  38,  39. 
is  said  to  blind  the  minds  and  harden  the  hearts  of  men,  while  they 

harden  their  own  hearts,  i.  118-137. 
is  an  absolute  sovereign,  i.  55. 

justice  and  righteousness  of,  i.  45-48.  ' 

knowledge  of,  sum  of  all  rehgious  knowledge,  i.  37'.'' 


INDEX.  781 

God.     (^Continued.) 

notions  of  the  heathen  respecting,  i.  31. 

omnipresent,  almighty,  unchangeable,  invisible,  and  incomprehen- 
sible, i.  39,  40. 
seeing,  what  meant  by,  i.  57. 

sovereignty  of,  consistent  with  human  liberty,  i.  141-143  ;  iii.  629 
-637  ;  Memoir,  212. 
pleasing  and  desirable  doctrine  to  the  Christian,  iii. 
738,  739. 
superintends  and  directs  all,  in  all  the  actions  of  men,  i.  98,  110-130. 
the  decrees  of,  the  foundation  of  piety,  ii.  703-744. 
the  fear  of,  an  exercise  of  piety,  ii.  7 18. 
the  origin  and  cause  of  holiness,  i.  137-139. 

of  sin,  i.  97-146. 
the  author  of  all  holy  volitions,  and  yet  volition  man's  act,  iii.  627. 
three  persons  in  one,  i.  62-66. 
truth  and  faithfulness  of,  i.  48. 
unity  of,  i.  61. 

wickedness  of  opposition  to,  i.  58. 
working  in  men  to  will  and  to  do,  what  meant  by,  iii.  618-623. 

does    not   exclude    their    agency, 
but  implies  and  secures  it,  iii. 
618-627. 
working  in  men  to  will,  and  men  acting  freely,  consistent,  iii.  619-627. 
Gospel,  a  testimony,  i.  449. 

compliance  with  the,  is  obedience  to  the  law,  i.  498  ;  iii.  669. 
not  suited  to  please  and  win  the  heart  of  the  unxegenerate,  iii.  682. 
preaching  of  the,  i.  496. 
the  law  not  abated  by  the,  i.  497. 
to  be  preached  to  all  men,  iii.  639. 

why  men  are  opposed  to  the,  iii.  681.     (See  Faith,  saving.) 
Government,  of  God,  i.  169-206.     (See  Provideitce.    Law.) 
moral,  angels  under,  i.  169. 
man  under,  i.  176. 

H. 

Hakt,  Mr.,  answer  to  his  objections  against  Edwards,  iii.  69-99.     See  Me- 
moir, 193-197. 
Heart,  a  new,  what,  i.  376-378. 

difficult  to  form  an  idea  of  the,  distinct  from,  and  antecedent  to,  exer- 
cises, iii.  553,  note. 
of  a  good  man  receives  the  evidence  of  the  Divine  Being,  i.  37. 
of  the  wicked  rejects  this  evidence,  i.  37. 

hardened  by  resistance,  iii.  567. 
the  conduct  of  men  according  to  the  state  of  their,  iii.  314. 
Hemmenway,  Mr.,  answer  to,  iii.  109-138. 

opposition  of,  to  Hopkins,  Memoir,  197,  198. 
Heroism  of  Hopkins  in  opposing  slavery,  Memoir,  116. 

VOL.  III.  66 


782  INDEX. 

HoLDTEss,  agreement  with  Edwards  on,  iii.  6,  7,  69-108. 
all,  comprehended  in  love,  i.  42,  236,  241. 
all  men  naturally  destitute  of,  iii.  550,  note, 
and  sin  consist  wholly  in  voluntary  action,  i.  84-87,  235-237. 
comprehends  all  that  belongs  to  God's  moral  character,  i.  41. 
consists  in  love,  in  conformity  to  God's  law,  i.  240,  241 ;  iii.  13-34,  69. 

in  love  to  beings  ia  general,  iii.  16,  69. 
found  only  in  voluntary  action,  i.  84-87,  134. 
God's,  exercised  in  the  permission  of  sin,  ii.  527-531. 
is  opposed  to  selfishness,  iii.  22-30,  106. 
importance  of  clear  and  correct  views  of,  iii.  5,  6. 
knowledge  of,  necessary  to  an  understanding  of  the  Bible,  iii.  12. 

to  an  understanding  of  the  difference  be- 
tween true  and  false  religion,  and  to  a 
knowledge    of   our  own    religion,   iii. 
63-66. 
law  of  God  the  standard  of,  i.  34,  42  ;  iii.  13,  14. 
men  capable  of,  and  want  only  an  inclination,  and  are,  therefore, 

under  obligation  to  be  holy,  iii.  85-88,  548,  550. 
nature  of,  iii.  9-66. 
necessary  to  salvation,  iii.  605. 
none  arise  to  perfect,  in  this  life,  ii.  23. 

no  degree  of,  can  deliver  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  iii.  673-678. 
of  God  and  of  Christ,  consists  in  disinterested  love,  i.  49-51 ;  iii. 

40-45. 
pardon  promised  to  the  least  degree  of,  i.  456. 
self-love  no  part  of,  iii.  22-31,  103. 
should  Christians  pray  for  perfection  in  ?  ii.  32-35. 
imiversal  and  disinterested  benevolence  the  whole  of,  iii.  28-36,  50. 
unrenewed  men  blind  to  the  beauty  of,  and  have  no,  iii,  94,  106. 
wrong  conceptions  of,  lead  to  all  kinds  of  delusion  in  reUgion,  iii.  5. 

See  Memoir,  219,  220. 
Hopkins,  Dr.'s,  affectionate  intercourse  with  Mends,  Mem.  87-89. 
Catholicism,  Mem.  231,  232. 
childhood,  Mem.  12,  13. 
church  articles,  Mem.  167-169. 
collected  works,  Mem.  231. 

college  life,  and  early  religious  history,  Mem.  13-20. 
conduct  in  the  midst  of  poverty,  Mem.  92-95. 
confession,  and  love  of  solitude,  Mem.  110,  111. 
confidence  in  his  theological  system,  Mem.  231-233. 
connection  with  Dr.  Ezra  Stiles,  his  clerical  neighbor  at  Newport, 

Mem.  79-83. 
correspondence  -with  Phillis  Wheatley,  Mem.  137,  138. 
death  of  his  first  wife,  Mem.  240. 
death,  —  its  calmness  and  triumph,  Metn.  260,  261. 
depth  of  religious  feehngs  during  and  after  his  residence  at  Great 

Barrington,  Mem.  72-76. 
domestic  life  and  family  at  Great  Barrington,  Mem.  64-58. 


INDEX.  783 

Hopkins,  Dr's.    {Continued.) 

earliest  efforts  in  the  Christian  ministry,  and  feelings  in  view  of 

them,  Mem.  24-26. 
early  prospects  and  success  at  Newport,  Mem.  83-86. 
extemporaneous  and  expository  preaching,  Mem,  38,  39, 
familiar  conferences,  J\lem.  238-240. 
family  and  birth,  Memoir,  9-12. 
farewell  to  the  world,  Mem.  232. 
funeral,  and  grave,  Mem.  261,  262. 
general  influence  in  the  community,  Mem.  64-67. 
grave,  reflections  of  future  visitors  at,  Mem.  263. 
household  life  at  Newport,  Mem.  240-245. 
influence  on  public  men,  Mem.  58-64. 
interest  in  abolition  societies,  and  in  political  action  against  Blavery, 

Mem.  119-129. 
interest  in  the  Negro  population  of  Newport,  Mem.  166. 
interest  in  national  and  chxirch  polity,  Mem.  166-169. 
interest  in  the  aboriginal  tribes,  Mem.  44,  45. 
interference  of  colonial  troubles  with  his  ministry,  Mem.  40-43. 
interview  \%'ith  Dr.  Stiles  on  the  subject  of  Christianizing  Africa, 

Mem.  129,  130. 
letter  to  Dr.  StUes,  107-112. 
liberality,  Mem.  138. 

life  and  character  of  his  second  wife,  Mem.  240,  241. 
ministerial  life  began  and  ended  in  a  revival,  Mem.  259 . 
ministry  aff"ected  by  the  revolutionary  war,  Mem.  89-92. 
ministry  at  Great  Barrington, — its  termination  and  results,  Mem. 

67-72. 
misrepresented,  Mem.  101-107. 

monument  at  Great  Barrington,  Mem.  264.     (See  Contents  of  the  Me- 
moir.) 
ordination  at  Housatonick,  or  Great  Barrington,  Mem,  33-35. 
parochial  labor,  Mem,  35-37. 
perseverance  in  his  old  friendships,  especially  to  the  Edwards  family, 

Mem.  252-259. 
personal  appearance  in  his  old  age,  Mem,  244. 
personal  character,  and  its   influence   upon  his  theological  system, 

Mem.  169-187. 
poverty,  Mem.  243. 

prayer  in  view  of  God's  immutability,  Mem.  239,  240. 
preaching  after  his  paralysis,  and  his  perseverance,  Mem.  252. 
private  jo\imal,  Mem.  24. 
public  opposition  to  the  slave  trade    and    to    slavery,   Mem.  115 

-118. 
reasons  for  hope  and  discouragement  on  entering  the  sacred  office, 

Mem.  27-32. 
regular  habits,  Mem,  242-245. 

re-interment ;  monument  at  Great  Barrington,  Mem.  262-264. 
removal  from  Great  Barrington  for  safety,  Mem.  42. 


784 


INDEX. 


Hopkins,  Dr's.     (^Continued.) 

residence  at  Northampton,  and  study  of  theology,  Menu  20-24. 
second  candidateship,  Mem.  76-79. 
sermon  to  the  Indians,  Mem.  45-49. 

shock  of  paralysis ;  reflections ;  self-examination,  Mem,  245  252. 
social  character,  Mem.  238,  239. 
social  intercourse,  Mem.  49-51. 
studious  life  at  Great  Barrington,  Mem.  61-53. 
study  chamber,  Mem.  241,  242. 

success  in  improving  the  character  of  the  church,  Mem.  98. 
success  in  the  pulpit  underrated,  Mem.  112. 
three  years'  absence  from  Newport,  Mem.  95-98. 
two  portraits,  Mem.  244. 
writings,  Mem.  187-231. 
HopKiNSiANS,  their  connection  with  benevolent  institutions.  Memoir,  60-64, 
236,  237. 
who  were  regarded  as.  Memoir,  234-237. 
HoPKiNSiANiSM,  most  noted  pecuHarity  of.  Memoir,  191,  192. 

its  relation  to  Edwardeanism,  Memoir,  195,  196,  218-220,  235-237. 
the  appellation  of.  Memoir,  194,  195. 
two  axioms  of,  Memoir,  108,  109. 
unpopularity  of.  Memoir,  109. 
Holy  Spirit,  one  person  of  the  Trinity,  i.  65. 

necessity  of  the,  to  convict  of  sin,  i.  264.     (See  Regeneration,') 

to  renew  the  heart,  i.  255  ;  iii.  103,  546-550. 
third  person  in  order  of  office,  i.  357,  358. 
Holt  Pkinciple,  none  distinct  from  exercises  of  the  heart,  iii.  134.     (See 

Principle.) 
Hope,  the  Christian's,  import  of,  iii.  691-693. 

is  built  on  evidence  that  we  have  cordially  embraced 

not  founded  in  selfishness,  iii.  739,  740. 

only  in  view  of  Christ's  exalted  character,  iii.  505-507. 

the  gospel,  iii.  714. 
reasons  for,  iii.  693-719. 
when  delusive,  iii.  739-741. 
Christians  should  give  the  reasons  for  their,  when  they  joi:i  the 
church,  iii.  722. 

have  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  their,  iii.  723. 
Hungering  and  Tuirstinq  after  Righteousness  peculiar  to  the  regenerate, 

iii.  216-221. 
Human  Authority,  Hopkins's  disregard  of.  Memoir,  178,  179. 


I. 


Illumination,  divine,  i.  399. 

mistakes  respecting,  i.  417-420. 

nature  of,  i.  400-417- 

not  independent  of  the  will,  i.  417. 


INDEX.  785 

iLLtmiNATiON,  divine.     {Continited.) 

the  residt  of  regeneration,  i.  412-417. 

the  unrenewed  man  destitute  of,  i.  399-416. 

•want  of,  criminal,  i.  420,  421. 
Impenitent,  the  dangerous  and  miserable  state  of  aU  the,  ii.  480-482. 
Impeepeotion,  none  without,  in  this  life,  ii.  23-36. 

state  of,  affords  to  man  impressive  lessons,  ii.  28. 
Imputation,  Hopkins's  views  of.  Memoir,  172 ;  i.  218,  230. 
Inability,  moral,  is  sin,  i.  233,  234  ;  iii.  630-638. 

man's,  to  obey  God,  consists  wholly  in  disinclination,  and  therefore 
criminal,  i.  233,  234 ;  iii.  86,  296,  633-635. 
no   excuse  for  not  obeying,  i.  234;   iii.  86-88, 

133,  296. 
no  excuse  for  not  repenting  and  embracing  the 
gospel  immediately,  iii.  296-300,  635-637. 

misrepresenting  the  sinner's,  dangerous,  iii.  298-304. 

natural  and  moral,  iii.  132-137. 

remarks  on  what  Mr.  Hemmenway  says  of,  iii.  132-137. 

the  greater  the,  the  greater  the  sin,  i.  234  ;  iii.  634-637. 
Infidels,  inconsistency  of,  i.  5,  6. 

their  objections  to,  prove  the  truth  of  revelation,  L  6. 
Infidelitt,  increase  of,  Memoir,  91. 
Infants,  Hopkins's  opinion  on  the  state  of.  Memoir,  191. 
Infant  Damnation,  Memoir,  103. 
Innocent,  the,  suffering  for  the  guilty,  i.  399. 


J. 

Jebus  Cheist,  ability  and  sufficiency  of,  i.  315 ;  iii.  505. 

an  unbounded  and  infinite  object  of  knowledge,  iii.  504. 
a  striking  instance  of  disinterested  benevolence,  i.  382,  383. 
atonement  of,  i.  324-350,  360,  361. 

a  display  of  divine  grace,  i.  343. 

only  delivers  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  considered,  i. 
345. 
cause  of -the  diversity  of  opinion  concerning,  i.  266,  267. 
condescension  and  love  of,  i.  316. 
death  of,  an  infinite  gain  to  the  universe,  i.  336. 
denial  of  the  divinity  of,  destroys  all  Christian  hope,  iii.  510-515. 
evidence  of  the  friendship  of,  ii.  671,  686. 
exalted  character  of,  iii.  501. 
folly  and  guilt  of  rejecting,  i.  318,  334. 
friends  of,  love  him  for  what  he  is,  ii.  683. 

are  submissive  and  obedient,  ii.  686. 
friendship  to,  will  reconcile  men  to  death,  ii.  673. 
how  he  could  suffer  the  curse  of  the  law,  considered,  i.  331. 
human  and  divine  nature  of,  i.  281-293. 
human  nature  of,  perfectly  holy,  i.  292. 

66* 


786  INDEX. 

Jesus  Christ.     (Continued.') 

importance  of  his  divinity,  i.  358,  359;  iiL  512-517. 

is  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  i.  351-354. 

is  final  Judge,  ii.  47. 

is  truly  God,  i.  267-279,  293-312. 

is  truly  man,  i.  281. 

is  the  Son  of  God  in  a  peculiar  sense,  i.  293-312. 

knowledge  of,  comprises  the  whole  of  Christian  knowledge,  iii.  503. 

notions  of  Arius  respecting,  i.  284,  290. 

obedience  of,  no  part  of  his  atonement,  i.  347-350. 

reasons  why  any  reject  the  divinity  of,  i.  280. 

requires  his  friends  to  act  the  part  of  Mends,  ii.  669. 

saving  faith  in,  i.  421,  etc. 

should  be  preached  in  all  the  glory  of  his  character,  iii.  509. 

sinners  united  to,  by  faith,  i.  466. 

sufferings  of,  alter  not  the  character  of  the  sinner,  i.  342. 

imputed  in  what  sense,  i.  361,  362. 
the  importance  of  considering  the  exalted  character  of,  iii.  501-517. 
the  author  of  all  moral  light,  i.  351. 
the  doctrine  of  the  preiixistence  of  his  human  nature  considered, 

i.  290-292. 
the  friend  of  the  redeemed,  ii.  629-652,  664. 
Tinion  of  the  human  and  divine  natures  of,  i.  28 1-284 . 
union  to,  necessary  to  justification,  i.  464. 
warrant  to  pray  to,  i.  317,  318. 
when  his  human  nature  began  to  exist,  i.  284-292. 
will   deliver  up  his  mediatorial  power,  and  assume  the  place  as- 
signed him  in  the  work  of  redemption,  and  still  remain  head  of 
his  church,  i.  355,  356. 
Joy  of  the  Christian,  true  and  spurious,  distinguished,  iii.  742-745. 
Judgment,  the  general,  ii.  46-55. 

Justification,  by  faith  in  Christ,  i.  457-486  ;  iii.  245,  668-685. 

a  rational  doctrine,  i.  480. 
consists  in  what,  i.  458  ;  iii.  679,  680. 
does  not  free  from  obhgation  to  be  holy,  i. 

478  ;  iii.  682. 
established  by  right  notions  of  the  law  of 

God,  iii.  533-535. 
is  not  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness  in 

the  sense  of  transfer,  i.  477. 
is  not  without  holiness,  iii.  682,  683. 
law  established  and  honored  in,  i.  484,  485. 
means  the  same  as  pardon  of  sin,  L  349. 
opposed  to  justification  by  works,  i.  467 ;  iii. 

666-685. 
Paul  and  James  agreed  on,  iii.  683,  684. 
union  to  Christ,  necessary  to>  L  461-485 ; 
iii.  245.     (See  Faith,  savings) 


INDEX.  787 

K. 

Knowledge  of  Truth,  necessary  to  holiness,  iii.  569-672. 


L. 

Law,  essential  to  moral  government,  i.  170,  180. 

most  perfect,  must  threaten  evil  to  the  transgressor  answerable  to 

his  crime,  i.  170,  182-184. 
of  works  and  of  faith,  iii.  661-685. 
penalty  essential  to,  i.  170,  181,  323  ;  iii.  524. 
Law  of  God,  and  regeneration,  sermons  on,  iii.  521-578  ;  Memoir,  199-201. 
all  obedience  to,  reduced  to  one  thing,  iii.  14. 
a  test  of  true  religion,  iii.  537. 

Christ  suffered  the  penalty  of  the,  i.  324-310.  •# 

conviction  of  sin  by  the,  iii.  529-538. 

established  in  the  justification  of  sinners  by  Christ,  i.  484. 
ignorance  of,  and  mistakes  about  the,  the  foundation  of  all  great  and 

hurtful  errors  with  respect  to  the  gospel,  iii.  532. 
is  perfectly  right,  i.  460  ;  iii.  526. 
is  the  standard  of  holiness,  i.  34,  42;  iii.  13,  14  ;  and  rule  of  life, 

iii.  522,  528. 
is  the  instrument  of  awakening  sinners,  iii.  541. 
is  infinitely  binding,  iii.  523. 

knowledge  of  the,  necessary  to  the  knowledge  of  sin,  iii.  521-541,  638. 

the    knowledge    of    the    gospel,    ii. 
753-757;  iii.  532,  537. 
of  the  nature  of  a  covenant,  i.  197. 
penalty  of  the,  essential  and  infinite,  iii.  524,  525. 
sinners  under  the  curse  of,  iii.  672. 

right  views  of  the,  imply  a  willingness  to  suffer  the  penalty,  ii.  755. 
the  ends  or  designs  of  the  penalty  of  the,  i.  182-184  ;  iii.  524. 
Law,    the    Moral,    all  transgress  the,  as  soon  as  moral  agents,  iii.  532. 
admits  of  a  substitute,  i.  341,  480. 
cannot  be  abrogated  or  abated,  i.  197,  321 ;  iii.  526. 
founded  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  is  perfectly  right, 

ui.  526. 
mistake  about  the,  hurtful  and  fatal,  iii.  529,  532. 
not  abated  by  the  gospel,  i.  497. 
no  moral  agent  can  be  released  from  obligation  to  obey 

the,  i.  197,  206,  207,  497;  iii.  527,  547,  548. 
no  obedience  to,  without  love,  i.  197  ;  iii.  119,  120. 
respects  the  heart  —  all  its  moral  exercises,  i.  197,  502  ; 

iii.  522. 
should  be  preached,  i.  498. 
transgression  of,  is  sin,  iii.  528. 
Legislature  of  Rhode  Island,  acts  of,  against  slavery,  Memoir,  119- 


788  INDEX. 

LiBEETT,  and  dependence,  consistent,  i.  141,  142;  iii.  629. 

agreement  with  Edwards  in,  i.  87,  note. 

consists  in  the  exercise  of  will,  or  involuntary  action,  i.  83,  87  ;  iii.  629. 

that  which  is  essential  to  moral  agency,  i.  83;  iii.  629. 

virtue  and  vice,  praise  and  blameworthiness,  consist  wholly  in  the 
exercise  of  choice  or  voluntary  action,  i.  87. 

what  is  the,  essential  to  moral  agency,  i.  83-86. 
LoTE,  all  hohness  consists  in,  i.  446. 

divine,  disinterested,  i.  51,  237,  380-385. 

of  benevolence  and  complacence,  i.  49,  50. 

self,  sin  consists  in,  i.  238-241.     (See  Self-love.) 

to  God,  not  founded  in  the  belief  that  he  loves  us,  i.  388-393. 

necessarily  included  in  true  piety,  ii.  711.     (See  Holiness.) 

the  essence  of  all  Christian  graces,  i.  446. 
Loed's  Supper,  ii.  166-170. 


M. 

Man,  apostasy  of,  i.  206. 

created,  i.  158. 

depraved  as  soon  as  he  exists,  i.  230.     (See  Depravity.) 

in  the  garden  of  Eden,  i.  178. 

moral  depravity  of,  does  not  abate  his  obligations  to  repent,  i.  601. 

more  an  ultimate  end  than  angels,  i.  160. 

placed  under  law  originally,  i.  176,  177. 

probation  of,  wiU  end,  i.  172. 

put  at  the  head  of  all  creatures,  i.  159. 

superiority  of,  i.  158. 

the  natural  powers  and  faculties  of,  not  depraved,  but  the  moral,  i. 
129,  233. 

total  depravity  of,  i.  501  ;  iii.  233. 

under  no  inability  to  obey  the  law,  but  his  inclination  to  disobey, 
i.  233,  234.     (See  Inability.) 
Mankind,  universally  depraved,  i.  217-221. 

have  natural  power  to  do  whatever  they  are  justly  required  to  do, 
and  all  their  moral  character  consists  in  their  free  choices. 
Memoir,  108,  109.     (See  Holiness  and  Sin.) 

sin  from  the  beginning  of  their  moral  existence,  i.  224,  232,  245. 

sin,  guilt,  and  condemnation  of  all,  by  divine  constitution,  connected 
mth  Adam's  sinning,  i.  214-223. 

sin  of,  as  much  their  own,  as  if  no  connection  with  Adam,  i.  228-230. 
IklANUMissiON  Societies,  Memoir,  116-129. 
Mather,  Mr.,  remarks  on  his  views  of  regeneration,  iii.  100-108. 

his  objections  against  President  Edwards's  doctrine,  iii.  106-108. 
Mathew,  Dr.,  reply  to,  iii.  191. 
Means,  as  necessary  to  obtain  an  end,  as  if  nothing  was  decreed,  ii.  733. 

as  necessary  to  the  salvation  of  the  elect,  as  they  would  be  if  none 
were  elected,  ii.  11,  12. 
Means  op  Grace,  end  and  design  of  the,  iii.  259-27  !• 


INDEX.  789 

Means  of  Grace.     {Co^dinued.) 

encoxiragement  to  attend  on  the,  iii.  122,  261,  275,  567-578. 

obligations  of  men  to  use  the,  iii.  271. 

sinners  under  conviction  should  be  taught  the  true  end 

and  design  of  means,  iii.  275. 
■what  meant  by  using  the,  iii.  260. 
why  to  be  used,  iii.  261,  566-578. 
Millennium,  a  treatise  on  the,  ii.  221-364. 

prophecies  of  the,  not  yet  fulfilled,  ii.  229-259. 
state  of  the,  described,  ii.  259-296. 
■when  the,  ■will  take  place,  ii.  296-310. 
■what  is  to  take  place  before  the,  ii.  310-364. 
Miller,  Dr.  Samuel's,  opinion  on  Hopkuis  and  Ed'wards,   as  agreeing  on 

benevolence.  Memoir,  210. 
Mills,  Samuel  J.,  Hopkins's  relation  to,  Memoir,  164,  165. 
Mills,  Rev.  Mr.,  reply  to,  iii.  283. 
Miracles,  what  are  they,  i.  165,  166. 

Missionary  Circular  of  Drs.  Stiles  and  Hopkins,  Memoir,  131,  132. 
candidates.  Memoir,  131,  132,  136. 
its  results.  Memoir,  132,  133. 
second  do..  Memoir,  134-136. 
Missionary  Society,  Memoir,  138. 

Moral  Agency,  consists  in  what,  i.  83-87,  236  ;  iii,   113,  522.     (See  Moral 
Agents,') 
of  man,  and  decrees  of  God  consistent  with  each  other,  i.  75-88, 
140-147.     (See  Decrees  of  God.) 
Moral  Agents,  angels  and  men  only  are,  i.  169. 
are  entirely  dependent  on  God,  i.  219. 

God  under  no  obligations  to  preserve  them  from  sinning,  i.  219. 
previous  certainty  that  they  ■will  sin  does  not  diminish  their  guilt, 

i.  229,  231.     (See  Decrees  of  God.) 
sinful  in  proportion  to  the  strength  and  constancy  of  their  evil  dis- 
positions, i.  233. 
the  law  of  God  respects  all  the  faculties  and  exercises  ofi  iii.  522. 
will  exist  without  end,  ii.  704,  705. 
Morality,  nothing  of  the  nature  of,  without  will  or  choice,  i.  236. 
Moral  Darkness,  criminal,  i.  401,  420,  421. 
nature  of,  i.  401 ;  iii.  555-560. 
of  the  unregcnerate,  i.  399-404,  415. 
Murray,  his  interview  with  Hopkins,  Memoir,  104-106. 


N. 

Necessity,  not  inconsistent  with  liberty,  ii.  531,  note. 
Neutrality,  of  character  in  men,  none,  iii.  99,  194,  195,  207,  239,  240. 
New  Divinity,  Edwards  accused  of,  iii.  106,  548,  550,  Memoir,  108,  109. 
Hopkins's  defence  of,  Memoir,  177,  178;  iii.  341-351. 


790  INDEX. 

New  England  Theology,  Memoir,  187,  188,  219,  220. 
Newport  Gardxeh,  Memoir,  154-156. 

circumstances  connected  with  liis  liberation,  Memoir,  155,  156. 

his  remarkable  talents,  Me7noir,  154. 

his  perseverance  in  the  plan  of  returning  to  his  native  land,  —  his 
embarkation,  —  death,  Memoir,  156. 

influence  of  Hopkins  upon  him,  Memoir,  155,  156. 


o. 

Obligation,  of  men  to  be  holy,  iii.  85-88.     (See  Ability  and  Inability.') 
OSBOBN,  Mes.,  character  of,  Memoir,  99. 
society.  Memoir,  98-101. 


P. 

Peace,  duty  to  live  in  peace  with  all,  ii.  195. 
Pelagianism,  repugnant  to  Hopkins's  principles.  Memoir,  187. 
Penalty,  essential  to  law,  i.  170.     (See  Laio  and  Law  of  God.) 
Peefection,  none  in  this  life,  ii.  23. 

reasons  for  imperfection  here,  ii.  27-34. 
the  duty  of  all  Christians,  ii.  26. 
Peemission,  of  sin,  agreement  of  Calvin,  the  Catechism,  and  Edwards  with 

Hopkins  on  the,  i.  109,  note,  144,  145. 
Peeseteeance  op  Cheistlans,  doctrine  of  the,.i.  511-519. 

does  not  lead  to  carelessness,  but 
is  a  motive  to  Christian  duty, 
iii.  639-644. 
pleasing  to  the  true  Christian,  iii. 

644. 
duty  of,  iii.  600. 
Phillis  Wheatley,  Hopkins's  correspondence  with.  Memoir,  137,  138. 
Piety,  decrees  of  God  the  foundation  of,  ii.  703-744. 
essential  exercises  of  true,  ii.  711-729. 
fear  of  God,  an  exercise  of,  ii.  718-724. 
love  to  God  necessarily  included  in  true,  ii.  711. 
repentance  towards  God,  and  joy  in  his  government,  a  branch  of,  ii, 

726-729. 
unreserved  trust,  and  resignation  to  the  will  of  God,  essential  part  of 

true,  ii.  724-726. 
worship,  an  important  branch  of,  ii.  729,  730. 
Pbateb,  an  important  part  of  Christian  duty,  ii.  186,  190. 
encouragement  to,  ii.  733. 
is  connected  with  the  accomplishment  of  the   divine  purposes,  ii. 

734-737. 
its  effect  on  the  suppliant,  ii.  734. 


INDEX.  791 

Pjuteb.     {Continued.) 

monthly  meeting  for,  Memoir,  138. 
satisfaction  of  the  Christian  in,  ii.  193. 
the  great  and  constant  duty  of  the  Christian,  iii.  508. 
the  necessary  means  of  obtaining  blessings  from  God,  ii.  193. 
Preaching  the  Gospel,  Avhat  implied  in  the,  i.  496,  497. 

nothing  required  in  the,  short  of  repentance  and  faith,  i.  500. 
Principle,  distinction  between  it  and  moral  exercises,  the  basis  of  Hopkins's 
difficult  to  form  any  idea  of  a  passive,  iii.  134-137. 
distinction  between  regeneration  and  conversion,  iii.  562-565. 
none  distrust  from  exercises  of  heart,  iii.  134-136. 
what  we  call,   antecedent  to  exercises,  may  be  resolved  into  divine 
constitution,  or  law  of  nature,  iii.  553,  note ;  Memoir,  200,  201. 
Probation,  the  only  time  of,  ii.  38. 

will  end,  i.  172. 
Professing  Christians,  address  to,  iii.  159-182. 
Progress,  Hopkins's  love  of.  Memoir,  179,  180. 
Promises  of  the  Gospel,  inquiry  concerning  the,  iii.  191-258. 
not  made  to  selfish  exercises,  iii.  53. 
not  made  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate,  iii.  199-258. 
this  no  discouragement  to  the  use  of  the  means  of  grace,  iii.  252-258. 
See  Memoir,  190,  191. 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  a  Christian  daty,  iii.  748,  749. 
Providence,  divine,  what,  i.  164. 

according  to  fixed  laws,  i.  165. 

as  it  respects  moral  agents,  i.  169,  176. 

a  view  of,  opens  the  most  ample  field  for  pious  exercises, 

i.  168. 
goodness  of  God  in,  i.  203. 
in  giving  law  to  man,  i.  177. 
right  views  of,  essential  to  true  piety,  i.  167,  168. 
universal  and  constant,  i.  164,  167. 
Public  Worship,  an  institution  of  Christ,  ii.  83. 

stated  time  for,  ii.  84-86. 
Punishment  of  the  Wicked,  doctrine  of,  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  ii.  371-398. 
will  be  endless,  ii.  398-416. 

confirmed  by  reason,  ii.  438-463. 
objections  to  the,  examined,  ii.  416-437. 
questions  and  answers  relating  to,  ii.  464-475. 


R. 

Reasoning,  metaphysical,  considered,  iii.  490-495. 
Kedeemer,  design  and  work  of  the,  i.  319,  etc. 

person  and  character  of  the,  i.  265-300. 

universal  reign  of  the,  i.  353-355. 

union  between  the,  and  believers,  i.  364-367. 

voluntarily  took  the  place  of  sinners,  i.  331. 


792  INDEX. 

Redeemer.     {Continued.) 

will  resume  his  appropriate  place,  i.  355. 

wonderful  love  and  grace  of  the,  i.  362.     (See  Jesus  Christ.') 
Redemption,  application  of,  i.  363-367. 

display  of  the  Avisdora  of  God  in,  i.  482-484. 

dependence  on  revelation  for  our  knowledge  of,  i.  246. 

does  not  extend  to  all  fallen  creatures,  i.  248,  249. 

exercise  and  expression  of  divine  benevolence  in,  i.  250-256,  261,  262. 

general  observations  on,  i.  246. 

gradually  introduced,  i.  257. 

guilt  of  those  who  slight  and  oppose  the  work  of,  i.  262,  263. 

lays  the  foundation  for  endless  gratitude,  i.  260. 

the  end  of  all  God's  other  works,  i.  259. 

the  greatest  and  most  glorious  Avork  of  God,  i.  258-260. 
Refokmer,  Hopkins  a.  Memoir,  112-114. 

Regeneration,  a  change  of  the  heart  —  of  the  moral,  not  of  the  natural  pow- 
ers, i.  369-371 ;  iii.  106-108,  550-553. 

an  immediate  duty,  iii.  577,  578. 

cayse,  nature,  and  means  of,  iii.  543-578. 

conversion  the  effect  of,  i.  374  ;  iii.  563. 

divine  and  human  agency  united  in,  i.  137-139. 

evidence  of,  iii.  576. 

God  the  author  of,  iii.  545,  546. 

grace  in,  sovereign,  undeserved,  and  unpromised,  i.  372 ;  iii.  565-570. 

is  instantaneous,  i.  368  ;  iii.  560. 

is  essential  to  a  hearty  reception  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  i.  376, 
note ;  iii.  558. 

is  the  removal  of  nothing  but  what  man  is  to  blame  for,  and  is  the 
implantation  of  no  principle  which  man  is  not  able  and  under 
obligation  to  exercise  at  all  times,  iii.  550. 

is  wrought  by  the  immediate  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  367-371  ; 
iii.  546,  654-560. 

man  passive  in,  but  active  in  conversion,  iii.  235,  554. 

man  active  in,  in  what  sense,  iii.  572,  627- 

means  necessary  to,  iii.  568-571. 

necessity  of,  i.  365  ;  iii.  546. 

not  by  light,  and  not  without  light,  i.  370-372  ;  iii.  104,  555-560,  and 
note. 

not  inconsistent  with  human  liberty,  i.  373,  374. 

founded  in  the  total  corruption  of  the  heart,  iii.  546,  547. 

the  work  of  God,  and  yet  the  work  of  man,  i.  139  ;  iii.  605,  606. 

the  beginning  of  sanctification,  i.  374. 

the  foundation  of  all  right  exercises,  iii.  554. 

the  subject  of,  sees  and  approves  the  divine  law,  i.  376. 

use  of  means  for,  what  encouragement  to  the,  iii.  566-572. 
Repentance,  nature  of,  i.  435. 

implied  in,  and  antecedent  to,  saving  faith,  i.  432-440. 

the  first  and  immediate  duty,  i.  503 ;  iii.  578. 
Resignation.     (See  Submission.) 


INDEX.  793 

Restjrhection,  general,  ii.  45,  46. 
Reteibution,  eternal  happiness,  ii.  55-64. 

eternal  misery,  ii.  64-68. 
Revelation,  divine,  the  Bible  a,  i.  5-30 ;  ii.  217-221. 

criminality  and  folly  of  not  rcceiring,  i.  7,  29,  243,  244. 

doctrines  of,  should  be  loved,  ii.  214. 

evidence  of,  clear  to  every  candid  mind,  i.  7. 

gratitude  due  to  God  for  giving  a,  i.  27-29. 

mankind  in  need  of,  i.  5, 
.  necessity  of,  acbnitted  by  the  heathen,  i.  6.     (See  Bible.) 
Reward  promised  to  the  obedient,  i.  195. 
Ryland,  Rev.  Dr.,  letters  to,  ii.  748-757 ;  Memoh;  227,  228. 


S. 

Sabbath,  instituted,  i.  155. 

one  day  in  seven  to  be  observed  as  the,  ii.  86-92. 

the  Jewish,  not  perpetual,  ii.  88. 

when  does  the,  begin,  ii.  92-96. 
Salvation,  Cliristians  work  out  their.     (See  Christians.) 

desiring,  what  meant  by,  and  in  what  sense  unregenerate  persons  de- 
sire, iii.  202-207. 

made  possible  to  all,  iii.  212. 

nothing  in  the  way  of,  but  unwillingness,  iii.  632-637. 

of  all  men,  doctrine  of,  dangerous,  ii.  477-480. 

offered  to  all  men,  ii.  14-17  ;  iii-  205. 

offered  on  the  lowest  terms,  iii.  243. 
Saving  Faith.     (See  Faith.) 
ScRiPTUEES,  duty  of  studying  the,  ii.  205. 
Self-determinino  Power,  what  meant  by,  i.  85,  86. 

absurdity  of  a,  i.  85,  86. 
Self-denial  consists  in  what,  iii.  58-63. 
Self-examination,  iii.  646-651,  684. 
Selfishness,  the  root  and  source  of  all  sin,  i.  235-243 ;  iii.  584-587. 

must  be  opposed  and  suppressed,  iii.  584. 
Self-lo'\'e,  all  sin  consists  in,  i.  235,  243  ;  iii.  29. 

blinds  the  heart  to  moral  excellence,  iii.  29. 

consists  in  a  separate  interest  from  God,  iiL  106. 

distinction  between  it  and  a  love  of  happiness,  i.  379. 

importance  of  distinguishing  between,  and  disinterested  affection,  L 
392,  393. 

mistakes  respecting  it,  i.  388  ;  ii.  748-752. 

Mr.  Mather's  views  of,  confuted,  iii.  100-107. 

nature  and  tendency  of,  i.  410. 

no  part  of  holiness,  or  duty,  iii.  22,  112. 

opposed  to  holiness,  iii.  104-107. 

tends  to  evil,  i.  398. 

the  basis  of  Rev.  Mr.  Booth's  system,  ii.  748-752. 

VOL.  III.  67 


794  INDEX. 

Sepaeate  State  between  death  and  the  resurrection,  ii.  40-44. 

Serpent,  the  tempter,  i.  207. 

Suf,  a  transgression  of  law,  i.  235  ;  iii.  528. 

against  God,  exceeding  sinfulness  of,  iii.  304. 

infinitely  criminal,  i.  180,  181  ;  iii.  505-507. 
all,  actual,  i.  224. 

and  consists  in  the  quality  of  the  exercises  of  a  moral 
agent,  and  not  in,  or  want  of,  any  thing  previous  to 
moral  action,  i.  231-241 ;  iii.  29,  138. 
found  nowhere  but  in  voluntary  action,  i.  84-87,  100,  134,  236. 
all  men  guilty  of,  from  the  beginning  of  their  existence,  i.  223-232, 

245. 
conviction  of,  by  the  law,  iii.  538,  678. 
denial  that  God  permits,  for  good  ends,  dishonorable  to  him,  ii.  536, 

537. 
God  exercised  his  choice  about  the  existence  of,  i.  108,  219,  220 ;  iii. 

734. 
God  has  power  to  prevent  the  existence  of,  iii.  734. 

•will  restrain  and  prevent  all,  but  what  is  necessary  to  promote 
the  greatest  good,  i.  90-100 ;  iii.  735,  736. 
Hopkins's  agreement  with  the  Catechism  on  the  divine  agency  in,  i. 

106-110. 
mankind  born  in,  i.  226. 

nature  of,  consists  in  selfishness,  i.  224,  235-243  ;  iii.  28, 103,  547,  note, 
necessary  to  the  greatest,  and  the  occasion  of,  good  in  every  instance 

of  it,  no  encouragement  to  sin,  i.  99,  100,  note. 
none  without,  in  this  life,  ii.  23^36. 
not  properly  distinguished  into  original  and  actual,  i.  218,  224,  230 ; 

Memoir,  216. 
nothing  sinful  in  man,  antecedent  to  his  sinning,  or  to  wrong  affec- 
tions and  purposes,  i.  101,  102,  236. 
not  the  punishment  of  sin,  i.  194.     (See  Evil,  moral.) 
original,  what,  i.  224,  note,  235. 

Hopkins's  opinion  on,  Memoir,  216,  217- 
no  objection  to  the  doctrine  of,  i.  225. 
of  Adam  decided  the  character  of  all  his  posterity,  i.  211.    {^ee  Adam.) 
by  divine  constitution,  connected  with  the  sin  of  all  the 

race,  i.  214-218. 
not  imputed  to  his  posterity,  while  they  are  innocent,  i.  218, 
230. 
of  individuals  not  less  their  own,  nor  they  the  less  'guilty,  because 
connected  -with  the  sin  of  Adam,  nor  because  of  its  previous  cer- 
tainty, i.  228-231. 
overruled  for  the  divine  glory,  i.  91-100  ;  iii.  727-745. 
the  occasion  of  great  good,  through  divine  interposition,  ii.  497-512. 
this  no  excuse  for,  or  encouragement  in, 

sin,  ii.  513-526,  537,  538. 
this  a  matter  of  support  and  comfort  in  the 
darkest  times,  ii.  511 ;  iii.  744. 


INDEX.  795 

Sin,  the  occasion  of  great  good.     {Continued.) 

agreement  with  Edwards   and  Archbishop 

Sharp  on  this,  ii.  543-545  ;  Memoir,  189. 

the  holiness  and  wisdom  of  God  in  the  permission  of,  ii.  527-544  ;  iii. 

733. 
the  origin  or  cause  of,  not  itseK  sin,  i.  100-106,  124. 
Sinners,  bad  influence  of  wrong  instructions  to,  i.  503  ;  iii.  138-141. 
directions  to,  i.  503. 

do  no  duty  whUe  impenitent,  i.  504-508  ;  iii.  118-141. 
inability  of,  what,  i.  509,  510  ;  iii.  132-137.     (See  Inability.) 
increased  opposition  of,  under  conviction,  iii.  101-103. 
mexcusableness  of,  for  disobedience,  i.  506-510. 
justly  required  to  repent  immediately,  i.  503-509. 
miserable  state  of,  i.  245. 

no  duty  rcquii-ed  of,  as  preparatory  to  repentance,  i.  506-508. 
reasonably  commanded  to  do  what  they  never  will  do  without  di- 
vine influence,  iii.  638. 
should  be  told  their  duty,  i.  506,  etc. 
their  encouragement  to  come  to  Christ,  i.  518. 
under  the  curse  of  the  law,  iii.  672-678. 

under  no  kind  of  inability  to  repent,  and  obey  God,  different  fi:om 
that  they  are  under  to  do  the  common  actions  of  life,  iii.  133. 
(See  Inability.) 
unregenerate,  and  awakened,  criminality  of,  iii.  296-304. 
Slavery  and  the  Slave  Trade,  address  to  the  OA\Tiers  of  slaves,"  ii.  589-594. 
address  to  the  Continental  Congress  on,  ii.  549. 
clerical  action  on.  Memoir,  121-123. 
dialogue  on,  ii.  551-568. 
discourse  on,  ii.  597-609. 

appendix,  on  colonization,  ii.  610-612. 
essay  on,  ii.  613-624. 

hints  on,  ii.  745-748.     (See  Memoir,  115-165,  213.) 
Hopkins's  opposition  to,  Memoir,  115-118. 

Hopkins's  relative  position  among  the  friends  of  the  slave.  Memoir, 
159-165. 
predecessors  in  opposing  the  slave  system.  Memoir,  160. 
priority  to  many  others,  Memoir,  161. 
precedence  to  others  in  the  scheme  of  evangelizing  Afri- 
ca, and  in  the  colonization  scheme.  Memoir,  162-164. 
influence  in  promoting  the  colonization  cause,  Memoir, 
164,  165. 
New  York  Manumission  Society,  ii.  548. 
Newport,  the  grand  slave  mart,  Memoir,  115. 
Sovereignty  of  God,  in  regeneration,  iii.  565  ;  Memoir,  212.     (See  God.) 

pleasing  doctrine  to  the  Christian,  iii.  738,  739. 
Spirit  of  God,  agency  of  the,  in  regeneration,  iii.  546-550. 

what  it  is  to  be  led  by  the,  iii.  576.     (See  Holy  Spirit.) 
Stiles,  Dr.,  his  relations  to,  and  intercourse  with,  Hopkins,  Memoir,  79,  80, 
82,  108. 


796 


INDEX. 


Stiles,  Dr.,    {CoTitinued.) 

his  testimony  of  Edwardean  or  Ilopkinsian  Calvinism,  Memoir,  129, 
130. 
Strait  Gate,  -u-hat  meant  by,  iii.  191-193. 

do  unregencrate  men  strive  to  enter  the,  iii.  198,  etc. 

■what  meant  by  striving  to  enter  into  the,  iii.  191-198. 
Submission  to  God,  duty  of,  i.  168  ;  ii.  724-726. 

essential  to  true  piety,  ii.  725  ;  Memoir,  209-212. 

unconditional,  nature  of,  iii.  Ii3-157. 
Sunday,  origin  of  the  word,  ii.  88,  89. 
Systematic  Di\t;nity,  slighted,  i.  1. 


what  is,  i.  1. 


T. 


Temperance,  in  eating  and  drinking,  ii.  202  ;   Hopkins's,  Memoir,  112,  113. 
The  Author's  Farewell,  iii.  746. 
Theological  System,  Hopkins's,  Memoir,  203. 
Threatening,  i.  179-206.     (See  Law  of  God,  penalty  of.) 
Trinity,- IN  Unity,  doctrine  of  the,  i.  61-67. 

forms  an  infinitely  high,  holy,  and  happy  society,  ii.  58,  628. 

incomprehensible,  i.  66. 

order  of  office  in  the,  i.  357,  358. 
Trust  in  God,  safety  and  happiness  of,  i.  168. 
Trxtth,  will  prevail,  i.  4. 

but  one  consistent  plan  of,  ii.  212-214. 

harmonj'  and  consistency  in  the  system  of,  ii.  211. 

knowledge  of  the,  necessarj'  to  salvation,  iii.  261-265. 

the  medium  of  grace  and  salvation,  iii.  259. 


u. 

Unbelief,  guilt  of,  iii.  307-309. 

nature  of,  iii.  590,  591. 
Union  between  Christ  and  Believers,  what  is  it,  i.  365-367. 
United  States  Constitution,  and  the  slave  interest,  Memoir,  158,  159. 

Hopkins's  opinion  of  the,  Memoir,  158,  159. 
Unregenerate  Doixgs,  no  obedience  in,  iii.  233. 

no  promises  made  to,  iii.  199,  258. 
Unregenerate  Men,  act  Avholly  from  self-love,  iii.  114-116. 

all,  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  iii.  239. 

are  enemies  of  God,  iii.  140,  141,  292-299. 

desire  salvation,  in  what  sense,  and  how  far,  iii.  202-208. 

exhorted  to  nothing  short  of  faith  and  repentance,  iii.  141,  240. 

has  God  given  any  commands  to  which  they  do  truly  comply  with, 
133. 

have  no  true  gratitude  to  benefactors,  iii.  114. 

have  no  obedience  to  God,  or  right  exercises,  iii.  233,  234. 


INDEX.  797 

Unbxgenekate  Men.     {Conti7ixied.) 

immediate  duty  of  all  to  repent,  iii.  578. 

no  promises  of  regenerating  grace  to  the  doings  of,  iii.  237-247. 

opposed  to  God,  i.  227  ;   iii.   140,  295,   and  the  way    of  salvation, 

241-244. 
perform  no  duty  acceptably,  iii.  115-131. 
power,  obligation,  and  encouragement  of,  to  attend  on  the  means  of 

grace,  iii.  109,  406,  566-572. 
required  to  pcrfonn  their  whole  duty,  because  able,  iii.    126-128, 

and  maj'  perfectly  obey  while  unregenerate,  iii.  418-459. 
should  be  concerned  about  themselves,  iii.  577. 
should  be  exhorted  to  do  their  duty,  iii.  125-132,  141. 
the   inability  of,    only   an  unwiUingness,   and  therefore  sinful,   iii. 
132-137,  296-300. 
no  allowance  made  for,  iii.  133. 
true  state  and  character  of,  iii.  283,  etc. 

under  awakenings  and  convictions,  true  state  and  character  of,  iii, 

293,  304. 
more  guilty  than  in  a  state  of 

security,  iii.  283-341. 
this  no  discouragement  to   at- 
tendance on  means,  iii.  274, 
406-417. 
wholly  to  blame  for  being  unregenerate,  iii.  296-301. 


V. 

Virtue,  consists  in  love  to  being  in  general,  iii.  69-108. 

and  vice,  predicable  only  of  volition,  i.  84-87,  100,  134. 

Edwards  on,  defended,  iii.  69-108. 

nature  of,  iii.  5-99.     (See  Holiness.) 
Volition-,  is  man's  act,  though  God  be  the  cause  of,  iii.  605,  606. 

man  is  as  free  in  a  sinful,  as  in  a  holy,  and  no  more  objection  to 
God's  being  the  cause  of  the  one  than  the  other,  i.  133-135. 

moral  agency,  virtue  and  vice,  found  nowhere  but  in  voluntary  ex- 
ercises, i.  84. 
Voluntary  Action,  or  exercises,  virtue  and  vice,  praise  and  blame,  predicable 

only  of,  i.  84-87,  236. 


w. 

Whitefield,  his  intercourse  with  Hopkins,  Memoir,  86,  87. 
Wicked,  the,  wUl  be  punished  in  a  future  state,  ii.  371-398. 

the  punishment  of  the,  -nill  be  endless,  ii.  398-416. 
Will,  as  the  greatest  apparent  good,  iii.  105. 

every  exercise  of  the,  is  the  exercise  of  freedom,  i.  84. 

in  the  exercise  of  the,  moral  character  whoUv  consists,  i.  83. 

67* 


798  INDEX. 

"Willing  to  be  forever  miserable,  what  meant  by,  iii.  143— 157. 

involved  in  disinterested  benevolence,  iii.  lo4. 

involved  in  unreserved  submission  to  God,  iii.  148-157. 

on  the  principle  of  suffering  a  less  good  of  our  own,  to  secure  the 
greater  good  of  others,  iii.  143  146. 
"Wisdom  of  God,  i.  43. 

in  bringing  good  out  of  evil,  ii.  533-535. 
Works,  law  of,  iii.  661. 
Wrath  of  Man,  comprehends  what,  iii.  727,  728. 

shall  praise  and  glorify  God,  iii.  727-745. 


THE     END 


C      ■      ^ 


Princeton   Theoloqic.il  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  01091   4986 


DATE  DUE 

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DEMCO  38-297 

